The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-13
Bought Ticket and Left St.
 Louis Last Night
DEAL ABOUT CONCLUDED
 FOR PITCHER FLEHARTY Y
Cincinnati Red Comes Excelcntiy Rec ommended-Two Days of Practice Remain-Robertaille or
 Clark To "Open."
BY BILL AK.

To begin with in order that this column might never break it's record of giving the fans the news while it Is news, two facts of interest might be stated:
 1. Bill Douglass left St. Louis last night at o'clock for Birmingham and should arrive this afternoon.
 ?. Manager Vaughn has all but closed deal for Pitcher Earl F1eharty of Gin cinnati, and the chances are that he will leave tonight for Birmingham.
 In way of explanation it seems that the ticket that the local club ordered placed at Wellsville, Mo-, for Bill Douglass was not placed, this preventing him from ar irving yesterday The player wired Man. ager Vaughn last night to the effect that he had purchased a ticket and would leave St. Louis at s o'clock.
 Pitcher Fleharty IS eXceliently recom- mended It might be stated that Gin cinnati will not sell him 10 Birmingham without reserving a right to buy him back again.
 Last season Fleharty worked with the Hutchinson, Kan, team of the Western association. The Western assoclation is Class c league, and it's members are Wichita, Oklahoma City, Hutchinson, To- peka, Joplin Webb City Springfield and Leayenworth.
 Hutchinson was third in the race and Fleharty third pitcher of the league. He worked out in 3S games, of which number he won 2S.
 The deal has not been closed, but from of fa1a between the pitcher, Manager Vaughn and Manager Ganzel, it is fact, as in dicated that the chances of his arriving in Birmingham tomorrow are good.
 Manager Vaughn will give Fleharty a fair trial, in case he does arrive, and there are hopes that the young westerner VIII make good.
 As is evident from this and prior ac- lions of Manager Vaughn, be is leaving no stone unturned that might conceal a bit of strength with which to bolster up the present Baron team. Manager Vaughn is determined to be manager this year, and to that end has discarded every vestige of sentiment. "Thc best man wins, be he who he may" is the rule of the big manager, and everyone must admit that that is the only rule out of which good can come.
 In this connection, too, Manager Vaughn is still endeavoring to land another catch er In fact. he has not fully made up ms mind as to just how the team will ioot wien the weeding out season rolls round
 Manager Vaughn, in conversation Witu one of the sporting writers of The Age Herald, stated last night that today and tomorrow would be spent in practice work. The players, as usual, will report to the park both in the morning and the afternoon.
 It was the intention of Manager Vaughn to invite the team of the University or Alabama to meet the Barons this after noon. but in view of the general denor- alization existing among the Alabama players. he deemed 1t would be unprohf- able to meet them.
 In the four remaining practices, Man ager Vaughn expects to have the team thoroughly understanding the signals, and in fine shape physically.
 He plans to win the opening game, ana at least half of the struggles of the hrst series.
 He stated last night that either Rob ertaille or Clark would pitch the opening game