The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-09
FANS FROM FOUR CITIES
 AWAITED THE RESULT
BY BILL AK.

During that period of four days when
 the Barons were battling the Memphii,
 and the Crackers of Atlanta were en- , leans. the eyes of the league were | focused on the principle cities of Ala bama and Georgia.
 No one noticed Montgomery, little | Rock, Nashville or Shreveport. For on the outcome of the two series mentioned above, depended the winner of the pen nant of the Southern league. The result of those series is well known, how the Barons, after dropping the opener, rallied to their colors, and trounced the erstwhile leaders in the three remaining games and how the Crackers waded through four straights from the Pelicans.
 Therefore, it is more than interesting to note what the result occasioned i7 the four cities concerned. AS might be expected. there was jubiA lation in Atlanta. The fans of Crack erville went raving mad. forgetting business in throwing bouquets towards their own players, and the Barons. In Memphis, there was grief and vain regret. Charlie Babb was censured, Joey Bills was roasted freely, and vet eran Stockdale was ruthlessly criti- cized.
 In reference to the department of the Memphis fans, it Is Interesting to note that they intimate that New Orleans connived with Atlanta to defeat Mem phis. They argue that while Frank Is not foolishly fond of the Crackers, he is violently enraged with the Babblers. They argue too. that Frank s team Is too strong, and too aggressive. to lose four straight games to any other club in the league.
 In reference to the effect on the At lanta faus. 1t might be added that they appear grateful to Birmingham, and especially to Irwin wilh elm. the local pitcher, who. in three days, shut the leaders out twice.
 Really 1t was Wilhelm who smashed the hope of the Memphii.
 In New Orleans the fans were notice ably indifferent. They do not love At tanta, but they dislike Babb and Mem phis in the "superlative' degree. Frank was roasted freely, of course, for dropipng four straights because it is a disgrace to lose so many games hand running. it matters not wehther | they were willingly dropped or not. Frank is not overly popular in New Orleans this season, and the Atlanta | defeats added nothing to his comfort. All of the Pelicans came in for their share of the criticism.
 Delight prevailed in Birmin gham. | This was due to two couses. In the | first place, the fans in Birmingham are always pleased when the Barons win, it matters not if they do win so seldom. In addition there are more Atlanta "rooters'' in Birmingham than Memphis "rooters" although there are many fans in the Magic City who pulled for Babb on account, of his magnih- cent effort to do with an inferior team
 what Billy Smith, the chances are, will accomplish with a splendid outfit Atlanta is more popular in Birming- ham than Memphis for several req sons, one being that Atlanta is in the eastern subdivision of the league. and to retain the pennant another season in the east seemed worthy from a pat riotic standpoint. Then of seven pen nants, Atlanta has won none, and as Memphis had taken two, it seems good idea that the Crackers win the one of- | fsred this year.