The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-23
WAITING POPULAR IN BAUGH CIRCUIT
Move of Clubs In Waiting for Young Players Is
 Wise One

Fans over the entire circuit recog-
 nize that Manager Molesworth is do- ing a very wise stunt in waiting be- fore signing any veteran of the big leagues to strengthen the team during the 1916 campaign. The Barons are
 one of the very few clubs in the league that have not purchased number of high priced players who have had ex- perience in the major circuits. With the exception of Birmingham, Chattanooga and Mobile are the only
 clubs in the league that have not an nexed a group of new players. Moley is strong admirer of young players, although other managers have been busy signing old heads. w. G. Foster | in the Chattanooga Times talks of the progressive move of the Barons, to- l gether with Mobile and Chattanooga | in the following way:
 Three Southern league clubs are play ing waiting game, preferring to get their major league recruits from the second bunch turned loose, just as the
 season starts-for these. be it known, are always better than those to be had in the winter. Those who are waiting are Birmingham, Chattanooga and Mo- bile. These three already have pretty good training squads; what they need is to plug the "holes" that appear later on.
 The Chattanooga management did | more to build a team during the last three months of 1915 than did any of the others. The locals are resting tenn o.,,Ix clubs are spending the dough" The locals bought Pitchers Posten, Foster and Karr from Detroit, and Allen from Atlanta, and drew Martina and Efird in the draft. They bought Catcher Powers i from Ottawa. For the outfield, they bought Nicholson from Detroit and were fortunate enough to pick up Kippert as a free agent. None Of these players cost any large sum of money, but when the total is counted up, it becomes re- spectacle in size.
 Little Rock, of course, has made the biggest "splurge" this spring. The Travellers have bought Jacobson Kirby and Walker for the outfield, Wares for shortstop and several others Memphis
 has also turned loose a little coin, but
 lnconsiderable when it is figured out The Chicks have bought Knisely for
 the outfield and Hogg for box duty
 These are the only two men who have
 been added to the squad turned over to Dolly Stark by Bris Lord.
 Nashville has purchased a greater number of players than any of the rest; far be it from this brief chronicle to attempt to tell of all the new players
 that Shropshire and company have seen fit to impose on Manager Ellam. Birmingham has strengthened but little yet. The Barons bought Derrick from the Coast league. and drafted a couple Of men last fall. That was all. Charley Frank with all his fanfare Of trumpets has purchased but two
 men for Atlanta. One was Osborn, for
 mer Louisville outfielder: the other
 Marcan. former Baron. last year with
 Oakland. Thrasher was purchased in
 September by the old club as was In-
 fielder Munch. Frank picked up Ed
 Lafitte, pitcher. Third Baseman Lennox
 and Outfielder Mcdonald merely by
 assuming their Federal league con-
 tracts.
 New Orleans and Mobile have not as
 yet purchased any new players. Tho
 Pelicans have gotten a raft from
 Cleveland without charge.
 Inspecting thus fully the winter ex-
 pense list. one finds that Little Rock or
 Nashville it's hard to tell which, has
 spent the largest amount of coin and
 Chattanooga ranks third. while Mem
 phis. with only two players purchased,
 is in fourth position in the spendthrift
 league.
 The list shows that the magnates of
 this league have grown too wise to buy
 the old-timers from the majors in the
 winter months, but prefer rather to
 wait until later so as to get the cream
 of the young talent who missed making
 good only after long inspection and by
 shade.