The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-06
SIX COAL BARONS
 REPORT F0R DUTY
Grifiith's HighIanderS Due to
 Arrive Today
NEWMAN IS RELEASED.
Coal Rarons Visit Ball Park and Work Out During the Afernoon-other Players On the Road to
 Birmingham.


 and others are on the road. Pitchers Pylant Utter. Jones, Billiard; First Base man Elsey and Infielder A1coek are on the scene for the fray These, with Man. ager Vaughan and "Matty'' and Monty, make a total of nine men that are already in Birmingham ready to don the uniform for the opening game of the year
 The ball players have decided to open their headquarters at the new Hollenden hotel and already the minor fans have begun to congregate there in the after noon and evening to take part in or to overhear the remarks and statements made in the flaming bees. Strange to re- late, Elsey had hardly signed his name to the register before several redhot and sizzling fans were hunting him up for the purpose of introducing themselves and coaching him about things in Bir- mingham.
 Wilhelm will reach the city Wednesday. Ginger Clark will arrive in all proba- bility this evening or tomorrow. The others, with the exception of Molesworth, sallee and Oyler. are expected at any moment.
 Clark Grlffiths bunch is due this even- ing. A number of the best known base pail players in the world are in his crowd, and there will certainly be some buzzing when the uniforms are donned and the players from the far north start then daily work at the ball yard There will be twenty-seven men in the New York squad and out of this aggregation 1t is believed Griffith will be able to select winning team.
 The Barons who are already in the city were at the park yesterday trying them- selves out a bit. only the lightest sort of work was done by the majority of them but several of the players did real hard and strenuous acting for while.
 Utter stacked up excellently yesterday and impressed the knowing fans in fine style
 Elsey is looking particularly good in uniform.
 ''Who is that guinea on first?' asked weather beaten, angular person whose appearance denoted he was from Chatta- nooga.
 
 yer know Elsey when yer see 'im?'
 Manager Vaughan yesterday mailed First Baseman Newman his release. Ow ing to the fact that the Elsey deal went through in good order and the player signed an ironclad contract, Newman's services will not be needed. and Vaughan released him early enough for him to sign somewhere else.
 telegram from Nashville brings the belated verfication of the old story that Big Injun" Norcum has been sold by Manager Finn to the Augusta club in the South Atlantic league. The end has come. How hath the mighty fallen. Norcum no more will delight the badly posted but enthusiastic fan by his peculiarly slow, graceful and lazy movements in the out field. More likely he will erect his tepee on the shores of the silvery Savannah, where his tribal forefatners roamed the wilderness ir arch of venison and bar ries.
 The fans have evidently overlooked the fact that Manager Vaughan has signed to play exhibition games at least twice each week with the Highlanders until March 31 and in addition to that has arranged to play the Cleveland club April and 8 and the Detroit club April 4. and G. There is probability that two additional games will be played before the Southern league season opens with some club from the Cotton States league.
 Manager Smith, of Atlanta, figures that the Coal Barons will finish the season absolutely last. Whew! Just what foun- dation Smith has or what standard he is using in his reckonings is not known, but to persons who know Smiths record the past few seasons 1t looks like he has a case of big head, else is talking through his hat, large and voluminous.'
 There are many persons who believe Smith is understanding the strength of the Southern league and that his mis- take will be made plain even to him be- fore very many games have been played this summer Other and better men than Smith have made the same error and 1t is excusable, but Smith is rushing too Idpluiy duu lOp OlleD lnlO plliA otbOul Aio form chart reckonings to prepare an easy spot on which to fall when the outburst comes, as 1t is sure to do some time.
 At the ball yard all is fine and dandy. The diamond is in better shape than ever before, due to the untiring efforts of an excellent and capable ground keeper. The changes made at the park have added considerably to the conven- fence of the spectators, as the fans will learn upon their first visit to the grounds. The drainage system is probably better than any in the Southern league. except ing only Athletic park, in New Orleans, and 1t is equal to that
 The sporting editor of the Age-Herald has received one of the Reach Southern league balls and a very fine outfielder's glove with the compliments of A. J. Reach & Son, of Philadelphia, as me- mento of the recent meeting Of the league in New Orleans.
 Enthusiastic fans in the business office handled the package while the sportlns editor was still at home asleep, and there was much speculation as to the contents When the package was opened, In the presence of the entire crowd. there was a resolution offered that team be or ganized in the office to play team rep resenting the Montgomery Advertiser, the contest to be waged Tuesday, March lS It was agreed that if necessary the tean! would meet the Montgomery aggregation half way and play them at Calera. The