The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-04
CLUB IN
NEED OF PLAYERS
1t is Up TO the Association to
Take Action
PROSPECTS ARE NOT BRIGHT
Manager Vaughan Should Not Be
Blamed, as He Took Charge IN
der Great DifficuIties-Pub-
lie Must Be Remembered.


public has waited patiently for win
ming or a fairly successful baseball team
but as yet it must be admitted that the
fans have not, received fair return for
their patronage.
Something must be done and done right
now or the patronage which has been
slowly falling away will dwindle to prac-
tically nothing. The sporting department
of The Age-Herald, being a strong adj
vocate of the sport, has waited a long
time before calling attention to this fact,
hoping against hope that there would be a
reversal of form and good baseball would
be given the people who love athletic COM
bat and excitement. The result long wish
ed for has not come
1t has been customary to blame the in
dividual players for the loss of games
and to suggest to them TO get in the
game" This is merely an incidental mat
ter and the root of the trouble must be
found and excavated Players may make
errors and players may rot play as well
as they are capable of doing. All base
ball teams experience this trouble but to
the team must have good players.
Hitting Is Weak.
From past records It is clearly shown
that the birmingham team is not composed
of good enough htters to win half of their
games. The fielding and base running is
not above the average. In other words
the team is not strong enough for the
race 1t is in. 1t must be strengthened
and to strengthen a baseball team at this
season of the year year necessitates the
expenditure of considerable money. For
four years the patrons of the game have
put money in the treasury and it Is now
but just that the treasury invest some Of
this money in good ball players as a re-
turn compliment.
This is not meant as a criticism Of
Harry Vaughan as manager or anybody
else. Harry Vaughn Is a fine ball player
and an excellent judge of men. He knows
that his team is not strong enough to win
games and he has done everything pos
sible to remedy the difficulty. If the
owners of the baseball stock will put suf-
ficient money in Manager Vaughn's hands
and allow him to begin the purchasing
of players some good results would OBJ
tain; we would at least have a nucleus
for next year. There are very few men in
the United States who have larger per-
sonal acquaintance among good ball play
ers than Harry Vaughn, and he knows
their ability. Without the necessary
funds Mr.. Vaughn can do nothing. He
will go down to the bottom of the per-
centage ladder with his team and some
will say he is not good manager. If the
team does not win as 1t now stands
Vaughn should be exhonorated from all
blame.
Vaughan at Disadvantage.
A leading stockholder said last night
that when Vaughn assumed charge he
did it under well-known disadvantages,
and he frankly told the owners wherein
the team was weak and what was needed
to strengthen it. He also told them
what to expect If conditions were not
materially changed. While he refuses to
discuss the situation 1t is understood
that none of his plans have been put into
effect
Many persons blamed the old manage
ment and said that when the control of
stock changed hands there would be great
doings at Slagtown. The stock changed
hands but the ball team remains as 1t
was
This department of the Age Herald has
been loyal friend to the baseball as
sociation and is yet. Now as a friend let
us urge the association to begin the
purchase of players and do it quick. Let
us warn the association, In a friendly
spirit, that If the team is not improved,
even at heavy cost, patronage Will fail
and that the much talked of baseball en-
thusiasm in Birmingham will gradually
but surely pass away. In the interest of
baseball let something be done
Snyder McGregor stood first in the sum-
mary.
Another surprise came In the 2:07 pace
in which local speedway horse, Anidro-
sis. an outsider in the pooling, won the
second third heats, after brushing it out
with Infield Stratton. Star Hal, the favor
lite, could never get up.
After the first heat of the 200 trot the
judges ordered Driver Ga-.agan down and
the next two heats in faster heat Bets
were declared off in the first heat and
Gahagans case will be dealt with later.
Summary:
Queen City, 21s class trotting. purse
5000
Snyder McGregor, CHI. g., by Gilman
McGregor (Hogan) ....................1 Q
Hal Frey. b. &, (Foote). ..........2 1
Lison Gray, b. g., (Howard). ..3 9
John Caldwell, Confisa. Ruth C. Black
Thorn, Jolly Bachelor, Stanley Dillon and
Ballastar also started. Time, 2:09A, 2:0SA,
2:09i4.
2:O5 pace, purse $500
Anidross, CHI. g., by Saint-Croix
(Allen). ...........................2 l l
Winfield Stratton, b. s., (McGuire). Il 2 ?
Suffrett, b. M. (Wiison) ...........34
Star Hal, Foxy Curd and Bessie Drake
started. Time. 2:O5%. . o54, 2:o9A
2:19 trot purse S1500-
DR.. Strong, gr. b., by Strong Boy
0Gahagan and Geers)
Consuela s, b. m. DeRyder) .......1 2 2
The Roman. b. g., (Snow). 3
Prince Greenlander and Billy Foster
Boy started. Time 2;o9A, 2:os. 2:0S%.
2:1S pace, purse $1,000
Cherry Lass. b. m, by Bobby McGre-
gor (Andrews). ......................... 1
clad Bells, b. s.. (Geers). 2
John Burns, &. s. (Hedrick). .........3 4
Vice Regal. Bessie Abbott, Star Light,
started. Time 2:09l4, 2:os%.
BASEBALL!