The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

under. Mike Finn, promises mucn tiiis
season IL ante-season predictions count for
anything while the whole Of Birmingham
has kept well posted as to the relative
strength, comparative and otherwise OF
the Barons' lineup. Once more the roar
of the stands the Shrek of the Yender
and the sharp voice of the coacher will
be the music which entiees the hurryins
fan toward the ball grounds. Vaughan
and his great team will get a square deal
from the public, for the anvil chorus has
been conspicuously silent this spring. I'm
pire Kennedy of the regular Southern
league staff will call the game promptly
Wednesday at p. m which will usher
In the sixth Southern league season.
The exhibition series throughout the
south practically closed with yesterday 5
games and note of the various degrees
of success attained by the different South
ern league clubs against the big league
teams might prove Of interest. New
Orleans won two games from the Phia-
delphias in March with the aid Of pitcher
Dygert and catcher Byrnes, who were.
loaned to Frank by Manager Mack of
the Athletics, for those games. In every
other contest, save one the Pelicans made
ridiculous showing against the visiting
majors. Atlanta played Cleveland one
good game, by pitching Raymond the
full limit, the other games we're one-sided
to degree.
Montgomery played the Athletics
couple of stiff games, getting an even
break on one game. In the other encount-
ers the climbers have made a poor show
ing against the big fellows. However,
they gave the Mobile Cotton States league
club FIVE good beatings last week.
Shreveport is making the worst ante
season display of any. league member
Tho Pratpq haXa haan dafpataH with q
parent ease In the South Texas circuit
in every game yet played and they are
playing against teams that they should
outclass. Little Rock gave the St. Louis
Nationals two drubbings in quick sue
cession, and then fell down too badly be-
fore Pittsburg Nashville and Memphis
have not yet captured a game from the
visiting majors although both teams have
put UP good stiff resistance. Memphis.
particularly has been playing consistent
bali with her bunch of youngsters.
They tell good and true story on
John j. McCloslxey and Bill Joyce, the
we'll known old time st. Louis BAH pfdy-
err and former New York manager. Me
Closkey was managing owner of the
Houston CTexas) club in 1888. Joyce was
playing third base and captaining the
team. In addition to managing and own
ing the team McCloskey played right
field He was not a good fielder. One
day he made several errors. The team
which had won twelve straight games
looked like q. loser
''IIold on. said Joyce-the employee
of McCloskey--to the pitcher. Then he
turned and waved his hand to McCloslSey
and said:
Mae. you are rotten. Get out of the
gamen' Then to Pat Flaherty, the sub
stitute catcher: 'Flaherty go out and
play right field"
whats that?' cried owner-manager
McClosky. "What do you want with me?"
ITO the bench with YOU" said Joyce
you're out of the game"
"Who put me out?"
81 did,
Captain, third baseman, and first bat
ter of this team"
"Who am To-
"AIcCioskey owner and manager of the
team, a good fellow but a bum fielder.
To the bench. Don't delay the game. The
people are getting nervous. Go on Fla
herty"
You go, Flaherty." said McCloskey
land I'll stop your pay"
"All right. Mac" said Joyce. But look
here, il Flaherty does not go to the field
don't play third base. Seer
McCloskey went to the bench Flaherty
went to the field. Joyce played third.
Houston won the game. ei
McClosly could better afford to endure
the ignominy of being benched by his
subordinate than he could afford to lose
Joyce's batting services So, like a wise
man, he assumed seat on the bench.
This is the only known instance OF a
manager and club owner being benched
by one of his players.
The Spit Ball.
Jack Chesbro has a grievance, and 1t
pertains to the celebrated spit ball"
Il tell you," said he, that man who
tries to deliver the spit ball has his
troubles with the umpires. Even the best
of them don't seem to understand that
delivery. OF course the tendency OF the
spit bali after 1t leaves the pitchers
hand Is downward, and by the time 1t
reaches the batter it has a decided drop.
Now spit ball that is started waist
high is apt to take more pronounced
drop than one that is started higher. 1t
is the balls that / start low that fool
the umpires, especially when they are
umpiring behind the bat. They seem to
jump to the conclusion that every spit
ball that Is started low Is going to cross
the plate below the knee OF the bats
man, and it seems the fashion of them
to yell Ball" at every one of them.
-NOWs III biutt " ltol Tie matter ldSI
season / frequently wet my fingers as
though preparing to send In a spit ball.
but never moistened the ball at ALL and
sent it straight over the plate 1 always
started this ball low, and 1t never
dropped inch, but nine times out OF
ten the umpires, jumping to the conclu-
sion that 1t was spit ball, called out
Ball. almost before it had reached the
plate. So you see that the man who
masters the spit ball. and can pitch It
effectively. is handicapped in his efforts
to fool the batters. In spite OF this handi-
cap / have done fairly well with that
style OF delivery, and / expect to use 1T
this season with considerable success"
Made PIayersApoosize.
II see that Tim Hurst is still in the
game observes Charley Bennett. the
old Detroit catcher. Tim always was
great fellow for getting in and out of
trouble.
And he certainly had enough. SO did
any other umpire when he ran up against
men like Tebeau. Burkett and Mexican.