The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
POINTERS ID RANDOM
BY HUGH W. ROBERTS.

Had Father Chadwick so ruled that the conclusion of a baseball game was con- temporaneous with the conclusion of the seventh inning. or even the eighth, the Barons today, instead of resting un- easily on the bottom row. would be among the leaders of the Southern league.
 For it is a lamentable fact that of the numerous games that have gone to the other fellows this year, the majority have taken that miserable route after the con- olusion of the seventh inning.
 The Barons can go just so far with out parachutlng. When that limit is reached, however, they let the opposing aggregations win with consummate ease.
 We are not moralizing because yester- days game went to Mobile in the ninth. For this is an indisputable fact.
 Under the circumstances, although Me- Neal was pitching marvellous ball, the Barons could not hope to win.
 McNears support was miserable and in- excusable.
 Time and time again he wormed out of desperate holes
 As Fisher was in magnificent trim, and as his support was errorless, the defeat of the Barons was foregone conclusion. It would have been a physical impossl-
  wonderful stride indefinitely. Had he got through the ninth, as he deserved, the time would have come when a safe hit would have scored one of the men ad- mitted to the paths through imperfect fielding.
 But as a general thing, this ninth in- ming spasm has been the Barons' un- doing.
 These ninth-inning ascensions have turned gray the head of Harry Vaughn. These nnth-inning oozings of courage and mettle are running the fans at home stark mad.
 Yesterdays game is a fair example Of how the Barons play ball in the ninth The first man up was safe on Waiter error.
 After one was down that first man stole second
 The next man was walked.
 McNeals error gave the next life.
 Demont, who held his head throughout. fielded the next ball and threw Daily out at the plate.
 Garvin hit to Downey and Douglass dropped the throw.
 James scored.
 1t is to be noted that while McNeal, i4 walking a man and making an error, contributed to his own defeat, two of the veterans leaped into the miscue column. On another day it is the young men. On another day it is the pitcher.
 Settle down, if you please. It IS no harder to retire a side in the ninth than it is in the fifth, or sixth, or even the first
 But the Barons are playing magnifi- cent ball.
 Mobile has failed to make off with four straights.
 And it is not altogether certain that they will win three.
 Vaughn will probably send Rober- taille to the slab this afternoon. If the inaeld will do it's share of the work. Robertaille will win. In none of his games so far has the infield performed even creditably.
 Then, tomorrow Ginger" Clark will work. It does not stand to reason that Ginger" will continue pitching excei- lent ball and losing. It is physical impossibility for him to go through season followed by such ill-omened luck.
 Gordon Hickman will probably work for the Sea Gulls this afternoon. Hick- man is a good pitcher, and the Barons will have to hustle to defeat him. Becker or Gaskill will be chosen to- morrow.
 
 Yesterday the east did brave stunts in the west.
 Atlanta trimmed Little Rock by 6 big score.
 Nashville trebled the number of runs counted by Memphis.
 Mobile the only victor of the western half, managed to win by narrow mar gin in the final inning.
 Wednesday there was an even break, Atlanta trimming Little Rock and New Orleans walloping the Pretzels Bir- mingham and Mobile fought a drawn battle, and rain interfered with Mem phis and Nashville.
 Today, the division should be even again. Birmingham should trim Mobile and Montgomery should get the better of the Pelicans Little Rock should win from Atlanta and Memphis will probably take vengeance on Nashville.
 At any rate, the showing to date would not uphold the prediction that the real strength of the league is Tn the west.
 All of which reminds that while no one can discover the cause of Dr. Stagg's enthusiastically verbose ef- fusions concerning the chair of philoso- phy at the University of Alabama, everybody realizes that there must be something of great importance at stake. Were this not true, the rev erend gentleman would not appear 50 regularly in print.