The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-14
WHEELER THE HERO
HIS REMARKABLE we
 AGAINST REDS.
The Eutaw Boy Will Get Birming ham Berth If He Continues to Make Good-Fans Still Watch
 ing Black Sox.

Birmingham, April 3.-(Special. )-Base-
 ball dope readers in Birmingham ng-
 ure out now that Little ROCK ana NaSn-
 vile have very strong teams with bir-
 mingham and Montgomery improving at
 a very rapid stride While the local fans
 are watching the work of improvement
 on the part of the home team. no utIe attention is being given to Whistier.s up. As stated before. there IS consloer, able friendly rivalry on with the lans
 here as to the two teams-Montgomery and Birmingham-but none appear 70 rel ish an fntimation that Montgomery has better team than the one which will wear the Birmingham uniform.
 The last game played with Cincinnati on Saturday when Birmingham hnd, Wheeler, did such remarkable work In the box, has given a much better feeling in baseball circles in Birmingham than anything that has happened in some time. Wheeler .s being toasted on all
 sides and many believe that he will prove a lucky find" when the regular season opens. It Is stated of Wheeler that after
 the war with Spain he played ball In Cal
 ifornia and gained considerable notoriety
 for his work. He was next to being sem
 sational and since his return his coach
 ing for college teams and his work on
 amateur teams has gained him many
 friends. The management of the Birm.
 ingham team states that Wheeler will
 be given a showing and if there IS any
 thing to him he will hold steady job.
 Nashville's team, according to reports
 received here, Is fast getting into shape
 and is playing some fast ball. Not that
 2 recent defeat of a big lea league rue. team tea m
 as the general good playing Of the club.
 Newt Fisher so it is said. has been
 working quietly to bring his team out
 and in the practice games has been de- veloping the men who have signed con- tracts with him. Efforts on the part of some of the Eastern writers in the South ern League to cry down Little ROCK strength, do not seem to avai! much, as dope" fiends declare that in every game played by the Arkansas folks some ele- gant ball playing has been put up. How ever, when the real drama begins there may be some others at the post and in the get-off there will be some startling dis- play of talent
 New Orleans, Atlanta and Shreveport teams are not discussed much in Birn- ingham. While all of them will he given courteous treatment when they. come to Birmingham, 1t Is not believed that they will receive the rousing reception as will be given Montgomery, Nashville, Little | Rock and Memphis. No intention is meant to announce that there has been any clique formed, but the fans oi anxious to see more particularly whal Montgomery, Memphis Little Rock and Nashville have to offer than the other three cities which are to oppose Birm 1ngham. While there are many who still express dislike of the new rule as to foul strikes being counted as strikes. good baseball | lovers say that the game being short ened and the work of the pitcher light ened, there is no detraction to the game and that more struck outs will occur. After the games with the St. Pau American League team. the Birmingham Club will cross bats with local teams ant suubrban teams. All practice games il | Birmingham have been attended by nic' crowds and not single visiting club re | grets having come here.