The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-11

~ HE natal day of the current
baseball season dawned in
& deluge. There was breath
and a twang of football in the very
air and instead of hubbling in hi
Iarious speculation beneath the smile
of the genial sun, fans trod the streets
of Birmingham in overcoat and dlscon-
tent.
But there was a rainbow in the sky
when the day was done, and a hope
in the heart. And this afternoon, the
chances are, the Barons and the
Volunteers win rush together in a
mimic warfare which will make the
people glad.
A wrinkled sky, a biting wind,
muddy earth might combine to pre-
vent baseball game in Birmingham.
But it requires more than the fretful
elements to cast a damper on the Bir-
mingham spirit. Therefore. it Is al
most unnecessary to state that the
conditions which would have prevailed
yesterday will prevail today This
merchants will close their doors. Tho
commissioners will remove the wrin.
kles of trying business from troubled
brows, and with hearts unburdened at
tend the game. The schools will close
at 1 o'clock. and the joyous throngs
will prance to the gladstone music of
the baseball band. The Chamber of
Commerce will parade, and later fill
spacious boxes on the field of scrim-
mage. The people will be there, the
wild, joy-mad American people. who
have never yet grown too old to lift
a whoop when a bingle, a mellow,
luscious bingle, shoots off the bat with
a scream of terror, or too blase to join
in boisterous shout when a Baron
brave steps nimbly round to check a
hit, or dives headlong through empty
space to spear lusty drive.
Weeping yesterday has not dampened
the baseball spirit There is every
reason to believe that on Rfckwood
Field this afternoon will gather 10,00t
PEOPLE, a mob of bowling patriots
whooping for the success OF Birmng-
ham, children who look only to the
result of the game, men who desire
Birmingham to sustain it's prestige,
women who love the smoke and smell
of battle-all gathered there to bow be-
fore the King of sport. who is coming
into town.
Julian Murphey, the sporting editor
Of the Atlanta Journal, and Percy
Whiting, the artful scribe of the At
lanta Georgian, foresee the defeat OF
Atlanta in the opening attendance
struggle They term those cities in
which merchants will close their doors,
provincial faithful lads. Too faith
ful. They dare not refer to the crum-
bling civic pride of their people. They
dare not praise Birmingham for its
virility, for its fighting spirit. for its
determination to win. They close their
eyes to the future In which Birming
ham will have passed Atlanta in pop
1 ulation even as 1t has already passed
Atlanta In every other essential They
are faithful with remarkable faith.
They not only now protect themselves,
but prepare an excuse for the morrow.
IF they win, this Birmingham, this
Chattanooga, this Nashville" say
these faithful fellows, 'it win be the
result of Atlanta's sheer indifference.
We know. says Murphey, that At
lanta is the better baseball town.
Murpfey knows. But Murphey does not
dare to say what Murphey knows; that
Atlanta is hacked, henpecked, be-
dragsled that Birmingham for count
less seasons has outdrawn the Atlanta
teams and defeated the Atlanta teams,
and humbled them, that at the pres
ent time Atlanta is spending a fabu-
lous sum OF money in the hone of per-
forming diamond feats of sufficient
Interest to arouse the dormant bugs
All these things and more knows the
erudite Mr.. Murphey.
Birmingham Will maintain its stride
and press its activities in it's own
whimsical feshion. And when, in fu-
ture years, Btrmingham stands ey-