The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-02
PIGGY WARD FACES
 TIE GREAT UMPIRE
Birmingham's Old Second Baseman Dies Suddenly
"BUCK EWING IS DYING
Famous Captain of New York Giants Lying at Deaths Door In Gin clnnatI-Utter Signs
 Contracts.

The news was received yesterday from New York that Frank Ward, better known as Piggy Ward to the Birmingham and other Southern league fans. was dead in | that city. The news came in a private telegram.
 Ward had been i'll but short time and his death was unexpected even to his most intimate friends Hemorrhage of the lungs occurred Monday and brought about death within twenty-four hours. | Ward was 50 years old at the time of 1 his death. A lneman by trade, he had devoted the summer season to baseball more than a quarter of a century, and had played all over the country While never a star of the first magnitude, for some years he held his own with the best players of the north, playing with the Washington and Cincinnati clubs.
 Ward drifted into the Southern league two seasons ago. and toward the middle of last season jumped to the outlaw league causing a lot of trouble to the league by that action The matter was finally strengthened out and Ward re- turned to organized baseball circles. fn- ishing the season with Charleston.
 In the season of 1904 Ward played just sixteen games with Birmingham, cover ing second base. He came here at the request of Harry Vaughan shortly after Vaughan was made manager. As a re- suit of those sixteen games Ward lead the league in hitting that year. although nearly every other second slab artist in the league outclassed him in fielding. He batted .345 however.
 Ward has been in New York since the close of last season, following his trade whenever possible It is said he left a snug sum of money as result of his constant work winter and summer.
 Old Southern Leaguer Hurt.
 Charley Abbey, formerly a baseball player in the Southern league, was knocked down and run over by street car in Washington several days ago. and as a result of the accident one of his arms had to be amputated. Abbey played in the Southern league some years un- der the old organization and is not well remembered except by the old fans. Later he played with the Washi1 gton club, but for everal years has not been in the game at all, merely remaining an en- thusiastic fan in behalf of the Senators.
 Buck Ewing May Die.
 Buck" Ewing the hero of many hard-fought battle on the diamond and the idol of baseball fans in scores of cities in the south and the north is lying at the point of death in Cincinnati, his home He is suffering with Bright's disease.
 There are few players in the game to- day who command the adoration, respect and love of the fans as 1t was com ,1o1 Ivy xxbiIo ha game As captain of the New York Giants, the champions in 1888 and 1899, Ewing was easily the most popular man | in New York The newspapers printed poems about him. and almost daily car ried long stories praising him and his work with the Giants.
 There have been few catchers that could equal Ewing behind the bat He was the regular backstop for the Giants, handling the curves of Keefe, Weleh | Crane, O'Day and others of that time. | There were few stolen bases registered l against him and he was the first to use | the snap throw to first and third bases. catching runners off. lie was a terrific batsman, hitting the ball hard and often, although it has been reported that he was the original of the western poem. "Casey at the Bat"
 Ewing was a baseball player in every inch of his huge frame. Long years ago he played in the Southern League, man. aging the Mobile club in 1892. Before that he was member of Honest John Kellys Acid Iron Earth team of Mobile | which suffered but three defeats in four years even though playing against the old Cincinnati Red Stockings and other champion clubs of that day.
 As man Ewing was as highly es- 1 teemed in those days as he was honored | for his abilities as ball player. He | t,,Hp nd l every respect, and was particularly anx- | ious at all times to assist the newcomers | into the game to make progress and move , up the ladder of success. Should his ill., ness prove fatal, he will be deeply ana l sincerely mourned. Thousands of base ball fans all over the country are anx- iously awaiting further news from his bedside.
 Utter's Contract Arrives.
 Manager Vaughan yesterday received | Pitcher Utter's contract, duly signed. The youngster is the Ohio college boy
 who made such a marvellous record as a twirler in the larger cities of the Buckeye state last season.
 ! A letter was received from Carlos Smith
 in which the tall fellow states that he
 has about decided not to play ball this
 season. The letter impressed Manager
 Vaughan differently. however. he expects
 Smith to show up on time.
 The latest information from Shortstop Oyler is that he will not play with Bir-
 mingham this season unless he gets an
 increase of salary.
 Manager Vaughan yesterday arranged
 with the Morris hotel for quarters for | twenty-seven men composing the squad
 which Clark Griffith will bring here for
 spring practice about March 5. From that squad Griffith will pick enough men | to form the New York Americans of