The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-20
Games Today.

Games Today.
 Atlanta in Birmingham.
 New Orleans in Memphis
 Montgomery in Nash vile.
 Mobile in Little Rock.
 From a local standpoint the Southern league season of 1908 is cracked this aft ernoon at West End park when the Barons and the Atlanta Crackers open their first series.
 However, as local fans are aware, the season is some days old and in that llm- tied space of time the Barons dropped three straight battles to the Montgomery Sleepers.
 In spite of this bad beginning the Bar ons will probably get busy this week, and win d majority of their games schedled. Atlanta comes to the slag with a per centage of .500, having won and dropped one battle to the Nashville Volunteers. The game will be called at O o'clock-re- member the hour.
 The fans in Birmingham are looking at the situation in the proper spirit. It was nothing but proper that Montgomery should have taken the opening series, although that game which luck tackled around the ankles and handed to the Pretzels would have helped the local at mosphere no. little
 But the fans realize that Birmingham has a first rate club, one which will makei every other aggregation in the league hustle to keep it out of the foremost ranks. It may take week or tyo weeks fnr the, locals to reach their Stride, but the indications are good aad the outlook propitious. -.
 Baseball is popular fin Birmingham this season. When the Barons were in Mont gomery the fans crowded into the Apollo matinee and the line of bugs extended beyond the doorways into Second ave- nue.
 As was stated in The Age-Herald in a dispatch from Montgomery Manager Vaughn has adopted the sane policy of withholding the announcement of his bat tery until the umpire is ready to face the audience just prior to the game.
 He has taken this course in order that all his pitchers will keep in first rate condition, and, too, to put a cog in the wheel of the bettors. Manager Vaughn is one of the managers of the league who believes that betting Is detrimental to the game.
 Therefore, it cannot be said who will pitch for Birmingham this afternoon. It is very probable that the manager will send one of the old and tried pitchers to the slab, as he is very anxious to an- next the first game with the Crackers.
 Practically every man that Bill Smith brings to Birmingham today is well known in Birmingham.
 The infield, that of last seasons pen nant winners, is intact in Fox, Jordan, Dyer and Castro
 There are two of the champions in the outfeld, Becker and Winters, while Man ming, the other gardener, performed last year with Memphis.
 Atlantas catchers are McMurray, a Texas league recruit, and Ed Hurlburt who for several years was one of Mem phis' catchers. Sam Roque, incidentally offered McMurray to Birmingham near the conclusion of last season for $75O. He has shown up exceedingly well with Atlanta and promises to be one of the valuable men of the league.
 Atlantas pitching staff consists of Cas- teton, Ford, Schopp, Mckenzie, Johns and 'Viebahn, the two mentioned last being new to Dixie
 Castleton and Ford worked against Nashville last week. and it is probable that Smith will start the series against Birmingham with either Mckenzie or Schopp on the slab.
 Schopp, incidentally, pitched the first game last season against Birmingham and lost it.
 There has been much discussion to whether Atlanta is as strong this season as last.
 While the Crackers are strong beyond a question: it is not generally believed that they are improved in any partic- ular It cannot be considered that Hurl- burt and McMurray are the men that Sid Smith and Sweeney were. It is very doubtful as to whether or not Smith will be able to develop two new pitchers tc take the places vacated by Zeller and Spade. Manning is not the man Paskert was
 But Atlanta is very strong in spite of the above facts, and will probably be 
 There will be no opening ceremonies.
 The crowd wn. gather, the players vii warm up as customary, ana the game will be on.
 It is indicated that a record-breakinl attendance will be on hand to witnes. the opening battle. Atlanta is quite s favorite in Birmingham, and never comes to the slag without a promise of making a brilliant effort to wrench victory from the locals.
 Umpire Tom Brown, who officiated ir the Birmingham Montgomery series, vii handle the indicator. He gave satisfac- ton in Montgomery.
 With Smiths aggregation Percy Whit ing. sporting editor of the Atlanta Geor. gian, will visit Birmingham. He is z clever sporting writer and has man, friends here.