The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-24
WHAT OTHERS SAY.


Vaughn of Birmingham, Ala, on achiev-
ing the pennant for his town-folk. The
Barons have won It. 1t is so to shot
that no team will ever be able to catch the
fieet-footed Alabamans
Tuesdays double-jointed victory over
Shreveport made it practically a cinch for
Birmingham. The team now has a lead
Of fifty-seven points over Memphis, its
nearest competitor Those - fifty-seyen
points mean difference of eleven games.
This with the season less than month
to go.
II Birmingham makes only an even
break during the rest of the season and
Memphis wins two out of every three
games, Birmingham win have the penant
So 1t looks as though nothing short o.
a railroad wreck or an epidemic or small
pox can put the Barons out
Well, if any town ever deserved pen
ant more than Atlanta that town is Biz
mingham.
Ever since the reorganization of the
Southern league in 1901 Birmingham has
been one of the bplwarks of the league
While the fans and the baseball writers
have at times got pretty rabid at the
same time charges of unfairness or
crooked work have seldom been brought
and never proved against the town.
The club owners have always been will
ing to put out money for winner, and
although in the past one thing or
another has always interposed to disap-
point them, they have got it at last. They
deserve 1t.
Harry Vaughn has made an able man.
ager. He is a good manager because he
has gathered a winning team, team
made up of strong pitchers, a fast intield
and heavy hitting outfield.-Atlanta
Georgian.
What about the prospects of yesterdays
doubleheader? They add little to the
congratulations due.
Unless unexpected interference is met
with during the next visit of the Atlanta
baseball team to New Orleans, the last
chapter in the celebrated contention over
alleged use of so-called rubber balls Will
be called and members of the Atlanta
club, including Capt. otto Jordan, who
was arrested. charged with appropriating
a ball, the property of the New Orleans
club, expect to settle all controversies out
of court
The cost attached to retaining legal
counsel and other incidentals is given as
the cause of the attitude of the Atlanta
officials
Manager Smith does not anticipate trou-
Bile in securing the acquittal of Jordan In
court in New Orleans on the petit larceny
charge which followed Jordans arrest
for refusing to turn over to onicers
ball after the forfeiture Of that memoir
able game which precipitated the rubber
BALI scandal during the June series be-
tween the Pelicans and Atlanta's team.
Smith still maintains that the ball now
held by the New Orleans police contains
rubber in Illegal proportions. He has been
informed, however, that even though Jor-
dan might be acquitted of the petit lar
ceny charge, the ball, which is the prop
erty of the New Orleans club, would re-
vert to the original owner, and this would
prevent. so Smith says, further enllghten-
ment on the subject.
If arranged in court Jordan will, It is
believed plead guilty to the charge and
ask clemency of court, after furnishing
his reasons for refusing to turn the bail
over to officers Exchange.
Umpire Rudderham, who is now gem
orally regarded as the best in the league,
had a narrow escape from being Har-
ward man,
When 'Ruddy" was, graduated from the
Quincy, Mass. High school he was a 16-
year-old pitching wonder. Soon after his
graduation he was approached by agents
of the Harvard baseball team who offered
him his board and tuition free provided he
would pitch for the Harvard team.
Rudderham could not see 1t that way,
however. and drifted into shoe factory.
where he soon rose to a responsible posi-
tion. The manner of his leaving the shoe
manufacturing business was dramatic. He
was sent to a newly-opened factory to
teach the use of the machines to some
green operators. In throwing belt onto
a wheel the apron he was wearing caught
in piece of shafting and Ruddy was
whsked around in md-air at the immi-
nent risk of breaking his neck. Before he
became any more entangled In the ma
chnery his apron gave way and he was
thrown with considerable violence on the
floor.
He lay there for while thinking 1t
over, and when he picked himself up he
announced that never again would he
work In shoe factory, and he never
has
From the shoe manufacturing business
Ruddy drifted into professional ball. and
had many successful seasons as pitcher
His best year was with Providence in the
Eastern league, where he pitched AZ games
and lost only 6.
Rudderham says he thinks the umpiring
habit has become chronic with him. In
winter he runs a bowling alley In Provf-
dence r. ATLANTA Georgian.
Speaking of thirteen Birmingham had a
queer experience with that hoodoo num-
Der during its recent engagement in At
lanta.
The BarOnS had Deen Skipping along Ut
a merry clip, beatSy everything in sight
until they hit Atlanta.
Then there came change and Atlanta
whacked a slice out of that pennant pie
that made Dad Vaughn get busy.
This came on the thirteenth day of the
month and 1t was the thirteenth game the
Barons played after taking on winning
squirt. twelve of these games they had
won and the thirteenth was lost.
The very same day Alcock, shortstop
for the Barons, was forced to quit the
game and go to bed. The next day he was
unable to leave his room and finally had
to be taken to the depot in an ambulance
and carried to a hospital In Birming-
ham.
That brings the thirteenth into unpleas
ant prominence again but these are the
cold facts.
Perhaps some student OF hoodoo and
baseball dope can explain-Walter Taylor
in the Atlanta Journal.
Thirteens are lucky now No explana-
ton. just fact.
It is said that Ed Abbatichio. the italian
outfielder who refused to return to the
Beaneaters, has refused the most princely
salary ever offered to a ballplayer-$10,0 900
a year for the next two years. And he
refused it. simply to satisfy grudge.
That salary was offered him by John 7.
Brush to join the Giants, Brush having
agreed to pay Boston big price for his
release II he could be induced to come
to terms But Abby hates President So 4
den OF the Beaneaters so cordially that
he turned down Brushs offer simply to
prevent Soden from getting any coin. He