The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28
BASEBALL !S NOW THE LEADING TOPIC Fans Eagerly Devour Every
 Piece of News GOOD PRAC TICE GAMES New York Giants Will Be Here Within Fifteen Days and Then the Fur
 Will Begin to Fly.
 Other Dope.

The balmy spring weather of the past few days has caused the baseball sap to rise far above the knees of many of the venerable rooters and yesterday veterans of the dope could be seen walking with light springy step and testing their arms to see if the stiffness had not entire ly disappeared. One we'll known merchant 1 grew so enthusiastic over the situation 1 that he took his negro porter into the alley and made him practice his arm for nearly an hour.
 The fans seem to be thoroughly satisfied with the team and the only thing that disturbs their dreams at night is the hole still left vacant at second base. When asked about this matter Manager oBrien simply smiles and says, Don't get alarm cd. Everything Is coming our way and though we can't print names yet awhile you can rest assured that Brmngham's second baseman will be in keeping with the standard set by the rest of the team. I have three men In sight but I am es- | peciay anxious to secure one who never has failed to hit over .500. l have every assurance of signing this man and we have agreed on the terms The only thing in the way is techincality which I be- lieve will be strengthened out before the end of the week.
 This kind of talk makes the rooters feel good but they simply can't help waking up at night and wondering if Birmingham had three men bases could the new | second baseman line it out.
 New York Comes First. Within fifteen days from tomorrow | Muggsy McGraws team of New York giants will have arrived and then and not | until then will the dyed in the wool fans have an opportunity of loosening up their l lungs and ascertaining how the wintry | blasts have hurt. McGraw will bring | with him the team which is expected to win the National league pennant over Pittsburg and some of the stars of the l country will work before Birmingham audiences New York will remain here l fifteen days, during which time Manager 1 O Brien will play six or eight games with | them so as to show the Slagtown natives l what the Coal Barons have in the shop. l McGraw will have four new pitchers re- port to him here and will practically de- | eide on his twirlng staff before leaving the valley of Mount Slag.
 After New York comes Boston for three l games, and local fans will see Wilhelm I as he appears in fast company. Stanley, | formerly of New Orleans, will also come along with Buckenburger's club. The | Beaneaters perform here on three differ ent days and Slagtown will have them | thoroughly sized up by that time.
 After Boston, Charlie Comiskey will ap- pear with the Chicago Americans for a | three day engagement, and something juicy is expected when Frank Smith, the Big Horse" so well known to West End | gate n n nprof fr.sf Do fop o four or five round go It looks if the people are more interested in the coming of Smltty than of Chicago, but they have decided to stand for both.
 Macon Will Be Here.
 A team from Macon Ga. in the South Atlantic league, will be engaged to work on the Slagtown cohorts and for three days there will be a bombardment at the harbor of Mount Slag which will make Port Arthur look like a selling platter. This new team from a new league is said to be strong
 | Sam LaRocque has a team in Savannah which he thinks will be able to get in the money and he Is anxious for an engage ment with the Coal Barons but so far the local management has been unable | to accommodate time If the dates can be so arranged Sam's team will have an opportunity of being shown up.
 On April 2, which happens to fall on Saturday, Manager O Brien has agreed to take on Harry Vaughan's all star col 1ege team from Auburn for an afternoons engagement Harry says the collegians will be able to warm things up for Slag- town and that to show that he means what he says he will play first base the college team and show the local pitchers a few things that they missed last summer.
 When the practice games are ended at home it is the purpose of Manager O Bren to take the Coal Barons on junketing practice tour either through the South Atlantic league or the Cotton States territory now infested by George Leidy, | Bob Fender, Billy Earle. Dred Cavender and few other ancient Southern leag- ures It is not decided which league will be visited as yet, but Tom is very anx- ious to go to vicksburg Munroe and Jackson in the Cotton States league, and Macon Augusta and Savannah in the South Atlantic territory
 Fan Food Is Scarce.
 It is very difficult at this stage of the game to furnish the fans with all the food which they crave, as-it might hurt them. On the other hand, 1t Is equally as difficult because the magnates have great big punches of stuff up their sleeves which will not come down until echoes are reawakened in the sleepy hollow at
 
 quested the sporting editors to advise tho leading rooters to sleep the usual hours and rest assured that there will be some thing doing at the tap of the bell.
 The umpires for next season will be Ar chic Tathem, Toney Mullane, both of old National league fame; George Woods of Cincinnati and Harry Pheiffenger and Lem Bailey. George Woods has been re- quested to come to Birmingham and um- pire the practice games, and 1t Is proba- be that he will be able to do so. One of the real Romans of the national game of baseball is Antonio J. Mulane. better known as Tony Mullane. who flung many a curve from the old-fashioned iftyfoot box that was formerly used to confine the actions of pitchers during Ma tlonal baseball hostilities In the middle sos and early 90s. It has been several years since Mullane has taken part in baseball in any way but as an arbiter and during the coming season he will be