The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-10
Baron Hurlers Easy For Crackers

H ARON base stea1erS are ahead N of the hounds, so to speak, in A their activities on the paths. Including the game of Friday with the Pelicans, total of 51 bases had been pilfered by the locals on oppos- ing catchers to 49 registered against Dilger. Tragesser and Wallace.
 Although the Barons have as yet played only the teams in the south ern division, their procllvities are not to be minimized as they have been up against some of the best catchers and have succeeded in gaining head way against them.
 Schmidt of the Gulls has been the baclSstop against whom the Barons have had the least success. In the eight games played this spring with the Mobile team only seven bases were separated from Schmidt, who worked in each of the combats
 Two series have also been played with both the Pelicans and Billikens and against each the Barons have swiped 22 sacks.
 To balance this Johnny Dobbs' henchmen hold IS bags against local receivers, while the poon Billikens, claimed by Bobby Gilks to be the fastest team in the league, have but nine gifts to their credit. Mobile is the only team so far that has eclipsed the performances of local runners. Twelve thefts have been secured off rT,ra At al tn r11n by the home club.
 
 Not content with leading the Baron club and also the Southern league reg ulars with the willow, Pete Knisely has forged to the front as Moley's leading base stealer. The heavy hit ting right gardener has registered 12 stolen bases through Fridays game. Marcan is a close second with nine, and Covington third, with seven. Me- Donald has stolen six, Stewart five, Magee four, Tragesser two. Mcbride two, Ellam, Gregory, Bell and Robert son have each copped one.
 Considering the few games that Me Donald and Stewart have played, cS~-- all that could be asked. Stewart has played in only five games and in these he has gotten away with a like number of thefts.
 The Baron receivers have managed fairly we'll to keep the opposition from chalking up a large number Of thefts in any single game. On two occasions the Pelicans recorded five bases, while the Gulls and Billikens each purioined four bases in a single combat. Other than these, however, opposing base runners have been watched closely.
 Opposing catchers were not so for tunate for in two games the Barons annexed five bases, in two games four, while in Ave contests they walked away with three.
 Moley led his charges to Atlanta Fri day night on their first northern in- vasion and during the coming two weeks they will have a chance to show their prowess against the nifty catch CTS boasted of by the teams in this division Over in Atlanta Graham and Reynolds will be the foemen of the Barons. Returning home Wednes- day, they will entertain the Lookouts, Turtles and Vols in order, and will have Bemis, Street and Frank Gib- son, three of the best receivers in the league, to contend with. What they will do against this trio Is a matter of conjecture, but one thing is certain, that this aforementioned trio will have to be on the alert for Pete Knisely. Stewart and the others are not the kind of pilferers to be tempered with.
 Local fans should have no grounds to complain about the showing made by the Barons in the last eight days. Of the last eight games played with the Billikens and felicans, six re- suited in victories and the local crew worked it's way from the position next to the cellar into good second division berth.
 What ground the Pelicans lost against the Barons they have a chance to regain during the next four days The Lookouts, who jumped into the lead when the Pels dropped three straights to the locals, have invaded the Crescent City for a four-game se- ries and if the Pels succeed in an- nexing three of them they will be able to climb back into the front.
 The sudden display of strength shown by the Barons in the past se- ries caused mild surprise to New Or leans players, fans and papers alike. When the Barons performed in New Orleans little over week ago they failed to show enough strength to war rant Johnny Dobbs any worry, 80 when the Pel leader came to Birfning- ham he was overconfldent. Three straight defeats brought him around all right and 1t is safe to predict that in the future he will not under