The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-06

m1nghaf1 stnlS morning to pay the BafonS three games The Tu.tles are said to be in. fair shape and Bill believes that he has a strong team He has a nice lot of twirlers and a working good infield. He <lould make the Barons play to beat him
 This afternoon is 1t extremely prob able that Ellam will send Bill Trough against the Turtles. Bill was in magnificent shape when reported and, ac- cording to Ellam. looks to be in the best shape that he was ever in. Should Bill mount the hill, Berphard will prob- ably put his strongest twfrler against him. | 2 ferguson will probably go in the box.
 
 The Volunteers will probably get a new outfielder within a day or so. Jesse James is his name. He comes to the Volunteers from the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers, and it is said that he was the star of the Texas league last season. He has been kept by the Trolley Dodgers on account of zack Wheat being i'll. However, Wheat has recuperated and will get into the game in day or so.
 It is believed that James will help the Nashville aggregation as he is said to be a heavy hitter
 Unless the Pelieans do better. a new name should be given them. A very ap- propriate nickname would be the New Or leans Pigeons" The Pigeons always fly near the ground and as the Pelieans are near right next to Terra firma in the standing of the Southern league, such would be fitting.
 The Dutchman is a very worried man. He is worried about money matters and other important things. Frank was a stockholder in the New Orleans Cotton States league team. It has been said that he lost 5000 on thls venture. With his team standing upon the last runs of the league ladder, he is worried He is satisfied that he needs three pitchers, two infielders. two outfielders and two catchers. That is nearly enough to worry an ordinary manager.
 |, At New Orleans, the city of the largest population in the south, an ordinary crowd is 2OOO when the club is leading the league. When the club is on the bottom, the attendance will go much lower. Be- sides losing financially, Franks plight will not be sweet during his stay in New Orleans, for the fans of New Orleans have long been noted for their open re- sentiment of any dsagreeable matter. However he laughed one time during his stay in Birmingham. When Bob Mes senger shattered two pounds of mud into Hendrix's face he smiled When knaupp's face was decorated with the same substance he laughed.
 This afternoon the Bessemer club will play the Rome team in Rome. After having suffered three consecutive de- feats, the Pipemakers fell down in stand ing. When they left Bessemer they were near the top. The opposite is true now.
 It is probable that the real strength of the Bessemer club will be shown on this trip. After going to Rome, the club will play the Huntsville team. Should the Pipenlakers break even on this trip 10 Rome and Huntsville it will be dubbed a strong team. Should the opposite oc- cur, the club will need strengthening.
 We believe that the Bessemer team is a strong one and that there are but few teams that can beat them. However all the clubs look pretty evenly matched. The race this season in the Southeastern will not be a runaway affair, by any means.
 Charley Hemphill raised little row up in Chattanooga the other day. There Is a large revolving, electric sign in deep center field. It Is used for the purpose of advertising a popular soft drink 1t seems as if it is just on a line with the batters' box and second base and 1t inter feres with the batter seeing the ball clearly.
 Hemphill declared that the man that was operating the beautiful sign turned a light yellow side in view when his men started to bat and that a dark brown side was turned when the Lookouts turn at bat came. This, he declared, inter fered with the batting of his Crackers and said that he did not like it.
 The point raised is an interesting one. Should Rick Woodward accept offers that have been made to him for such advertising he could easily make s2000 year off of this scheme. However he be- lieves that the irregularity caused by signs painted on the fence and other such means of advertising keeps the bat ter from seeing the ball well, and that 1t causes misplays. Besides this it is not thing of beauty and he will not allow it. Ball players like to bat at Redwood. It is an ideal park in every respect.
 
 Bert Maxwell, the twirler who was sold to the Giants late last season for s4oOO, has been sold to the Toronto club in the International league. In view of the fact that Big Jeff Tesreau was going so remarkably well McGraw sold Maxwell outright. It is said that the price was something over 5000.
 Many did not believe that Maxwell would stick in the big leagues. He is not a speed pitcher, but depends entirely upon his control to win. It is well known fact that Maxwell could put q ball at nearly any place that he wanted it to go and for that reason won his games He had a fine slow ball last sea son, but this is not so effective as speed Bert should do w&l in the International.
 
 It seems as if this fellow Hardgrove is a certainty on the staff Yesterday at New Orleans, he scored his second shutout in one week. Last Monday ne let the hard hitting Gulls down to two hits and won the game ? to O. fester- terday he allowed but four hits. while the Barons hit Bonner for 10 safties f Hardgrove was once one of the most formidable pitchers that Indianapolis had He won many games for them, but was sent back to the Central association when he failed to recover from speii or
 l~.& .E