The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-26

- = - - = | coincidence is that these two managers have bitterly fought each other in the New York league and unawares to each other have now come into the Southern league to continue their rivalry Tom O Brien has never been known to man age a losing team and this fact augurs well for the fans who have begun 10 pin their faith in the Coal Barons despite the unmentionable recorcs of the past.
 Birmingham Has Strong Club.
 There is no doubtng the fact that Bir- mingham has a strong club but with nearly all the players unknown in the south it is indeed a hard task to predict what they will do. Without accident the Coal Barons ought to finish In the first division. For the sake of argument allowing Nashville and Little Rock little edge on the others bitter fight will ensue between Atlanta, Birming- ham and New Orleans.
 It is true Montgomery is Birmingham most jealous foe but the form sheets do not show that club in as formidable position as the other two clubs men toned. Whistler's club has the disad- vantage of being new in the league and to the fan who is a student of the game it is lamentaby weak in the infield.
 Memphis so far has shown the poorest form but Charley Frank has justly been termed a smooth citizen" and he may be expected to springra few genuine sur prises ere the summer Las waned. Shreveport has a team or heavy hit ters, possibly the best batters in the league, but their inheld is bad and the base running of the club is handicapped by an extra supply of weight.
 Summarizing from these deductions it would seem that the first division teams are Little Rock, Nashville, Birmingham Atlanta and the others show relative strength as follows; Jew Orleans, Montgomery. Memphis and Shreveport.
 Line-Up of the Coal Barons.
 The Birmingham club at present con- sists of the following players:
 Pitchers-Smith, Denver, Partridge, Keenan, Campbell, Clarke, Wheeler. Schwenk.
 Catchers-Brown, Millerick
 First basemen-Vaughan, Mcconnell.
 Second baseman-Lawler. Short stop-Maguire.
 Third baseman-J. O'Brien. Left fielders-Mitchel Miller. Center fieder-Duify.
 Right fielder-Cavender
 Utility man--Leighton.
 Within the next week the wedding out process will have to begin and the root CTS are anxlously awaiting the fall of the axe as somebody will have to go.
 President Kavanaugh of the Southern league has decided to come to Birming- ham for the opening game and will prob ably throw the first ball across the plate, His acceptance of the Birmingham in- vitation is quite compliment in view of the fact that Little Rock, his home club, plays in New Orleans on that day.
 Preparing For the Opening.
 The local management are making elaborate preparations for the opening game with Nashville tomorrow and it will be a gala day in Birmingham. All the players of both clubs, rooters, stock ! holders, fans and all other persons in- terested in the game will assemble at the Florence hotel shortly after noon and th a brass band in the lead will parade the streets of the city and then drive to the park where public speeches will be made Mayor Drennen and the aldermen will probably take part in the parade and an effort will be made to have the mayor catch the first ball thrown across the plate. The mayor is accused or having played on the Philadelphia team in his early youth and he may accept the job with pleasure as tip is going the rounds that he is there" when it comes to handling the init. If the weather is clear it Is estimated that at least 5000 persons will attend the l opening game