The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-26
SLAGPILE NOTES.


"Mugsy'' McGraw has invented an addi-
tiona baseball play to offset the effect
of the squeeze" 1t has been dubbed
the avalanche" Theoretically it is o. X.
Practically it has yet to show its full
value.
The squeeze" has been tried and found
effective. 1t is simply this. runner on
third starts for home when the pitcher
starts delivering the ball. The batsman
hits at the ball and If he hits it on the
ground at all the runner is bound TO
score If the batter fails to hit, the rum
ner has an almost equal chance of scoring
ANYWAY.
The avalanche" is just twice as heavy
as the squeeze" With a runner on Sec
ond and third the play starts. AS the
pitcher draws back to deliver the ball
10th runners start for home. The bat
ter hits the ball, and if it goes any dis
lance it is almcat a cinch for both run
ners to score.
In a game a short time ago the appor-
tunity came for a trial of the avalanche"
Strang was on third, Bowerman on Sec
ond, Mertes on first and Dahlen at the
bat. The signal was passed around and
Dahlen prepared to push the ball into
the infield. Bowerman was on top of
third and Strang was skating for the
rlate when the pitcher drew back his
arm to deliver the ball.
Dahen did not hit at the ball, which
was so wide he could not reach 1t, and
the umpire called four balls. Strang was,
of course. forced to the plate and scored.
But Bowerman was so wrapped up in
making the avalanche" success he had
not noticed the umpire's call of four balls
and the Romeo giant tore around third
base and made for the plate like buck
ing broncho which had thrown its rider
He was half way up the third base line
when the Montreal pitcher tossed the
ball to the catcher. 1t was an easy mat
ter to run him down, and the first public
appearance of the avalanche" was not
pronounced success.
The New Orleans Picayune says:
When Little Rock reaches the city at
the end of the week, Manager Dale Gear
will be presented with a handsome scarf
pin by the Pelican management. On the
opening day of the season Manager Gilks
received a similar gift from the Pelican's
management. and every one of the seven
clubs will be treated in a like manner.
1t is the aim of the local management to
create the very best of feeling between
the members of the League. They want
every manager to feel that he and his
team are more than welcome in New Or
leans and all that the Pelicans want Is
a good game and an even break
This little compliment to the other man.
ayers of the League was never thought
of before 1t Is another good policy of
the new and broad minded management.
II isn't the easiest thing in the world
to keep from being whirled from an up
per berth between Birmin %ham and
Louisville when the train is making up
time and is taking the bends in the road
bed at about sixty miles an hour. All
was silence in the Maps sleeper the other
night except the noise made by the
struggles of the men in the uppers to
keep their beds. Suddenly the curtain of
one upstairs rock parted and Otto Hess
curly head popped out.
Say, porter" he yelled to the boy
who was gathering up the shoes, tell
that engineer to cut out those curves and
give us some fast ones
Harry Vaughan was one of my stars In
the old days" said Charley Comiskey to
Rem milford the other day. He was un-
der me when he was real good. remem-
Der l got him guessing one afternoon
when / called him to me and said: Harry
| know you are overworlSed, and l don't
want to impose on you, but will you
kindly take this mask and chest protector
out to Morgan Murphy? He's going to
catch today That was the year Harry
thought Ashley Lloyd or John I. Brush
or somebody had promised to give few
canned tomatoes, some pills or a spring
suit if he caught good ball. And Harr.
figured to his own satisfaction that his
work was good. I'll never forget the last
day of that season. He made a personal
appeal to John T. for the extra and after
his eloquent spiel J. 7. turned to me and
asked: 'Commy, who is this player?
The following from Mobile shows how
eager that city is to test the constitu-
tionality of the Sunday law, and as one
voice they unite in decrying the plight
of Mobile being excluded from the South
ern League The fans claim Mobiles pat
ronage in the future. should she break