The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-10
Advertiser Bureau,


 Baseball is in it's youth in this city at the opening of the season and by judlcious and diplomatic control and regulation there appears no reason why this should not be the most suc- cessful season in the history of Sel- ma.
 Undoubtedly Selma has one of the strongest semi-professional teams in the South, and unless the independent teams of Alabama and Mississippi have wonderfully strengthened Selma should close the season at or near the top of the list, and from a financial view point there appears from the surface no reason why the club should not make money, unless 1t commits more than the usual number of depredations that are bound to occur with every in- dependent club that has no league organization to control it.
 Then the chances are that the To- cal club will annex itself to some large already organized or some league yet unheard of. From common rumor, 1t is likely that Pine Bluff will fall by the wayside over in the Cotton States league.
 That will mean a reorganization even if on a small scale. Selma has already filed her application and President Wheatley has given his assurance that it will be accepted In such con- tingency.
 Selma ought to be in some league. Taking into consideration it's genuine sportsmanship-even if a little fickle- and the magnitude of It's baseball pat ronaRe. Selma is altogether too good 8 town to be off by itself with good team and with only a grab" chance at playing dates.
 Of course Selma cannot stand the pace of the Southern League, and un- N-n H.1V Ekr Ft...-. ..wak in the South she can never hope to res enter that fastest of minor leagues,
 Every baseball man in Selma knows that, however, there are other leagues and more to come. Selma would make the Cotton States league a paying member provided the circuit was ar ranged so that Mobile or one or two the Delta League was so arranged. Selma would be possibly the backbone of such an organization as that.
 There Is a movement on foot to or ganize a Tri-States League. and it should succeed. If it succeeds Selma should be in 1t. Then Selma would see organized baseball. There Is no base ball like organized baseball. to use a phrase simular to that of Father Chad wick.
 Manager Latham has remarkably succeeded in organizing eleven fast ball players this year. The strength of his team is surprising. The most sanguine fan didn't expect Latham to bring back such q fast team.
 With such pitchers as sparger, Drew and Moulder. there are probably few in- | dependents in the State who will strengthen their batting averages 1 while in Selma.
 Sparger, captain of the team, pitched | last year in Natehez, and here is his | record: Out of seventeen games pitch | ed he won six and lost eleven, deliver | ing 11S base hits. sixty-two runs, thir- l ty-two bases on balls. He struck out | seventy-six men and made only i've | wild pitches. His percentage was 1858. | He Is captain of the team and under | his leadership there should be har- mony throughout the season. great deal depends on the captain.
 Drew and Moulder are both promis- ing. Except in one inning Friday Moulders work was brilliant. He has lots of speed and good control.
 The infield is particularly strong with Sheffield on first. Ragsdale on sec ond, Taylor at third, and Wright at short.
 Monday Tommy stouoh will bring his Meridian team over for three games and 1t remains to be seen what I of the Western teams. sis" Hopkins will probably be pitted against Sparger and a pitchers battle may result. It Is believed that Selma can win at least two of the games from Meridian.
 Ladies will be admitted free both to the grounds and grandstand tomorrow.
 Thursday the locals will go to Marion for a series of three games.
 Cycle whirl a Feature.
 The cycle whirl is to Selma what Diavolo's loop the-loop" used to be to Coney Island. Saturday when the cir- ,le intact was carried across Broad Street to the Young Mems Christian A association building, many persons tn- 1uired if a circus was fin town. The cycle whirl will be introduced as a feature of the performance Of the Selma minstrels on the night of April 25. As large and as perfect in every particular as the whirls in eireuses will be the one on the stage April 25. .-L- a