The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-16
HOW HENRY MEEK CAPTURED.
 HEARTS OF BIRMINGHAM BUGS
Story in Which Harry Vaughan Jimmy Tamsett Hacks Latmer Pete Lister Eddie svert Bob Messenger Harry Covaleski Irwin Wilhelm Rube zelar, Carlton Moes-
 worth as Well as Corpulent Henry J Figure
nY HUGH W. ROBERTS

of the 57 varieties which Heinz is said to manufacture.
 Thereafter for many months he was the biggest man, not only in ayoirdupois, of whom Birmingham made proud boast
 In i916, his first year south and the year in which the Barons won the pennant Henry hit for an average of only .295
 In the spring of 1907 there appeared a rival against Meek in the person of young Pete Lister. Everyone remembers Pete that spring of 1907. He was supple, as fast as a deer, one of the most spectacu- lar nelders ever seen south, and an ex- cellent hitter. On account of the fact that Meek had nothing IS an asset save his ability to hit whenever he desired. there is hardly a doubt but that he should have been canned. But Man ager Vaughn, although he preferred Pete, dared not run the risk of exciting the ire of local fandom And local fandom, 1t is almost needless to relate, would have mobbed poor Harry had he sent fat Henry to the tall timbers.
 The fans were justified, according to official averages, for in 1907 Meek led the league with the terrible average of .34O.
 In this regard, however, it is interesting to remember what disposition Vaughn
  that Pete could not be retained, it was up to Vaughn to get as much profit from .his disposal as possible It happened then that every club In the leagues was strong on first basemen. It was necessary to go without the family to get trade for one of the best first saekers who ever played in the Southern league.
 Vaughn needed catcher He arranged a trade whereby Pete Lister would go 10 the American Association in return for Packs" Latimer Everybody remembers Hacks" and remembers, also, that bright day in September on which he got his only hit in the history of the Southern league. Latimer was an awful frost. Lister starred in the American Association, and returning south the following summer, starred with Nashville. Later he gave Atlanta good service. and was an accept able man last season for Chattanooga.
 Meek made life miserable for Harry Vaughn in the spring of 19)S Vaughn was a serious individual who could see no amusement in the vast amount of Food which by some means impossible of eX- planation Meek managed to consume. And he saw no amusement in the fact that Henry. was forever smoking and forever smoking those black cigars. And he saw no amusement in Henry reporting to the park too late for practice and just soon enough, to don his uniform for the game.
 And when in the same year Molesworth secured the managership, Henry made life unpleasant for the present leader. The following season Meek was sold to Chat tanooga for $500
 When Chattanooga was admitted to the society of the Southern league in 1910 Meek was on the job.
 Then came the day on which Meek lost lis grip on the affection of the boss of the I4ookouts. Birmingham was playing | Chattanooga in Chattanooga. Meek was catching the cratic Eddie Slever. Tn the seventh inning, with the score standing 1-l, Bob Messenger of Birmingham was on second A wild pitch occurred Meek, thinking that Messenger would not dare to attempt to score from second on q wild pitch. took his time in chasing the pellet When he found the ball Bob was on third-but contrary to the calculation of the catcher, the sprinter did not stop at third. Rounding that base like young deer free for the first time on prairie of countless acres, the Alabama whirlwnd" bent himself towards the plate He had to cover 60 feet, Meek 13 As the catcher reached the pan Messenger sslid under his stomach and the game was won. The following day the catcher was suspended.
 Meek's ability to swat the ball has fur nished a theme for many a story.
 He will hit 900 in 1912 in the Canadian league.