The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-28
EDITED BY JACK BETHEA

aGa39ggS5 4 Bridwel1 loafed down the line and turned to walk back to the bag after the catch. Whereupon Ham whipped the pellet to Harris for a double.
 Incidentally, it might be stated that Ham pulled the same stunt on Grimes in the ninth inning of the first game of that tragedy of Tuesday last. of which we cannot ooliterate the memory.
 The present situation in the Southern league in SO far as 1t concerns New Orleans is strongly reminiscent of that delight of the childish heart-the fable of bell ing the cat as narrated by Colonel AeSop.
 All well informed fans, if. they will hark back to the days of their childhood, will recall the story of the indignation meeting called by the rodential patriarchs to adopt adequate measures of defense against certain feline who too often brought to an abrupt term nation the life of promising young rat. It will be further recalled that a youngster with a very wise air arose and suggested that a bell be tied around the cats neck to give warning of her approach. The only objection to this was-who would bell the cat? Exactly--now, who will stop the Pels?
 Despite the fact that the season Is only trif1e over month old the league is beginning to talk of a pennant for Johnny Dobbs in Sep tember, unless he is headed It must be admitted there is some merit in the contention for Dobbs' club is playing for and away the best ball in the league today. They are the most consistent performars in the Baugh circuit
 Approximately fourth of the sea son has been played and the Dobbs have a lead of three and one-half games over their nearest rival Nashville. who in turn is leading the third contender, Atlanta, by five and one-half games. Between New Orleans, the league leaders, and Memphis, occupants of the eel lar. there is difference, on yester- day morning, of 407 points or 14h games.
 With over 100 games remaining to be played, it seems to us little bit early to speak of pennant win ners, even if Dobbs has shown a. clean pair of heels so far The Pels went into the Southern league race in mid-season form aN with a team practically settled. There have been only a few changes in the Dobbs lineup since the opening go. Naturally, with the other clubs uni- formly disorganized they have the advantage but there is still plenty of room for them to be pulled down and it wouldn't surprise us bI if Birmingham was the organization that turned the trick.
 The cry for pitchers in this league is something to make the heart ache. Everybody, with the possi- ble exception of New Orleans, is hot on the trail of a hurler who can throw them where the willow is not. Few in the Southern league can turn the trick today.
 A census of the club hoping aft CT pitchers reveals Birmingham among the leading competitors. The department wherein preseason dope showed the Barons the strong est has turned out to be the least satisfactory, and with the excep- tion of Pd,ryman the veterans have shown no great amount of stuff. In Perryman, Black and Ponder Moley has three ostensib1y good pitchers, but one never knows when they are going to be batted out 0f the lot.
 Another manager with his ear glued to the ground for hurling talent is Kid Elberfeld, who has just departed from our midst with a series tucked safely away un- der his belt. The Kid, while in Bir- mingham, signed two cast-offs--- Arthur Johnson and Dixie Walker. His prize hur1er, Martina, is out of the game for sometime, and Aliens arm going bad left the Kid in an awful shape.
 Then, too, there. is Mobile. pr. Inge and T. K. Jackson are at pres- ent in the east, where they will in- terview John McGraw, Connie Mack, George Stallings and Bill Donovan. Out of the visit they hope to corrall enough talent to bolster up the Gulls.
 President Clyde Shropshire is sit- ting up nights in his office wait ing for the messenger boy telling him that the major league twirler he was promised is on the way. He was expecting Bill Fincher from St. Louis, but they won't turn him loose and Shropshire is beginning to pray fer most any kind of hurl- CT. Finally, grown tired of waiting. he has departed for the east to get one>
 Not enough time has elapsed since George Moriarty took the helm at Memphis to know what he is going to do, but from the looks of the Memphis team here he Will proba- bly look for some twirlers him self.
 Cholly Frank has been having his troubles with his staff since the season opened and would not fight the man who offered him a classy hurler.
 Charley Starr is still looking eastward. So are they all looking eastward save Johnny Dobbs at New Orleans, who seems content with what he has, and no wonder.