The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-25
.PRETZELS ADVANCE
 IN RAPID STRIDES Chambers Says Nothing In the League Can Touch Them SOMETHING OF PLAYERS Montgomery Seriously Believes Pen nant Will Wave Over Capital Park.
 Thomas Says Nothing About
 Reporting Time.
SOMETHING OF PLAYERS

Montgomery, March A-(Special )-The Philadelphia Athletics yesterday finished up a two-game series here, which gave the Montgomery fans a chance to look over the men who will endeavor to do things in the Southern league this season.
 Although they entered the game with but little practice, due to the great num- Der of rainy days recently, Greminger's squad looked mighty good in the two games, and far as the fans can see there is nothing in the Southern which will be able to touch the locals.
 Until the sale of Perry last season the Climbers had a team which was able to show It's way to any club in the league. Under the management of Gremnger the team did consistent work, and was grad ually creeping toward the top, when the deal came whereby Perry was sent north as bench warmer. Some of the fans still believe that the team, as it was go- ing at that time would have passed the league leaders in the stretch However, Montgomerians did not get the chance to enjoy any such treat as this, and fn- ished somewhere below the winners and somewhere above the Barons, the latter phase being the only enjoyable feature of the race.
 Chambers Most Optimistic.
 With team stronger in every respect than that of last year. President Cham bers cannot see where anything can touch him. In the two games with the Athletics 1t was shown that Montgomery is to have the swellest outfield in the history of the club It is 50 per cent stronger than the outfield of last season, and on this improvement alone Chambers counts to have his team higher up in the race
 On first showing, Jud Daily looks to be the best man of the lot even better than Archie Parsons. Daily in his first show, picked up four liners, which were travelling in the vicinity of his shoestrinEs, and so spectacular were the catches that twice the fans thought the ball had got away from him. Without a doubt Daily is the best outfelder in the league. He is in better shape now than in two or three years and should be a regular sen-. sation here.
 Whiteman, man new to this league hailing from Texas. where he was regard ed as the equal of Speaker, who is now with Boston, and who led the Southern last year with the stick has made a good impression. He Is wicked man for a pitcher to face. When at the plate he stands about four feet high, and is all crouched up ready for a swing He should get on first more than any other player in the league.
 thn no y~f Of l1an v@Io He Is the biggest man of the quartet try ing for their outfield jobs. and while at the plate seems to walk directly into the ball
 Persons is not being worked very hard as Manager Greminger is anxious to get a line on his new men before he runs in Archie.
 That Mighty InfieId.
 Montgomery's infield is to be better than that of 1908. Perry is gone, but in his stead Greminger has Manush, and from all reports the former Cotton States star will be the star of the Southern He Is a youngster full of nerve, and can cover ground to either his right or his left. Pope is new boy in many re- spects. He seems to have cut out the sen sationalism feature which made him look like false alarm at times last year.
 
 in shape this season
 Rockenfield is weighing less than at any time in recent years, and is in shape to play his best game. He is not a fast man, by any means, but is steady and re- liable, with good head Rocky will bat above .250 for the season, and with Greminger at work on first the Mont gomery infielders, with the exception of Pope, should hit .250 or better. The out field will average .260 or better and Hart and shannon both should have better av- erages this year than last
 Last season Shannon was the mainstay of the team behind the bat. Hart never relished his sale to Montgomery by the Chicago Cubs, and did not enter into the spirit of things down here until late in the fall. This season Hart is changed man He is taking off flesh rapidly. and when the league season opens will be in shape for most any old kind of work
 Leagues Best Twlrler.
 President Chambers says that he has the best twirler in the south. and that his name is Lively. The North Alabama farm CT is here with all sorts of curves and Connie Mack was very much impressed Cleveland had tried to nab him. Guese is just as big as ever, and with Lively and Thomas, WIG so far has not sent any word as to when he will report, will do the bulk of the work this season. DeBalt was seen in action against the Athletics and made favorable showing Bliss is not yet in shape and Bridges, Willis and Juul are yet to come
 All in all. it looks as though pennant dopsters will have to give Gremnger a show, for he is there with the goods.