The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-12
By BILL AK.

"The Battle Above the Clouds minus the heroism that distinguished that other engagement, was cooked over for the delight of the old veterans yester- day afternoon when the Barons and the Memphii met in their first local en- gagement of the season.
 Everybody and everything was above the clouds, if not higher in the air.
 MT Carpenter, even MT. Carpenter of National league fame, hoated with the Barons and the Memphii. and the Tapping of innumerable wings, making an awful din. caused. in this moment groan, in the next a curse, and in the next a peal of laughter.
 The exhibition was farcical in the extreme, reminding of the time when we played around the old village lot and had a countryman for umpire. It was a hit and run affair from begin ming to end. It was so full of errors that it is still in the process of choking to death. There were so many dumb plays in the game that the only man who endeavored to tabulate them is raving maniac. The pitchers did every thing that a pitcher can do except work effectively. They walked enough men to fill a township as large as Mont eomery. They made enough wild pitches to disgust a larger bunch of people than were gathered together at West End. They rattled the ribs of the hitters with benders and fast ones, and implored the severe chastisement that they received.
 The attendance was the only redeem Ing feature about the game. The fans crowded into every available space. 5 overfowed the grandstand and the bleachers, and piled up 10 deep on the sidelines.
 Memphis won the game by a score of 10 to g.
 On account of a very questionable decision of Umpire Carpenter, Manager Molesworth filed a protest. and will en- deavor to have the game proclaimed a drawn fight.
 It is very probable that the protest will go the way of all other protests. for Judge Kavanaugh has remained so faithful to his umpires that they now take delight in treading on this or that team with impunity.
 This protest Is based on a decision in the seventh inning whereby Carpen- ter, after allowing Walters to score, was persuaded by Manager Babb to send him. back to third.
 Walters from second, just prior to
 
 third. Baerwald dropped the ball, and it scampered into the crowd. Walters scored, and Birmingham had as many runs as Memphis
 At this moment Manager Babb en- gagged the umpire in conversation, and it was easy to convince MT. Carpenter that Walters should be sent back to third. The decision aroused the ire of Manager Molesworth and the other Barons, and rOtnd of hiSSaS from the fans.
 To them it appeared a bold faced rob cry, and one, more daring than hls fel- lows, so informed MT. Carpenter after the battle.
 Indeed, it appeared, for awhile, as if the enraged populace would make mince meat of the umpire, who is subsisting on peppery reputation.
 But the wearer of the blue finally edged into the dressing room of the Barons and was safe
 It would have been unfortunate had MT Carpenter been killed. We never believed jn, the expediency of murder, it matters not how grave the offense or just the cause Nalight be.
 During the early innings of the game. chiefly through the rotten work of Mir. Turner, the Memphi piled up a gigantic lead of nine runs.
 1nen MT. ocHWeHck ueclueu lidl lie could be more rotten that MT. Turner and came very near proving his conten- ton.
 When he retired from the game, at the conclusion of the sixth, the Barons had crawled within one run of the lead of the visitors.
 In the seventh, the Barons tied the score, but MT. Carpenter, arbitrarily rul- ing after having received a tip from Manager Babb, threw the run out.
 In the eighth, however, that tying run was made.
 In the ninth Memphis. on account of a collision between Outfielders Moles- " orth and Henine, circled the paths one other time, and won the game.
 It was a rotten exhibition.
 Such another has never been seen in Birmingham.
 From such another may some kind providence deliver us.
 To begin with, Turner had nothing in the world no speed, no curve no control, no ability to field his position, no judg-