The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-14
FAIR PLAY TAUGHT BY TEAMS
IN SUNDAY SCHOOL LEAGUE
CLEAN SPORT ADVANCED BY
PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE.
FRIENDS MADE BY PLAYERS.
RESUME OF SEASON
Nv JAMES A. powNEy. Jn.

most successful season in its history.
Five Points Methodist won the cham
pionship with the Avondale NJ. L. only
| one game behind them.
The final event was the presenting of
the medals offered to the winner by the
D. & NJ. Co. The boys receiving the
medals were George Bailey. Ed Bran
don, Mark A. Myatt, Jr.. James A. Dow
ney. Jr.. Robert Gillespy, Mike Hoke,
Russell Hill, Fred Hard, Joe b. Plosser,
James l.. stienheis. oliver Reid and ]. s.
Kennedy, Jr The medals wereS present.
ed by Mr.. West of the Y. NJ. C. A.
The season opened with 10 teams from
the various Sunday schools of Greater
Birmingham. This is the greatest num-
ber of teams that has ever entered the
"B" league The league wishes to thank
the executive committee which was COM
posed of Mr.. Hodges as chairman, Mr..
West and Mr.. Edwards, for Its help
throughout the season. The season went
through as smoothly as could be, there
were no disputes over the decisions of
the umpires to amount to anything, of
course where there is baseball there is
Kicking" that's part of the game. There
were very few protested games and as
in all leagues a few forfeited games on
account of non-appearance.
Teachers Clean Sport
The "B" league as every tlans else has
it's part to play 1T teaches the boys to
love clean sport. About five years ago
world wide movement was started to
teach every boy to love clean sport; lec-
lures were delivered on the subject
throughout the country; illustrated talks
were given in every school; everything
possible was done to let the boys see the
right side of athletics. These did a great
deal of good, but you can teach boy
twice as much on the field as in pictures.
At every game there was some men who
had something to do with the league or
the Sunday schools that were playing. If
boy unconsciously made mistake that
was against the rules of clean sport he
was shown his mistake so that he could
see that he was not playing fairly. Most
boys want to win so badly that they
would do anything in their power to
triumph.
The first lesson of clean sport is to want
to win. but under all circumstances to be
fair. One instance was in the game be-
tween the Five Points NJ. e. and the
North Birmingham Preds. There was a
man on third, hot grounder was Knocked
to short who threw home. The umpire
was watching first so he did not see play
al the plate. 1t all rested in the decision
of the catcher. who would have liked to
have had him out, but when asked by the
umpire if he had touched him he quickly
said, mo" This is only one of the many
such plays that happen in that league
nearly every Saturday. that go to prove
how the boys are beginning to love clean
sport.
Boys Make Friends
The greatest thing that the league
does is to give the boys a chance to
make friends. Think of the number OF
friends that one would have if he could
call every man who plays in the sun
day School league his friend. Well,
anyone could who played and wanted
TO make friends.
The place to prove what a boy is
and what are his characteristics is on
the field. If he grouches, kicks" has
frown on his face all the time and
says no encouraging remarks to any
one, he is not the boy to pick out for
a friend However, there are no such
boys in the league They are all lovers
of clean sport. and they are the ones
that a person wants for a friend. The
friends that you make now are the
friends that will stick to you through
life, and no one would be ashamed to
call a boy his friend that he has seen
him play and knows he is lover of
clean sport.
If you want to meet the boys of Bir-
mingham, join the Sunday School
league. If there is no team from your
church. get the boys of your Sunday
School together and organize one and
be ready to start in next season with
the feeling in you that you are going
to win and also let the boys know that
you are living. The league is open
to any Sunday school in the city.
Furnishes "a" Players
The "B" league has every year a
great number of boys to pass up to the
big league" or in other words, the
"a league, which is composed of the
boys over 1S. Every time q place is
made vacant by boy passing from
the "B" to "A' there is new one to
fill his place. If you have not been
able to make your Sunday school team
so far, go out next year and work hard
TO fill the place of the grads" The
league wants only boys that work
The Five Points M. E. had the best sea-
son since they entered Sunday school
baseball league They started off the
season with the feeling to win and kept
it up throughout the year and landed
the pennant. Under the leadership of
Plosser and Bailey, they worked hard
throughout the season. 1t was the last
season in the 'B' league for most Of
the boys so they worked hard to land
the pennant before going to the "a"
league
But there will be team from Five
Points next year as usual The team will
be composed of mostly new men, but the
team that beats them will have to play
mighty good ball. The boys became dis
couraged towards the last of the season
on account of the non-appearance of the
Avondale boys for three Saturdays
straight. They were disappointed when
they were not able to play the full Avon
dale team. Much credit is due Mr.. J. s.
Kennedy. coach and teacher for holding
| them together throughout the year.
Avondale Played Well
The Avondale NJ E., under Dudley Ell
lis as manager had fine season through
out, although they We're slow about play
ing Five Points the last game. Avondale
has had a team in each league for the
past three seasons and each year their
teams were in the fight for the pennant
They are all good players and played
i