The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-29
Players Contracts Coming in
 to Manager Vaughan
JUDGE KAVANAUGH WRITES
Optimistic Words from the League ENecutive-Matters of Interest Gathered from All Sections of
 the Southern Circuit.

the Northwestern Ohio Trolley league last season, has signed contract to play with the Birmingham club this season and the contract Is now on it's way to Manager Vaughan.
 The information has come to this city through the Cincinnati Enquirer, and is accompanied by the further good news that Harvey Clark and Forbes Alcock have also signed their contracts with the Coal Barons for 1906. The three men live in Wooster, Ohio, and personally arc well known to one another.
 Not being positive whether or not he would obtain the services of Pitcher Bill Hard, Manager Vaughan has played dead about him and has not even chirped his name once since reaching Birming- ham. The new tWirler Is said to have been recommended to Vaughan by Clark, who acted as a press agent in his behalf.
 If ever there was a man who should know all about ball it Is one whose name Is Billiard. He should also be pe- euliarly equipped with first-hand knowl- edge about the balk line. The angles of the diamond and the home plate should have no mystery he Is unable to solve, nor should such things as English" and follows puzzle him even for a moment. If MT. Billiard is able to handle the leather sphere as easily and as puzzingly as his name would indicate, he is going to be an idol before which Birmingham fans will pay honest hearty devotion.
 Kavanaugh's Kind Words.
 Judge w. M. Kavanaugh has forward ed to the sporting editor of The Age-Her- aid a letter replete with nice. kind things about Birmingham. He says he is glad to know that the Birmingham fans are as enthusiastic about the game as ever before, and that the prospects here are for very successful season, and ''as- sure you all of my hearty cooperation in keeping all interesting league matter be- fore the public"
 Judge Kavanaugh says in part:
 'As you doubtless know, l have had to neglect my private business for some time on account of baseball, but I feel that the end has justified this action, for we have accomplished all we started out to get for the Southern league, and have put baseball in a better position than 1t ever was before"
 Judge Kavanaugh has been kept on the jump almost continuously this winter att tending meetings and conferences with the powers that be in the baseball world, and 1t has been fortunate for the league that such a self-sacrificing and well-post- ed man was at the head of affairs.
 
 adherents cannot understand how thor oughly Judge Kavanaugh understands the game nor how he is respected and looked up to by the major league heads, unless they have been north and in attendance upon some of the big meetings. Men like Pulliam, Ban Johnson, Tim Murnane, Farrell and others of equal standing in baseball feel that Judge Kavanaugh knows all there Is to know about the diplomatic and governing part of the game. and because of that fact the Southern league is doubtless better treat ed than it would be otherwise.
 Mike Finn Apes Adam.
 A Nashville telegram explains at some length the cause of Mike Finn's hesitancy in acknowledging that he would manage the Nashville club this season. Finn planes it all on Mrs. Finn. and thus fol- lows the example set by Adam, his very first forefather.
 In the telegram, Finn Is quoted as say ing that Mrs. Finn wanted to live in Little Rock again, and therefore tried every method possible to have the hand some Michael move there instead of to Fishertown Mike closes by saying he will reach Nashville Monday and imme- diately start managing the former Fish CT tribe.
 It Is announced that Newt Fisher will do most of the catching for Nashville this season. This will help swell somebody's base running record.
 The announcement Is also made that the Colt section of the Cincinnati Reds will play at Nashville March 30 and S1 while making the jump north for their opening date
 Gossip of the Game.
 Chairman Herman has called a meet ing of the National commission, to be held in New York February 1S, the day be- fore the scheduled meeting of the Ameri- can and National leagues. At the meet ing the commission will discuss the cases of blacklisted players of prominence, Reisling. Owens. Weigand and Richie.
 The Philadelphia Americans will be the first big league club to start south They leave the Sleepy City February 27 for their training quarters at Montgomery.
 Clark Griffith has announced that he will again do much pitching for the High flanders this year. notwithstanding the onerous duties devolving upon him as manager.
 Manager Billy Smith announces that Nashville has offered to buy Big Bill Stafford. Smith says the price offered was not sufficiently large, hence there was no trade The Atlanta manager says Stafford is not all in by long shot, but needs change of team. which will gin ger him up a lot. This statement was made about some other men some other times, but has often been proved unwise It really appears that there being no market. somebody is attempting to create demand for the North Carolina store keeper.
 Bernie McCay, for two seasons with Att lanta, and recently released, has wired his terms to Macon and is awaiting their acceptance.