The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-08
TO PLAY AT NEW PARK
BASEBALL TO-DAY UNDER DIkEC-
 TION OF TRACTION COMPANY.
Birmingham Team to Co Agains' OBrien's Pretsels-sOme History of Baseball in Montgomery
 add It's Management.

This afternoon a Southern League | game of baseball will be played at tn' athletic Park grounds of the Mont
 gomery Traction Company for the frs time since Shreveport played Lew Whis
 tiers team there on September 3, 1903
 Baseball in Montgomery has un
 doubtedly had a touch of strenuoslty | IL pas been through the fire, and nav, ing been through the fire. 1t is hoped 1 and believed that 1, Is purged for gooo and all
 l Two years ago. in September, 1902. a change was made in the circuit of the southern League by which Chattanoo- ga was dropped and Montgomery was the Southern League placed the Mont gomery franchise in the hands of w. ii. Hagland, at that time vice-President or the Montgomery Traction Company Just about that time Charlie Frank. then manager of the Memphis club of the Southern League, with the financial backing of General Sam Carnes of memphis and other men of means there and In different parts of the South. or ganized an opposition or outlaw league Ihe preliminary plans were all drawn up one sunday morning in an office on Commerce Street, in this city. The new ieague included most of the towns al ready in the circuit of the Southern in both leagues.
 The Montgomery franchise in the out law league was put in the hands of Raphael Semmes, then General Manager Company, the games to be played at Highland Park. Lew Whistler was ap- pointed manager of the outlaw club and he, with Bob Gilkes and Charlie Frank came to Montgomery and went out to Highland Park to see what was needed on the grounds.
 In october. 1902, there was a meeting or the Southern League in Montgomery at the office of the attorney of the Mont gomery Traction Company. The mem bers of the League who attended were carried out to Pickett Springs on the hrst car ever run over the line, the ste or the ball park being afterwards changed from Pickett Springs to the present location at Athletic Park Frank Rim of Pennsylvania was de . cided on as manager of the team, and everything was made ready for rush
 The fight between the two league S was being waged merrily. and the amount of printers ink and newspaper space that was given to their affairs by papers all over the South would have stocked a small library.
 In December. 1902 there was a meet : ing of the Southern League in Bir. mingham Charlie Frank Caruthers Ewing and number of the outla W stormy meeting a peace pact was ar ranged, ire Montgomery franchise be ing held jointly by Messrs Raglaud and Semmes. Then for the next few months there was local war Both car lines wanted the games played at their parks, the only thing satisfacto- rily settled being that Rim was drop ped and Whistler was retained as man ager. Finally at the meeting of tie Southern League in New Orleans, ln February. 1903, an arrangement was made by which Mir. Semmes sold his ii, . terest in the Montgomery franchise to Mir. Ragland. the games during 1903 tc be played at Athletic Park, which had just been completed with probably the handsomest plant of the kind in the South.
 Early in 1904 the Baseball Associa- tion was disbanded and Mir Ragland- who was then cePresident of ths Montgomery Street Railway. bought it and transferred the games from Athl.t Ic Park to Highland Park
 Then began flood of injunctions baseball during the entire local season of 1|04.
 Last Saturday evening came the cul- imitation when the Montgomery Trac of the Montgomery franchise in the Southern League. This time there are TO qualifications. They have the fran. ohise ''to have and to hold unreserv- edly
 At the meeting of the Southern League in Atlanta last December, each town of the present circuit of the Southern League was given a seven year contract with the League and a certificate to that effect was signed and sent the owner of the various fran chises by President Kavanaugh, so that for the next few years the Montgomery ry Traction Company will not be interfer ed with in the slightest.
 The local team hes been colossal failure this season for a number of req sons. but Manager O'Brien has the foundation of the fastest team In the Southern League for 1905. The mate rial Is there all right, and with judi cious handling. Montgomery will have something next summer that has not been seen here since the days of Dick Gorman--u team to be proud of.
 Birmingham is here today, Friday and Saturday, Little Rock Monda J Tuesday and Wednesday, the away games in Memphis Friday, Saturday and Sunday. then back for games with Shreveport at Athletic Park on the 18th goth and 21st closing the season ir New Orleans on the 23rd 24th and 25th The games In Memphis and New Or leans were scheduled to be played ir Montgomery. but were transferred tc the two cities named.
 If everybody will get together and pull together now. we will have some truly" baseball during the season oi 1905.
 Chicago will have six movable schooI houses next fall to take care of the