The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-23
VICTORY SOOTHES
TROUBLED MINDS
Youthful Writer Tells of DOings
in Slagtown
DEAD HAS COME TO LIFE
once More the Barons Are Heroes and
the Pubic Is With Them Heart
and souI-How sentI-
ment Changed.
az SAM cLABAUoH.


AT last sweet victory comes to sooth
the troubled minds of the ever loyal fans
of Slagtown. Coming as 1t does after the
bitter sting of successive defeats, II Is
almost welcome visitor to the local de-
voices of the great national sport
An almost lost interest has been re-
vived The principal subject on the thor
oughfares in the Hobbies and In the fam
lily circles is baseball. The dope sheets
of the daily papers are eagerly read ana
anyone who comes in touch with the game
in any way, or who knows records or sta
tisties is considered an ideal conversation
alist Not only are the sporting col
umns of the local papers devoured by the
hungry rooters, but the journals of other
cities are purchased, in order that a
view, of the situation may be obtained
from the other side. At the soda foun-
tains the enthusiasts may be heard dis
cussng the merits of the individual play
ers between swallows Of their "dopa-
cola"
For three and a half of the longest and
most disagreeabe years IN the history OF
baseball the Coal Barons have contested
with such fast teams as Chattanooga, Sell
ma and Montgomery for the honor OF
having the eighth place on the percentage
ladder ascribe dto them, and they nave
been successful to no small degree, But
now In the course of human events II
has been seen fit to reward the patrons
of the game at Vulcan town with a win
nins, team. 1t Is not an every day oc-
currence, by any means, for second de
vision team to take eleven out OF TOUR
teen games while on the road, especially
when they encountered the leaders.
Had Its Faults.
This, our Magic City, is conceded to be
the most progressive and hustling of any
city of like population. but like every
thing and everybody else, it has its faults
and until several weeks ago its greatest
fault was that it had no baseball team
worthy of the name. At last. tired OF
such men df they may be called mem
as Mills. Halter and o. Brien, the suffering
sporting populace clamoret for real
manager Their persistence was finally
rewarded and now they may congratu-
OAAN
If not the best manager on Southern
field.
During those gloomy days when the
Slagtown aggregation lowered near the
taii-end of the league, the erstwhile sub
4ects of IF / were manager" and How
70 run team were quite in vogue. But
now a great change has come over us,
the players have become possessed of an
incliration to win, and baseball literature
to be current must treat such subject
as How did it happen, Who deserves
the praise" and GLORY enough for ALL"
An Old Saying.
The old saying of Better an army of
stags, led by a lion than an army of
liens lee by a stag" is quite as true in
baseball IS in warfare. and will account
for Birlnine hams speedy ascent in such
a short = lille. Do not infer, however, that
1t is the opinion of the writer that our
team is imposed of stays. Oh, no. far be
1t. for it is better still to have an army
of lions ed by lion.
Their apI recitation of a great conquest
could not have been more fittingly cele-
brated by the local fans than 1t was on
last Sunday afternoon at the union depot.
Exactly at 4:06.22 p, m. train labeled
- isco' pulled into the diminutive So
called station, and Immediately after
wards fifteen handsome, well built ath-
letes alighted from a coach. and in In
dian file marched through the gates.
As soon as the town was honored by
Their I esence mighty shout arose and
almost drowned the martial strains of
Hail to the Chief" and "See the Con-
duerlne Hero Comes which arose from
the band wagon. And what was the oc-
casioi. Why 1t was the triumphant entry
of a great chief after conquering in
vasion of hostile territory.