The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29
DARONS' PROSPECTS
IN THE ROAD GAMES
Twenty-four Straight Games
Abroad Commence Monday
MUCH DEPENDS ON RESULT
Rlrmineham's Victories Have Been
Result of Good Team Work, Base
Running, opportune Hit
ting, Pluck and Luck.

After the wonderful record of the Coal
Barons in the games played so far, the
one important question with local fam
dom now is, whether or not the winning
streak will continue on the western trip
If Birmingham wins two-thirds of the
genes played on the road, the pennant
chances will be excellent. If as much an
one-half of them are won, there still re-
mains a chance of the 1906 pennant being
unfurled to the gentle zephyrs at West
End.
The hardshps and trials of the road are
too well known to need reeounting. The
Barons' trip will include four games each
with Atlanta, Montgomery, Shreveport
New Orleans, Memphis and Little Rock,
the series being scheduled in the order
named. 1t is impossible to say what
changes will take place in twenty-four
road games, or just what teams will be
crippled or strengthened in that time.
Barring all the unforeseen events of the
game, the Barons, under the prudent
leadership of Manager Vaughan and Cap
tain Gear. have fair prospects to come
out somewhere near the top. With long
home series following. it is very prob
able that anything lost on the western in
vasion will be regained in the battles on
the home grounds.
Birmingham has proved her superiority
over the eastern teams, and no reason Is
apparent why the western teams are par
ticularly stronger than those on this end
of the circuit Little Rock has shown up
as the weakest team in the league so far,
but the addition of Shortstop Holly and
other players Chief thinner is reported
to be after, may strengthen them by the
time the Barons arrive in that burg.
Not Judging by the league standing at
present but by the apparent strength of
the. teams, it seems that Shreveport or
New Orleans have the best of the other
western teams, while Birmingham and
ATLANTA may hold the same relation to
the eastern group. 1t Is hard to predict
however, whether Atlanta Or Memphis
will have the best of it a month from
now.
Road Trip Begins Monday.
The Barons commence the road trip
Monday, when they open up hostilities
in Atlanta. After four games there. Mont
gomery will be the next stopping place. A
conservative estimate Is that six of these
games will be recorded on the winning
side of the league standing 1t is possible
that seven or even eight, with lots of
good luck can be annexed. Such an esu-
mate, though cannot be called very prob
able.
After their stay in the Sleepy Village,
Vaughan and his men will anchor next
at Shreveport and then. 1t is expected
that the fur will fly. The series will large
ly determine which is the stronger team
and which has the best prospects in the
pennant race If Birmingham lands two
of the games it will indicate that they
are stronger than the Pirates. Shreve-
ports weak spot, the pitching staff, has
been materially improved by the addi-
ton of Gordon Hickman.
The New Orleans series will have much
of the same interest attached to them as
the games in Shreveport.
The games there will also be hard
fought and IL the Barons can get four of
the eight played on the home grounds
of Shreveport and New Orleans. all fam
dom will be satisfied. While a weaker
team has often been known to wallop the
leaders there is little doubt--always bar
ring the understandable the mighty Ba
rons will cop a majority of the games
with Memphis and Little Rock.
A Fair Chance.
From this brief review 1t can be seen
that with an even break of luck. and lots
of hard work, the Barons have chance
of coming out of the western tour ito
de good" What 1t will take to do 1t is
fast team work, snappy playing, and de-
termined efforts to VIM In this the Ba-
rons have already shown themselves cap
able.
Before the season opened, the strength
of Birmingham was not recognized. The
first week of the season the sporting
writers kept silent, and since then one
by one many of them have acknowledged
that Slagtown is the home of a good
team this year.
Many, however. are yet trying to solve
the imaginary mystery of what has won
the games for Birmingham so far this
season. The reason is simple to those who
have seen the games. 1t was combina-
ton of wonderful team work. good base
running, good fielding, opportune hitting
and pluck and luck.
There are two characteristics of the
Baron team this year that are especially
noticeable to the careful observer. They
can best be expressed in two oft-quoted
mottos: Zone for all and all for one
and Don't give up the ship"