The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-22
Bold Barons Approach 500 Mark


/ Donlin. the former player of the
diamond, the present player of
the stage. grows apace. When we were
quite young the regularity of Donlin's
smashes caused us to believe him the
greatest hitter in the business. When
de broke with his managers concern
ing salary and made financial sue
cess of his venture before the foot
lights, we considered him a great
diplomat We are now about to ex-
press our appreciation OF his master
full manner in putting his stuff in
circulation through the channels of
the newspapers. He is developing
into one of the most finished press
agents in America. His stories are so
plausible that venturesome youth and
ripe inexperience invariably takes a
tumble.
AS result, whenever Donlin
strikes a town, every inhabitant
knows full soon that Mike has come.
And yet. the star Of his theatrical
troops, Charlie Grapewin. really a
clever comedian and himself former
press agent shortstop. approaches
unheralded and unsung.
We do not intimate that Donlins
sole claim to fame is that he former
ly played baseball well, or that at the
present time he is a clever "holdout,"
disgruntled and nettled as a result of
salary differences. AS matter of
fact Mike gets away with fair sue
cess. He outshines Ty Cobb as a
footlight performer, for Cobb was as
clever lemon and as palatable
bit of cheese as ever stood before
the wandering gaze of an audience.
And Donlin is fast developing into as
fine an advertiser as Cobb. AS a mat
ter of fact, in press agent stuff, in
.'holding OUT from baseball clubs,
and in relying upon his diamond ver-
satility to aid him in dramatic
achievement, Donlin very much re-
sembles Cobb and Cobb, Donlin.
To both, with the utmost Difference,
therefore, we doff our hat this morn
ing.
The intrepid Barons again take the
Dookouts into camp 1t appears that
Prough made a bad start, and having
been jerlSed, was succeeded by Hard
grove, who got away in brave begin
ming and finished in a blaze of glory.
More, for Chattanooga, went well
until the sixth inning, when he rolled
by the wayside as a discarded winter
shirt and remained there. The Baron
bats-glorious news-were very busy,
and this fact proved the undoing Of
the gallant Lookout.
Notable features OF the game were
the home run drive of Messenger and
the swatting of young Bodus, the
phenomenal recruit whose stick
played havoc with Chattanoogas
chances Saturday.
Barney Sheridan, baseball para
grapher for the Mobile Register, is
very unkind in his remarks concern
ing the poor old Pels. He should fol-
low that humane adVice-De Mortuis
Nil Nisi Bonum, which. in our LAM
guare, means of the dead speak well,
or not at all.
We are not prepared TO say with
Sheridan that the Pelicans are entire
ly done for. They may rally. And
Frank, at any moment, may bring
south a carload of strength from
the camp of the Naplanders. 1t ap-
pears, however, that Franks team is
now weak and that unless he
strengthens he will not win the pen
nant.
1t is now plain that Mobile has
great clubs probably the best of the
bunch. But if Bill Schwartz of Nash
Vile continues to get all the hits
which fall to the Vols in a single Came
he may pass the genial Mique in the
race for the bunting.
The suggestion that pitchers be re-
lieved of the formality of batting ON
the ground that most of them are
deuces In the art Of swatting the
sphere and therefore should stick to
their own department, that of deceiV-
ing the batter, is not heard quite so
often nowadays. The reason for this
Is simple-the pitchers themselves
are exploding the theory by connecting
wonderfully well with twists of their
adversaries
Take the really good pitchers and
YOU will find that few of them con-
fine their efforts to pitching. The star
pitchers are real all around players.
They do not depend entirely upon the
cunning and strength of their salaried
arms They know how to field and
do field with skill. They know how to
bat and demonstrate their ability
along that line when put to the test.
Joe Wood led the American league
pitchers in victories. He batted .290,