The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-18

4
| Nashville at Montgomery.
| Chattanooga at Memphis.
| Mobile July 17-(Speeial. Birmingham
made their appearance here this after
noon and furnished some of the most
sensational baseball seen on the local dia-
mond in some time, the star of the per
formance being Pitcher Hardgrove, who
was the selection for the opening game,
and through his work the league leaders
We're played to nine inning tie, neither
side being able to score a run. The
game was slow, nearly two hours being
consumed on account of the time wasted
by Hardgrove with his delivery, and
finally being stopped by a heavy rain
with one man out in Mobiles half of
the tenth inning Both sides had several
opportunities to score, but great plays
stopped runners at the plate and on
third.
The headwork used by Hardgrove in
the eighth inning, when he had a man
on third and on second and later with
| the bases full, preventing a run with
| heavy shitters facing him, and Catcher
Schmidt's work in catching Messenger
off third in the sixth when double steal
was attempted, were the real big feature
events of the game. Previous to the rain
| the heat was intense and both teams
suffered very much at the very beginning
| of the game
wrangle With Umps
| Pitcher Foxen, who was on third, got
| in an argument with Umpire Pfenninger,
Il - L. a
being necessary to call an officer to re-
move him. In the tenth inning a wran-
| gle was started when a ball that McGill-
vray hit bounded back from his bat and
was called fair by Umpire Stockdale. Nc
Gilvray led the argument and in few
seconds every man on the team was
crowded around the umpires, going from
one to the other. Pfenninger said the
ball did hit the bat but Stockdale was
insistent.
Even Manager Molesworths argument
was of no avail. Finally Stockdale pulled
the watch and with Hogg at the bat
and Hardgrove in position to pitch, the
rain came down in torrents, and after
waiting the usual 80 minutes, the game
was called.
McDonald's work was marvellous, this
great third baseman getting foul balls
back of third that seemed safe mile.
Gulls Due to Win
Taking everything into consideration.
the Gulls should have won the game in
the second, fifth and eighth innings, but
the perfect support behind the close
pitching OF Hardgrove, who was COM
plete master of the situation, saved the
Barons from defeat. In the second Stock
opened with single but Starr flew out
to right in attempting to sacrifice. O'Dell
n11t third RI a md Stock
went to second on the play. Paulet came
along with a single to center and after
Stock had crossed third Kniseley made
| one of the finest pegs seen here and the
runner was nailed few inches from the
plate.
| In the fifth Mobile had Clark on third
when he beat out an infeld hit and raced
around on wild throw by Hardgrove to
| McGlvray. 1t was here that Hardgrove
| frightened up, and McGill was an easy out
| to center.
| The eighth inning was the real hair
raiser of the well played game, and when
Clark singled and McGll beat out bunt
and went to second on passed ball. The
| Parons' chances for preventing a score
were few, but old "Bill' McGilvray and
| TIarderove conferred and saved the day.
| Hogg, an unusually safe hitter in pinch,
could not get the ball further than Me-
| Gllvray, and Clark was held at third.
HardgrOve Uses Noodle
| Hardgrove used his noodle and walked
Stock filling the sacks. Starr, as it was
| figured, was easy, bunt to first McGil-
vary made clean throw forcing Clark at
the plate. 1t was up to To- Dell, but he
crded the excitement that was at fever
heat by hitting to Ellam forcing Starr at
second. Hardgrove went to the bench
amid great applause.
| Hogg and Schmidt shared in the honors
of the game for Mobile. the former with
his pitching in the close places and the
latter with his headwork. In the fourth
Birmingham had a chance to score with
Mcbride on second and McGilvray at
| first, but Ellams best was a foul to third.
Every man on the Birmingham club was
in the game from the jump and fought
hard In the ninth the visitors had a
great chance to score, but here again
Shortstop eE,llam failed to come across
with the safe hit. With two down Nc
Bride singled to center and stole second.
Hogg knew that he was In danger and
| walked McGilvray. Any old kind of hit
would have decided the game, but ELAN
| lifted one to right field that MrGill had
no trouble In getting under.
| Catcher Clifton worked almost perfectly
| behind the bat and kept the ginger in
Iardgrove all through the gruelling con-
| test.
Manager Molesworth announced tonight
that Foxen would pitch tomorrow.
The Official Score
| Mobile ALB. r. H. o. A. Z.
| <xa1r n