The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-14
BIRMINGHAM TEAM
 ALMOST COMPLETE
Six Pitchers Have Signed Con-
 tracts for 1905
MoGULS MEET TOMORROW
Local Association Will Be Represent ed at Memphis Meeting By Col. F. G. Sheppard-offioers
 to Be Elected.

Col. F. G. Sheppard of the Birmingham baseball association leaves tonight for Memphis, where he goes to attend the annual meeting of the Southern associa- ton of baseball clubs The meeting will be held in Memphis tomorrow. officers are to be elected and other business trans acted The meeting will last only one day, probably.
 During the past month or so much progress has been made towards securing material for the Birmingham team of 1905. With the possible exception of a short stop, the infield is now complete, Manager Harry Vaughn will be again seen work ing at the initial bag, Piggie Ward at second, and Woodruff, who is a recruit so far as the Southern league is con cerned will be on third
 Jimmy Tamsett has not signed con tract for next season. Memphis is anx- ious to secure the little short stop but f he writes the Birmingham association that he will give Birmingham the refusal of his services. Jimmy appears anxious to come back to the slagpile to spend the summer.
 Woodruff Has Signed Up.
 The local association has the contract for the services of Woodruff, who played all last season as a utility man with the Cincinnati Reds. woodruff is a good all round player He can catch, play the infield or the outfield and Is a good hitter. He is a nephew of Harry Vaughn, and has for sometime past been anx- ious to come to Birmingham. He takes Jimmie OBriens place. The latter will probably go with Tom oBrien to Montgomery.
 Birmingham has six pitchers, and the staff is considered the strongest in the Southern league. Reagan, Ginger Clark, Texas Clark, Pylant, Wagner and Bonno make up the list. Wagner started out with Birmingham last season but was not in condition. By agreement with the To- cal association the young pitcher finished the season with Shreveport and did some good work for the Pirates. He prom ises to make good with the Coal Barons from the jump
 Harry Matthews will return as catcher, and Manager Vaughan may bring a substitute catcher down south from Cincinnati when he comes. Joe Hennessey and Billie Smith will be seen in the outer garden again. The local association is now figuring for the ser vices of a swift fielder for the center po- sition. Johnny Duffy will go with Mem phis.
 The Birmingham team will probably be instructed to report here for spring prac- tice not later than March 10, inasmuch as the exhibition games with the majors commence about March 20.
 New Drafting Rules. President Hedges of the St. Louis Browns, in an interview with the sport ing editor of the Globe-Democrat, is em- phatic in his objection to the new draft ing rules, raising the price and limiting the number of players that may be taken from minor league teams.
 ''Minor leagues have all the best of 1t now" says Hedges. "Take my own club, for instance. I have something like a dozen youngsters for next season and my expenditure in the way of payments to minor leagues Is close to $6000. That is only a preliminary expenditure at that, and so far have practically been going it blind. Of course have taken every care could to pick out the best men, but at that the chances for getting more than couple of players of major league calibre are not bright. Before I get more than half a chance to see what the play CTS are worth I will have to pay sum equal to the first payment already made. This will mean s12,OOO for young players alone.
 ''That sum will not cover the actual cost of the new players by any means. All of the youngsters will get transporta- tion to St. Louis and will then go south for training. Their expenses there will