The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-12
ANCIENT HISTORY OF ABNER POWELL Little History of Atlanla's Some
 Time Manager HAS PLAYED SINCE 1883 Has Seen the Southern League Go Up In Smoke From Time to Time,
 But Now Thinks It Is
 Here to Stay.
HAS PLAYED SINCE 1883

Of all the checkered baseball careers Abner Powell, sometime owner of the Atlanta franchise, has had the most va ried. The mogul has been before the public since 1883, when he had his try out with Providence, R. l., as pitcher. He made good
 The last game of the mogul was with Patterson, N. J., when he pitched and forever since he has held his wing idle He has played with the National East ern, Southern, Atlantic, American asso- citation and the Pacific. While in the Southern league he has seen it go to pieces four times. 1889. 1893, 1896 and 1898.
 Powell Talks.
 In an interview in the Atlanta Journal, Powell says:
 '"The last game of ball ever played ii, league company" Alb stated, twas with Patterson, N. J., in the Atlantic league. This was during the season of '97, and worked that day against Allen town. We won and as that happened to be my final effort on the firing line, I figure 1t is the most pleasant of all to me during my complete experience in the game, and I started out in 1883. started as a pitcher and outf1elder and wound up the same official capacity. I was pret- ty young when I signed my first league contract-just about twenty-one. When reported my manager took me over and introduced me to two fellows whom he said would look after me and show me a few valuable pointers. They were Rad bourne and Sweeney, the two stars Of the baseball world that year and are still ranked with the brightest in the history of the game. I remember just shortly after the season opened the weather turned off chilly, and as Proyi- dence was facing hard schedule the club directors decided to save Sweeney and Radbourne, and as there were but three of us signed to pitch, was tod to go in until the climate steamed up"
 Seven Games One Week.
 ''I began Monday and as there was no change through Saturday, I worked out seven games that week and won four of them. In these days such a feat would be the talk of the baseball world, but in those days little was thought of it al the time. I remember that old Gus weyhing once pitched six straits for Charleston and won five of them.
 sThe first Southern league was started fin 'S3, but l didn't drift south until S7 when I landed with New Orleans. Since that period I have passed through four Southern league failures The first blow-up came in 'S9. Then in 1899 we re- organized and plugged along until '93 when she cracked again. Then came the third in '96, and the last in '9S. After this there was let-up until 1901, when the present league was started, and 1t has led the rest and promises to outlast them all put together"
 Tt seems to me I have played ball in almost every state of the union,' he con- tinued. 'I know I have played in all the eastern and mortimer states, all the south ern except Florida, and a great many of the western. But I have worked in the south the greater part of my time, and this is one reason I have made suc- cess here.
 "A great mary people have asked me how it was always seemed to do well and make money where others failed Well I aashed my fifteenth season in the south 'ast fall. When a man sticks at one game fin one locality for fifteen years and studies conditions he understands what he Is going against pretty well and knows how to look after things better than people who are practically new to focal conditions.
 My Best Record.
 ."The best record I ever made was against Memphis in the early '90s. During A series there I pitched three straight games and pulled through the entire series without giving up a hit or run.
 .I always pitched and played the oat- field. rarely laying off even when I wss taking my regular turn in the box. Things have changed about a great deal since I first began work. for in these days there isn't enough money in the land to get a player who would be will ing to take his turn in the box three games each week and play the outfield the remaining three or four days left Joe Burke, the big umpire in the South ern league, has gone to Baltimore to at- tend SIX O'Laugillin's wedding. Cal Hone" will return to Birmingham in time to officiate In the exhibition games with the biy league teams next month.