The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-04

Atlanta has protested against the ac- tion of Umpire Billy Carpenter in the final game of the recent Cracker Billi- ken series, which action was his refusal to permit Atlanta to get away with Its unsportsmanlike tactics.
 It seems that there was an agreement to put an end to the game at 4;30 o'clock in order that Montgomery might catch train to Memphis. At the beginning of the eighth inning, Atlanta had lead of 8 to 1, and but ten minutes remained to be played. Atlanta figured that if it played exceedingly slow the game would probably terminate at the end of Mont
 gomerys half of the eighth inning, and
 that the score would revert to the figures which obtained at the end of the seventh inning.
 But Billy Carpenter was on the job, Every honest fan in the league should be glad that Billy was on the job. When Montgomery began swatting the ball, the Crackers quit cold, permitting sin gle by Bills to go for a home run. To make long story short, Bill held firm even when Jordan initiated a riot. He forced Atlanta to take its half of the eighth inning, and Montgomery won the game.
 It is quite possible that Jordan would have got away with his trick had any other umpire in the league had charge of the situation that afternoon.
 The Philadelphia Nationals are cutting away their surplus material with reck- less fiendishness.
 1t is announced that among those who are to walk the plank are Bob Ewing, Fred Beebe, Schultz, the college finger, Pruitt, the big sidewheeling Birmingham product, and kitty" Bransfield, the well known veteran first sacker.
 It might be apropos right here to state that it is the opinion of the writer of this column that should the Barons an- nex either Ewing, Beebe or Schultz, Bir- mingham would win the pennant. Of course, there is a probability that we would miss our guess, but we guess that way anyhom. Birmingham needs one other pitcher to round out the best team in the league, and one of the best which has ever been in the league.
 To win the pennant, it is evident right now that Birmingham will have to stop
 the Pelicans. Montgomery at the present
 time is flying high, but when has Mont | gomery at this time of the year not | flown high? The Pels are the boys we
 must stop And with one other reliable
 finger, Birmingham can stop them. | Montgomery, incidentally, is strong ir 1 hitting and pitching.
 | It's team work is poor. Graham is c
 weak man when played on first or in the field Kay is in many respects a harder nut to push about the bags than Henry Meek He can swat. but that is all. Il is understood that Dobbs is in St. Louis at the present time making an effort tc land men to take the places of Graham and Kay If he succeeds In getting first rate men, then Montgomery will remain troublesome throughout the season.
 Today "Iir' Marcan. Baron second baseman, is the best ball player-listen to this--in the Southern league.
 | At the present time the Baron second baseman is the most valuable performer in the Southern league. If Marcan maintains his present hitting stride-and he will not. it is probable-he will be worthy of a trial in faster com pany.
 We do not wish to comment at length | on the sugging qualities of Marcan, for | it may be that he is hitting far and 1 away above his capacity. Suffice it to
 say therefore, that he is hitting exceed ingly hard, is getting runs right along
 and stealing base every now and then 1 But in the display of headwork and in | fielding Marcan is far ahead of all com petitors. That he is one of the smartesi players in the league, everyone will ad- nit That he is the best fielding second l baseman, theer are figures to prove | While Fox of Mobile hasA a higher aver
 age, Fox has been in fewer games. ant | has had about a third fewer chances l Jordan and Pratt are both trailing. al