The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-27
Not a New Pilot Will Make
Debut in Southern Next
Year, Is Indication
PLAYING AND BENCH
LEADERS ABOUT EVEN
Either Starr or Schmidt to Head Trav-
elers for Only Berth in Doubt-Roy
ELAN May Not Return-Elberfeld
to Retire From Active Service
BY FRED BODEKER

by
The eight managers to boss
the Southern league clubs in
1917 have been virtually lined
up. The only berth not ac-
counted for officially-Little
Rockville either be handed to
Charley Schmidt, the deposed
Gul! pilot, or Charley Starr, the
present pilot.
The only managerial berth open in
the circuit, If it can be considered as
such. is that of Roy ELAN at Nashville.
ELAN, however, is practically assured
of another year at the helm of the Vols
and possibly two or three more, but the
former Baron is being strongly tempted
by big league scouts and the popular
blonde may heed to the call of the men
higher up"
The Nashville club shows a big profit
under Ellams leadership, not only finan-
cially, where the team was made a
money making proposition for the first
time in a number of years ELAN broke
into the managerial game by plotting his
team to pennant and is in great ia
voritism In Nashville, both with the fans
and the club officials 1t is thought that
ELAN will return to Nashville and refuse
to be tempted by larger salary to be q
IL, \ to- Iao OH
EIGHT PROBABLE LEADERS
The eight pilots for 1917 are:
Atlantn-Charley Frank.
Observation-Disclosures Wordsworth.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Elberfeld.
Little Rock-Charley schmidt or
CharIey Starr.
Memphis-George MOriarty.
MObiIe-Matty Mcintyre.
Nashville-ROy ELAN.
New OrIeans-JOhnny DObbs.
From the above list it is readily proven
that Dixie magnates have abandoned the
idea of changing the manager each year,
or even as often as every two or three
years. Not long ago it was a common oc-
curence for the clubs to change pilots al
most every year. but the setting is en-
tirely different now. This time a year
ago it was positive fact that Memphis
officials were tired of Briscoe Lord; At
lanta was certain to attach the tinnery to
Billy Smith and Bob Allen retiring from
the playing field and giving Charley Starr
complete control of the Travellers.
Unless something unforeseen happens be-
tween now and the opening of the 1917
Southern league season, not a new pilot
will be seen at the head of the eight clubs
of the circuit. Charley Frank starts his
second year as president-manager of the
Crackers, Carlton Wordsworth begins his
eleventh season at the head of the Barons
Kid lberfeld is to be at the front of the
Lookouts for his third year, Charley
Schmidt or Charley Starr will lead the
Travellers; George Moriarty will head the
Chicks for the second time; Matty Nc
Intyre will command the Gulls for his
second trial: Roy ELAN will probably be
in his commanding shoes next season,
while Johnny Dobbs begins his third year
as Pelican boss.
LITTLE ROCK UNDECIDED
Over in Little Rock the question is I'M
decided. The recent good showing of the
Travellers swings the odds to favor the
present pilot, Charley Starr, although re-
ports have it that Charley Schmidt will
be catcher-manager for Bob Allen.
Playing and bench managers will be
about equally divided. Roy ELAN, Matty
Mcintyre, George Moriarty and the Little
Rock pilot will all be playing pilots, while
Moley, Dobbs, Elberfeld and Frank have
seen their last days in active service
Should the player limit be increased, how
ever fans will witness Johnny Dobbs and
Kid Elberfeld directing the destinies of
their clubs from the coachers' box with
more regularity than from the bench.
There is not whole lot of difference
whether man runs his club from the
bench or the coaching lines and as for
that old oo-player-manager enables
team to keep within the salary mar
gin, it is going to be a hard job for
| anyone to fall for the old gag, especially
when clubs are alleged to have violated
the salary limit this year to such an
extent that they will not be able to buy
players for next year.
LINEUP EASY
Lining up managers before a season
closes is regarded a scull play by some
baseball men, but when men who do not
know the league are to handle q team,
it looks like the idea of allowing them to
give the ground once over for several
weeks, ought to be of some benefit, par
ticularly because they will have an idea
of the men necessary to put them in
the running. The managers for next sea-
son, with the one exception. is a cut and
dried affair, however, and it is compare
lively easy problem to solve.
With each club owner planning for the
1917 season already, fans in the south are
promised some real baseball by Dixie's
major circuit when the curtain rises next
April They're waiting for the opening
day with more interest than ever before