The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-19
BEST KNOWN NAMES
 IN BASEBALL TODAY
Manager Vaughn Will Pitch Ables, Clark and Ferguson-Fans See the New Men-3:3o Is
 the Hour.
BY BILL AK.

l warmth of the Dixie sun for two weeks
 and are in excellent condition. The
 Barons have been working less than a week, but are in fine shape.
 An interesting contest is expected and
 there is no doubt, judging from the en-
 thusiasm that prevails, but that the
 grounds will be we'll filled when this, the
 hrst practice game in Birmingham, has
 its start.
 Connie Mack, since last he put foot in l birmlngham, has parted with his erst-
 while boon companion, Rube Waddell But with this exception, all save Catch 1 CT Doe" Powers, will cavort at West End today. There are Coombs, Plank, Bender. the big Indian chieftain, Davis, Schreckengost, Dygert (the old New Or leans twirler), Bert Maxwell, a former Montgomery star; Simon Bolivar Nich- oils, season before last with Memphis, and many others with whose names the fans are familiar.
 The Barons' guests today are among the leaders of the great game of base ball. For the last several years Macks | men have been well to the front, and within that space, had no i'll luck be- fallen them, they would have landed the l gory rag of battle more than single 1 time.
 Connie Mack should have won the pen
 nant of the American league last season. There is hardly a doubt but that the Athletics were naturally stronger than
 the Detroit Tigers. But Bender, after
 winning 16 straight games, became i'll and was forced to retire. Then Rude Waddell did what he should not have
 done but that which everyone expected he would do-"quit cold.' So Mack was forced to conclude the season beneath the leaders. Had Phila-
 delphia won the pennant there Is hardly a doubt but that the Chicago Cubs would
 have lost more games than were dropped 1 to Detroit.
 1 Plank, Bender, Dygert and Waddell 1 composed a quartette of twirlers un- l equalled by any on any abler team of the American league last season.
 And this is the bunch which will be l seen in Birmingham today. Mack is go- l ing out after the pennant again and he | believes he will land.
 There are many thousands of fans who l hope he will
 The fans will see the Barons under fire
 this afternoon and will be in better po- sition to judge them.
 There will be much interest in watch ing the work of the new men-Downey on third, Reagan and Houtz in the outfield, Raub and Mahon behind the stick, Fer guson and Ables on the slab
 Manager Vaughn announced last night that Ables, Ferguson and Clark would pitch the game for the Barons Ables is the Texas southpaw, who is believed to have concealed in his good wing many brilliant victories. Ferguson is the semi professional of Cincinnati, for several years the star of the Avondales, the Shamrocks and the Covingtons. He has shown remarkable speed and curve dur ing his few days of residence here and Manager Vaughn believes he has found an exceedingly valuable man. All the fans know Ginger Clark. He has been here for several years and has unques- tioned ability. Ginger has opposition in his effort to land a berth on the regu- lar staff this season and his mettle is aroused.
 Raub, who arrived yesterday, will be behind the bat The fans will see how he handles himself how he throws to the keystone and how he uses the willow. Downey, who will probably develop into one of the best third-sackers of the league, will show his skill this afternoon
 Houtz, while this is his first year in Bir- mingham, is well known on account of