The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-02

Atlanta 7, Nashville /.
Little Rock ID, Shreveport Q.
Montgomery. May Especial Before
crowd of nearly thirteen hundred peo-
pie Birmingham opened the season here
by giving Montgomery severe drubbing,
and showing all round superior work at
the bat and In the field.
On account of the limited number of
cars the crowd was difficult to handle,
and with better service the attendance
would probably have been increased by
five hundred hungry fans. From the
start the Coal Barons looked like win
ners, and the defeat administered to
Whstlers aggregation, fresh from a
three straight victory at Atlanta, was
distinctly a disappointment.
The Montgomery fans felt confident of
trimming Birmingham as they did At
lanta and a considerable sum of money
changed hands on the result.
The Capital City rooters started up with
blast of tin horns and a brass band
playing the Good Old Summer Time"
No thought but that of victory crossed
their minds, and when the Coal Barons
started hammering the ball around the lot
they were at first unable to understand
It. and soon the grand stand and bleachers
were completely dazed. The blasts from
the tin horns ceased and the rooters
lapsed into silence
As time wore on the Barons proceeded
to rub 1t In and the visiting Birmingham
enthusiasts We're the only happy souls at
Pickens' Springs.
Barons Rub 1t In.
Before the game had fairly begun the
visiting Birminghamers were made
special target for all kinds of good hui
mered filings lrom various parts of the
grand stand, and for a few minutes they
had to grin and endure 1t. Their time
came, however, and when the O'Brien or
ganization began systematic march
around the bags the Montgomery rooters,
like Longfellow's Arabs, folded their
tents and silently stole away
Frank Smith was in his finest fettle,
and to the shouts of Nov 'em down
Smitty' the Birmingham favorite sat the
Legislators down good and hard, and the
Birmingham fans leaned back and
laughed. 1t was great sport, and though
there were few to enjoy 1t. they mentally
telegraphed their feelings back to their
smoky home and felt just as good. Bren-
nan essayed to pitch for Montgomery,
but besides being a trife wild, the Ba-
rons turned broad side on his benders,
and the fire went out.
Every man on the Birmingham team
played good ball. and their errors were
excusable on account of the sandy ground,
as they had been used to hard infeld
Game Opened Up.
The game opened up with Duffy at the
bat, and he made the local rooters feel
iIthi Ia inf nv ctr iI-i I
on grounder and Mitchell ended 1t by
rolling slow one to Spratt. Montgomery
went out In one-two-three order, and the
fireworks had to be postponed. The fun
opened up In the second, and 1t was
something like this:
Durret OF Montgomery got a base on
balls and Stickney walked off on a SINH
lar trick. clark then hit between first
and second, and Mitchell who got the
ball, threw 1t into the bleachers allow
ing Durrett and Stickney to score
Busch struck out and Brennan flied out
to Duffy. This began to look gloomy, but
here is what put the crlmp into the BOYS
| who neatly trimmed Atlanta:
Vaughan opened up by jamming a hard
one down to Busch. who made a beauti-
full stop, but was a little too late in get
ting 1t to first Whistler missed the ball
and Vaughan went to second. Millar, who
was next up drew free pass to first,
and o Brien made a beautiful sacrifice, ad-
vancing both runners Mcguire came up
with an eagle eye. and after two strikes
got base on balls. This filled the bags
with one man out, and Milerick dropped
a pretty hit just over second. scoring
Vaughan. Smitty came to the bat with
blood In his eye and cracked out line
drive to left field for two bags, scoring
Mllar and Mcguire. Duffy strung a blue
darter into right field, scoring Millerick,
but Smitty was thrown out at the plate
Lawer walked but Mitchell was called
out on strikes, ending the temporary ag-
ony.
In the next inning Montgomery scored
her last run. and after that Smitty had
them completely at his mercy. After two
men were out Mcguire fumbled ground
err by Wordsworth who was sent to third
on hit by Whistler. Durrett then drove
a hot one past third base and Wordsworth
scored. Stickney struck out.
In the fourth inning Birmingham
scored two more runs and cinched the
game After Duffy had flied out to CEN
ter Millerick went to first on Busch's
error, but Smith flied out to short Duffy
hit safe, sending Milerick to third and
Lawler scored them both on a terrific
drive to center for two bases. Mitchell
walked but Vaughan fouled out to Clark.
The Last Run.
There was nothing further doing of
serious nature until the seventh inning
Lawler led off by hitting a bounder to
pitcher and going out at first Mitchell
pounded one to the right field fence for
two bags and went to third on Vaughans
grounder. Right here the most peculiar
play In the history of baseball occurred
and gave Birmingham her last run. Bren-
nan twisted the bali so as to put bend
err across the plate. but just as he drew
back to throw the ball slipped out of his
hand and rolled towards second base.
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