The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-31
BASEBALL ENTHUSIASM
NEW SCHEDULE SATISFACTORY TO
 LOCAL FANS.
Great Rivalry VIII Exist Between Bir- mIngham and Montgomery Teams and Special Trains VIII
 He Run,

Be Run.
 With only about two weeks from now until the spring or schedule meet ing is held in Montgomery the local fans are keeping baseball gossip red
 hot.
 In one respect the schedule to be re- ported this year is far more satisfac- tory to local fans that the one or last year. in that the Pretzels open in Bir- Fourth of July games there. Last sea- son the Pretzeis opened in Atlanta and played the Fourth of July games in
 that city.
 onstrated that the rivalry between Montgomery and Birmingham draws possibly more people than any other teams In the League. On the Fourth gomery fans wanted to see the Pret- gels play but the distance to Atlanta coupled with the fact that the trip would take virtually two days. caused the idea to be abandoned. This year it is safe to say that a great many fans will go to Birmingham on the Fourth. and if the Louisville and Nashville Railroad makes rates and provides train leaving Birmingham for Mont gomery right after the game 1t is safe to say that the crowd from here will number several hundred.
 A train leaving Birmingham at 6:S0 D. m. would reach Montgomery by 10 o'clock at least, giving a full day to Montgomerians and not breaking Into the next day.
 Back in the sos both Montgomery and Birmingham had fast teams, the rivalry and enthusiasm in tho two cit les being at white heat. On several occasions the Louisville and Nashville Railroad ran excursion trains from Montgomery to Birmingham and vice versa, and on every occasion the trains were crowded to the guards.
 F.1 both Montgomery and Birmingham will have teams above the ordinary. and 1t is possible that the old enthu- siasm will be repeated.
 It will be a loss to baseball in this section when Alb Powell gets out of the game for keeps, if he does 1t. Powell
 was far and away one of the best man.
 success in New Orleans and later in Atlanta. He was very popular in Montgomery, his cordial, genial man ners making warm friends for him every time he came here. He was op- posed to Franks outlaw scheme and was one of the committee that attend ed the league meeting here in the fall of 1909.
 Speaking of his sale of the Atlanta franchise The Journal of that city says:
 "There's an aftermath to everything. not barring death ieslf. There were
 many who figured that Powell must
 have other reasons for selling out in addition to the roasting showed his
 way by few moody fanatics. and this reason has been laid bare at last Primarily Powell did not sell on ac- count of the wordy bickerings which stung him at stated intervals through
 the past campaign, but because he be- leved there was a conspiracy ahoat to
 drive him away from Piedmont park. and virtually out of the city In this connection it is stated here that none or the recent purchasers were in any way connected with this plan. The evidence. however, was brought toshim that plan was under way to kill his lease at Piedmont park. which expires
 and a fight would have been necessary
 for him to have retained the lease for
 even this season.
 Why did I sell? We'll. I will tell
 you, although before I have said noth-
 Ing about this matter. To begin with. l was making the fight alone, and could not buck the influences at work
 against me to drive me out. My leasO
 on Piedmont park expires this season.
 although l have an option for several years to come However, the park has changed hands recently, and I would have had hard fight to retain it from what l have found out. In fact. If I had remained in Atlanta another year l am certain that I would have been l forced to build me a new park before l | had already put out $4 ,OO0 refitting
 and rebuilding Piedmont, I was moi Willing to do this. Add to this fact
 that l was soaked on all sides by taxes
 from city, County and State. and yor l see what l would have had to fight Now, there is one man know was working to this end-Dick Bosche I have heard from several quarters that he was making hard effort to have my lease killed. l have done a great
 deal for him here, and why he should
 have started this movement 1 can't
 But he wasn't the only one. There are others who had the same idea in view. If I had retained my lease [ would have. had to make hard fight along this line. and this. added to the fact that many seemed to want home people at the head and the added taxes
 which no other team in the league has to pay, first led me to take the
 step which has ended with my retire ment. Of course, none of the parties now in control had anything to do with
 this matter. They were in no way in- terested in forcing me out, but I know the scheme had been well planned and was wOrktng.'
 This is the situation in a nutshell
 There would have been no fight against Powell by the park board, and prom inent member of this board stated to- l day that Bosche had nothing to do
 with the affairs of this institution in
 their actions. However, 1t is a cer- l tatnty that the mogul figured he was | in for a fight to hold his lease, and l that this influenced him to sell out" When Abner Powell stepped down l from the head of the Atlanta club the past week, selling his belongings in l the Cracker State to Fire Chief Joyner. | the Southern League lost a member | whose place will not be easily filled. | says The Nashville American. Powell | has been one of the principals in con | ducting the pastime since the league | was formed. He knew the business | from end to end; was a strong factor
 in the business affairs of the circuit. | and most of all knew how to deal with | players and how to secure a winning. 1 club. Powell is a man of his word. | Once he started out on a certain mis- 1 sion he seldom failed to accomplish | what he went after. There were no | squabbles to be had with him. A play l CT under him was expected to come up | to expectations, otherwise he could not | be member of Abners crew. The 1 Colonel manager always worked for | the good of the sport and his absence | from the managerial stan of the South l ern circuit is bound to be felt in the | next race. Mike Finn is another man l who has departed for other fields, | leaving a vacancy that will be hard to l fill. Like Powell, Mike is a strong man in baseball affairs and knew wei how to guide the destinies of the or | ganization. Both men furnished fans | good sport and many an enthusiast has