The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-21
THREE HOME RUNS
 :. .4..E KNOCKED AT THE BARON CONTEST
GOSSIP OF THE SENSATIONAL
 AFFAIR WITH THE PELICANS

That game yesterday was senational. It contained all the elements of sen sational game. There was hard hit ting, fine fielding. run getting in punches. umpire batting and bottle throwing.
 The fans enjoyed it-all of them. That variety which enthuses whenever a long hit is poled, 1t matters not if the score is 9 to against us, were, naturally. sent repeatedly into the rari- fled air of the seventh heaven. And the more blase did not escape an occa- sional thrill.
 Therefore the purpose of baseball was fulfilled, for the game was invented for the reason that Americans up to the period of Father Chadwick had had little save Indian fighting to divert them. And because the general purpose of the sport was realized there is no material ground for us to lodge com plaint in the fact that we were beaten.
 However, inasmuch as the grand clash of the season is destined to oc- cur between the Barons. bold and bat tie scared veterans of a thousand gruelling struggles, and the Pelicans, it is well to note and remember just how it happened that we were beaten.
 As in the majority of instances little oversight caused the trouble. The Pelicans won by a single tally. In the eighth inning, which opened with the Barons one run to the good, the visitors scored thrice Only two of those runs should have been scored. To head Knaupp. running pell nell to third, Johnston made fairly good return to Almeida. The ball struck the ground, and got away from the third baseman. Had Boyd or Yantz or any other been backing Almeida, Knaupp would have been slaughtered at the pan. And the ninth would have found the Birds just one run ahead of the locals. Following the clout of Almeida the count would have been balanced again.
 The Barons pitched as well. fielded as well, and hit better than the visitors. The latter stole more bases, however, and made more runs.
 On the paths, the Pelicans were su- perior, although it has long been con- tended that the Barons are feeter on the sacks than any other aggregation about this bloody circuit. Neither Trough nor Boyd lost much thought in keeping base runners close to the corners. As a re- suit the Pelicans invariably obtained good starts, with the result that Yantz was was able to head only a few of them. This resulted disastrously as a study of the box score will indicate.
 The Pelicans were more aggressive, more daring and more determined appar- ently. As result, they won. And it will happen, unless a change comes over the locals that the Pelicans will before many moons, be all around their necks. And the Pels do not constitute as we'll bal anced team as do the Barons.
 The Age-Herald has never indulged in the general pastime of roasting umpires. There are several reasons. In the first place. the umpires seldom deserve criti- cism-and never as result of their judg- ment on balls and strikes.
 But no umpire is so blind that he can not maintain order on the diamond. When players are permitted to dance up and down the field, shaking fists in umpires' faces, tossing gloves into the air, indulg- ing in epithet and vituperation to villify the addressed and scandalize ancestors, then the men in charge of the game have failed utterly to discharge the functions of their offices. They should be fired point blank. The fan can tolerate incom- potency as result of poor eyesight, be- cause incompetency as a rule is not due to dishonesty. But there is invariably desire to throw pop bottles and throw them straight when an umpire permits a bunch of rowdies to brow beat him and in other ways to show utter contempt and disdain for the folk in the grand stand.
 Now, Umpire Kellum might have made rotten decisions yesterday and he may have called every turn as every turn should have been called. But when he permitted Doc Johnston to refrain from obeying instructions to get out of the park until after the player had stamped around the field and shaken his fist and bitten his nails to his hearts content, then the aforementioned umpire proved that he does not measure up to the stand ard required by President Ksvanaugh. Has any fan an imagination keen enough to conjure up pitcher of Johnston pull ing a similar stunt in the presence of Billy Carpenter?
 Doe Johnston en route to the ball park indulged that perogative which be- longs to children and a certain class of ball n1ayers He had something to shout