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

The Barons continue to have their one bad inning, an inning in which the pitch CTS are slammed to the four corners and the other players are full of errors.
 And it has often happened that in this one bad inning the opposing teams have made three runs.
 As soon as the locals forget this habit of having one woeful round of disjointed miscues they will begin winning.
 There was deep disappointment when the Barons failed to turn the trick yester- day afternoon.
 There were many hundred fans, still hoping, who held the belief that the Barons would recover their lost ground since the old slagpile was again staring them in the face
 Some of the more sanguine hoped that Birmingham would win enough of these eight home games to top the 300 mark
 And now there Is great disappointment and some of the faithful are fast becom- ing disheartened. Birmingham in 13 trials has landed but three battles, and each day finds us deeper in the hole.
 The Barons are suffering with the trou- hle of our old friend. William Jennings Bryan. No matter how good they are they canont win.
 Take yesterdays game as an example.
 When everything else was running smoothly enough, Steve Reagan, who prior to yesterday had made no error, broke heavily into the miscue column.
 Then again, in spite of the fact that the Barons were finding the nose of every thing that Johnny Duggan dished across the platter, misfortune, eternally follow ing, kept them down.
 At the rate they were going yesterday thousand innings would have been insult ficient for the Barons to have tied the Volunteers. It is as well, therefore, that darkness falling softly and gently, put an end to the days labor.
 Perhaps they will begin winning soon perhaps today.
 It will take but few victories for the Barons to get a decent standing, and to recover their slipping" spirits.
 While Nashville has a fair team and is playing good ball, the Barons should show them up,
 Keep struggling, boys, get peppery go in to win. believing you are the best in the world, and fortune will turn it's face in your direction soon.
 Let everybody go out and help the Barons win today. Cut out knocking from the grandstand, and boost today. We might win, and might follow up the victory with several others.
 It may so happen, although we admit the way looks murlSy right now, that the Barons will awake to find themselves great men within month or more.
 Mobile dropped another yesterday Memphis winning this time.
 Fisher, after winning seven games in twelve days on the road, has dropped four in five days at home.
 But the red-headed manager is not los ing courage, and might again strike the winning trail within short while.
 Montgomery and Atlanta fought great battle yesterday, the Pretzels winning in the ninth inning. Montgomery had all the best of the argument, and deserved to win sooner.
 Little Rock and New Orleans fought manfully, neither side scoring, for nine innings yesterday. The feature of the game was the pitching of Breitenstein. The old man is able to pitch winning game about once every month. But Frank loves Theodore too much to cut him loose. And the old veteran deserves his pension, too.
 Mack Robinson in good condition re- ported to Manager Vaughn.
 Mack is just completing a course in medicine at Tulane, and has twirled for the collegians of that college.
 
 Cotton States circuit, and did magnificent work. Molesworth, scouting for 1907 ma terial, saw him in several games and im- mediately acquired his signature to a con- tract.
 The young pitcher Is well known in Bir- mingham, having attended Howard col lege some seasons ago. While at Howard he starred on the diamond and football field.
 Houtz got his batting eye back yester- day afternoon and stung the ball hard.
 His hitting of yesterday was the first creditable work that he has done at the plate this season. Everyone hopes that he will have no more slumps.
 It is now up to Steve Reagan. The rightfielder has been unable to hit the ball safely this season, although his pre- vious records are good. In 1906 he hit .360 in the Three I circuit, and hit .263 last year with Toledo. There is no reason under the sun why he should not hit just as hard in the southern circuit. When fielding Is concerned, there is no better man in the south today. It is marvellous how the likes and dis likes of a fan can change from one sea son to the next.
 Last year every man carried a hammer popular man in the Baron camp, unless Rip Ragan can poll more votes in such a pink tea campaign.
 The fans are clamoring for Turner and 1 Ragan.
 | For their benefit, therefore, it might be l stated that Turner will be on the slab for Birmingham today. | The fans, too, would like to see Catcher 1 Holmes in harness. l All of which reminds that Bills work | around first yesterday was of a queen s | taste degree of excellence.
 SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE