The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-12
sLAGPILE NOTES.

Mayer, the recruit from St. Louis, had not shown up yesterday, and Manager vsughan Is anxious for him to put in his appearance so that he may be given a try-out before the season opens. He Is anxious to see what there Is in the youngster, and 1t will require several afternoons to see if he will do for this
 league
 The two major leagues open Friday morning for the season of 1905, and in terest is centering in the outcome and the showing that the various teams will make.
 The American league race is by far the most interesting, as there are several contestants for the rag. Among them are Cleveland New York, Boston, Chi oago and Philadelphia. all of which have strengthened this year.
 It is no cinch for any of them to win, and 1t is the general belief that Boston, New York and Cleveland will be in the money at the end of the season. Comis- keys White Sox are also considered to have a chance.
 Many believe that McGraw has the National rag already sewed up in little bag, and that the other teams will play and play and play in vain. How ever, Chicago and Cincinnati are claim ing that they have mighty good chance to make it interesting for the Giants, and all over the circuit the fans are pulling for any team except New York In the south everything is pulling against the Giants.
 The games scheduled for the opening day are follows:
 American league:
 Cleveland vs. Detroit at Cleveland.
 New York vs. Washington at Washing ton.
 St. Louis vs. Chicago at Chicago. Boston vs. Philadelphia at Philadel-
 phia.
 National league:
 New York vs. Boston at New York. Philadelphia vs. Brooklyn at Brooklyn. Pittsburg vs. Cincinnati at Cincinnati Chicago vs. St. Louis at St. Louis. | The Enquirer says:
 Charley Street. who will be retained as tihrd catcher of the Reds, is only 22 years old though his strenuous baseball experi ence makes him look a day or two older. He started his career at the age of 1T. catching for Jackson, Tenn, and later for Florence, Ala, in the Tennessee -Alab bama league in 1900. The following year he was sick and did not play ball. In 1902 he or ganized and managed a team at his home in Huntsville, Ala. The next winter he attended school at Hopkinsville. Ky, and played through the season with Hopkins vile in tue K. l. T. league. In 1904 he was with Terre Haute in the Central league, joining the Reds last fall after the season closed in the Central. Ills record last year was a long one. He caught 160 games, including 134 straight champion ship games in the Central league for Terre Haute. 10 exhibition games and 16 late fall affairs for the Reds. He Is in great shape this year and threatens to stick in Redland from now on. Bassett will umpire the initial series of games in Birmingham and Joe Burke and Black will umpire the game in Atlanta between Nashville and Atlanta Pfennin- ger will be presiding in Memphis over the game there with Little Rock, and Carpen- | ter will take charge of things at New Orleans, where Shreveport will play. | Owing to a change in the schedule. Lit ! tie Rock and Memphis will open the sea- son on April 20 and New Orleans and Shreveport will do the same. The eastern opening will be day earlier, when Nash
  | comes to Birmingham. The Memphis Commercial-Appeal says:
 Wiley Durham was in the grandstand and announced his intention of leaving early this week for Birmingham. He has signed with the Slagpile people for the coming season. He hankers after the skirts of Charley Frank. and it Is said that a deal was framed mp whereby Wiley would snort Pelican uniform this sea son. but for some reason or other a cog slipped.
 The bland smile which has been part of Mike Finn's countenance since he has heen known to the baseball world was doing business in the same old stand yes terdav and faded not whit despite the terrible drubbing which his satellites suf- fered at the hands of the Memphill. I've got a good team. even If they do appear to he LID in the air. They'll come down all right. and when they get on the flat we'll he fin the running for the American asso- citation flag" said Finn.
 Sporting life says:
 The White Stockings met severe set back just at the finish of last week. when Gus Dundon was stricken with appendi- citis and probably put out of the game for many weeks. although the doctors have stated that an operation will not