The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10
Games Today.
Atlanta at Montgomery.
New Orleans at Memphis.


With savage swish of a long black bat
Lew Whistler raped the ball against
center field fence in the last half of the
ninth inning yesterday and robbed Bir-
mingham of a game which was practically
cinched.
When Whistler walked up to the plate
there were two men on bases, two men
out and the score to in favor of Bir-
mingham. Many fans had started to
leave the grand stand and bets were being
paid when suddenly there was a hush, a
dead silence The Montgomery manager
met the ball with a fierce swing of the
willow and the ominous crack foretold the
result. The ball cut clean path through
the atmosphere around center. field, land
ing under the 3eer sign in the middle of
the field. Wordsworth tore around the
bags like a cyclone and as he crossed the
plate the fire smouldered and the game
had been lost to 4.
It was heart-rending moment and the
1000 and more of fans for several minutes
were completely dazed. AS the extent Of
the calamity dawned upon them the cries
We're pitiful and many a saddened heart
could be found in Birmingham last night.
While Smitty pitched magnificent ball
for five innings, he seemed to weaken in
the sixth and from then on the Legislators
away with a total of nine hits,
netting them five runs.
Umpire Mace Was Awful.
Though the game was won by Mont
gomerys superior batting at critical mo-
ments, 1t would not be amiss to mention
the fact that Umpire Mace presented one
of the most putrid exhibitions with the
indicator ever witnessed in Birmingham
1t was not question of who got the best
of 1t, but II would be difficult to ascertain
who got the worst of 1t. lie was rank
both ways, and at times the players got
disguised and knew not which way TO
turn. He called balls strikes and called
strikes balls. He called foul balls fair
and did such other and further acts as
tend to mar the peace and dignity of the
Ancient and Independent Order of Root
ers In the eighth inning he gave Whis-
tier two bases on what everybody could
see was foul ball, and even Montgomery
players threw up their hands in horror.
Oh, it was awful. He may be honest and
intend to do right, but for the sake of
percentage let Mr. Mace don a pair of
glasses.
The Mourntul story.
The mournful story began by Duffy lin
ing out a beautiful hit off Mr.. Polchow
and going to second on LAWYERS sacrifice.
Lavender followed with safe hit and
both runners were advanced on passed
ball. Vaughan then hit beauty to left
field, scoring Duffy. Millar struck out and
long fly to left field allowed
Lavender to die a slow death on third. In
the meantime Montgomery was able to do
nothing with Smith
In the third inning Birmingham added
two more runs on Cavender's two Dagger
to right field fence and Vaughans single.
Vaughan scored moment later on Ma
CURES single and Sammie Brown hit for
two bags but was left on base.
In the next inning Hopkins went in to
relieve Polchow, who was being hammered
all over the lot, and the lad who talks
much pitched beautiful game. Not an
other run was made by the Coal Barons
until the ninth inning when Vaughan got
to first on Spratt's error and scored on
Mlllar's long three Dagger to right field
fence. This was one of the prettiest
drives of the game and set the crowd
wild as 1t was thought it cinched the game
for the Barons.
In the sixth inning Montgomery made
her first run on Molesworth's single and
w HlStleT TWO DdSe MT TO center. Iney
scored again in the eighth on Moles-
worth's hit to right field and Whistler's
alleged two Dagger to the same garden.
The ball went about two feet foul but
Umpire Mace called il fair and the wrang-
ling of the Birmingham players and the
derisive yells from the crowd went for
naught. He called II fair ball and that
was all there was TO 1t.
The Fatal Ninth.
In the ninth inning. with two runs to
the good and Busch up the fans felt a
little comfortable and the crowd began
leaving. But there was trouble in store
In great big punches. and it started up in
a few minutes. After giving him two
strikes Smitty walked Busch to first and
Brennan went in to bat for Hopkins. He
popped one up to Vaughan and things
looked more comfortable. Kanzler came
up next and hit a slow one to left field
but Spratt forced Kanzler out on
grounder. making two outs, with a man
on third and one on first. Molesworth
came next and hit safe. scoring Busch,
Spratt going to third. Whistler was next
up and Smitty went after him. The first
one over was a strike and everybody
smiled. The next one came like a shot
and was called a ball. The third one
came straight over and was just to Whis-
tiers liking. With a sharp eye forward
he took a quick swing and met the ball
square on the nose. The sphere shot for
ward as II hurled by a catapult, and
when seen last 1t was sailing over DufYys
head and the little fielder had his back TO
the crowd running for life. 1t was no use.
however. for the show was over. Mnies-
worth came home three or four lergths |
to the good. and Montgomery left town |
with two Stag pile scalps swinging to
thei: belts.
The Score.