The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-03
Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis,
New Orleans, Montgom-
cry, Little Rock, Shreve-
port and Nashville
DISSECTING THE BAR0NS
FOR BlRMING HAM FANS
The Conditions Under Which Another
Pennant May Be Landed-Per-
sonal Mention in All
the Camps.
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS.

With the advent of March, baseball re-
turned again into its own: awoke re-
freshed from a long winters sleep, and
stretched its long body extending over the
entire southland.
The practice season is IN bloom-this be-
ing the time in which the players timber
up, and the sporting writer's pick win
ners from the board. The field today is
open. To select the winner, at any time,
Is a difficult and unsatisfactory job. This
season it is especially difficult. 1t looks
as if the pennant will go to that team
which plays in the greatest luck. 1t is
hard to state whether Birmingham, the
champions of last season, Will again land
The trophy, or whether Little Rock, the
champion of the sailed down tail-enders,
will fulfill the Biblical injunction-the last
shall be first, etc. 1t is matter of guess
work, pure and simple guess work. That
which impresses the fan, however, Is that
every manager has made great efforts to
land a fine body of men, which is indi-
cative of a closely contested season, and
much brilliant ball playing.
Dissecting the Barons.
Make a careful and cold-blooded inspec-
ton of the Barons, the aggregation that
won the pennant last season. 1t is instant
~ seen that the majority of the players
are old members. There is Meek. Gafvin,
Walters, Oyler, Montgomery. Smith and
Wordsworth. In way of position, there
has been but one change. Meek will be
switched behind the bat 10 assist Garvin
this season, and first will be in the hands
of a newcomer. OF last seasons cham
pionship team, there are but two faces
missing from the active 1lne-up, Mat
thews, catcher, and Gear outfielder. The
first named was traded to Portland for
Lister, and Gear was given his uncondi-
tional release. By this change, and the
arrival and departure of the new and the
old, it looks as if Birmingham. as play
ing team, is just a little strengthened.
Gardner is just as good fielder as Is
Gear and a much better hitter Meek will
be more capable than Matthews behind
the bat, and Lister while being an I'M
known quality, save for the compliments
of Meek who knows him, is expected to
hit harder than the hard working catcher,
now the property of Portland
In the loss of Matthews, 1t is believed,
too, that the Barons this season will run
no risk Of having a streak of internal dis
sention. The Barons will lack some or
the ginger, probably, that characterized
the outfit last season, but Meek, Gar
vim ana others remain The Barons of
this year will miss Gears headwork, his
generalship and his strategy. He was one
OF the wisest ball players who ever trod
In Dixie.
The Pitching Staff.
The Barons are to be congratulated in
that Wilhelm, "Ginger" Clark and Rip
Ragan will again be in the lineup. These
are among the best pitchers in the south,
and each will land two-thirds of his
games. Salee, the fourth member of last
seasons pitching staff will not be re-
turned and in his loss the Barons are
ridded of another who had ability, but