The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-11
FOOD FOR FANS.

Lon Try the Coal Barons' new first
baseman, made his first appearance in
a Birmingham uniform yesterday. Little
can be learned of a players ability
through box score, nor is IL possible to
| say at this distance whether or not he
can deliver the goods. From Cry's record
for the past five years. however, the fans
can expect almost with certainty that
he will strengthen the team.
The Dallas Morning News has the fol-
| lowing to say about Try.
Lon TRY the fast first baseman for the
Giants, has been sold to Birmingham, and
will leave today to report to that team
at Shreveport. Gardner announced the
completion of the deal yesterday, and
stated that Birmingham had met his
I terms but withheld the amount paid for
| Try. Stovall. the utility pitcher and out
fielder, will play first, and ii is predicted
| that he will come nearer to hlling the
| place of Try than any other man on the
| team.
! Try has been playing with the Dallas
team for five years, and is regarded as
one of the best minor league run-getter
| in the business. Repeated offers from
clubs higher up had been religiously
| turned down by Gardner and Maloney.
| for the reason that they felt that they
! could not part with the good first base
man. Try has led the league three years
| in stolen bases, and has been high up
! in the run-getting column. Last year his
hitting was not very good, but he had
started out we'll this year. and was con-
| sidered the best man on the team In ad-
vancing a runner.
Try has made many friends in Dallas.
| unthinking fans had criticised him year
| in and year out because they had never
seen anything spectacular In his work.
On the contrary, TRY is not grand stand
| player. He Is quiet. steady and unassum-
| ing. but every teammate he has ever had
declares that TRY will be found working
for the game and for the team he belongs
! to when most of the others have given
] up. 1t has gradually dawned upon many
of the fans that his work is very valu-
able to the team. and now that he is to
go to faster company his absence will
be more keenly felt.
I Gardner declares that he hates to part
| with TRY, but business reasons Influence
| the action. He Is carrying sixteen players
all on big salaries and the very small
| crowds and the bad weather have made
it almost impossible to pay expenses. He
states that Try was not very popular. and
| a big contingent was ever ready to knock
| the good-natured first baseman. Tho
change will be profitable to TRY. as the
salary is much better in the Southern
4 League.
/
position acceptably. and he is a hard hit
! ter.
| The Nashville Banner has the following
| about the teams: "Will the leaders come
back? is a question which Is causing
many sleepess nights among managers
| Of second division teams at present.
| While of course there is an advantage
J in getting off In front, 1t is by no means
! significant that the ball team so doing
| will fly the pennanf. Among those who
| have studied the situation the opinion
prevails that neither Shreveport nor Bir-
| mingham Is composed or pennant-w winning
material Shreveport is a VIGOROUSLY good
| beginner but usually weakens when the
pinch comes. She has good lead this
year. however, achieves principally by
| victories on the home grounds and may
| fool the wise ones. Birmingham has a
| good team but it Is not of such superior
ity as Indicated by the percentage table.
/ The club secured a good start and was
| in fine condition, while the other teams
| had scarcely reported for practice work.
New Orleans has been something of a
disappointment so far, but foxy Charley
| Crank will bear watching at all stages
| of the game. Atlanta, Memphis and Nash
| Vile are capable of playing better ball
| than they have so far done. and they are
| expected to be in the running before an
other month has past, montgomery ana
| Little Rock. it would seem. are hopeless
| IN outclassed and are not to be given
serious consideration as pennsnt-winning
| possibilities
| The greatest interest in the visit or
| eastern teams win probably be centered In
| the Blrmingham- Shreveport series. The
] Barons open in the Louisiana city today
| for four games and there should be some
| warm times when the teams meet BIT