The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-27


 ing that this same stunt will be pulled off this afternoon.
 The biggest grouch in the world will smile when he rakes in a big pot, and we just naturally can't help being joyous at winning game to 2, with the other team getting but two hits, and the Barons playing er- rorless ball. So watch us gloat.
 Thursday saw a realignment Of teams in the Southern league, and after a protracted spell on the home lot Birmingham, Mobile Atlanta and New Orleans hit the trail for spell. It should do everybody good and Will give other teams an. opportunity to get to Johnny Dobbs. John is the only manager who has improved his home stay to any great advantage. The , others have had rather rocky sled ding.
 The victory Thursday at Chattanooga of Kid Elberfelds club over Cholly Franks Crackers must have been par ticularly gratifying to the Lookout fans, as well as the pilot. No love is lost between the Dutchman and the Tabascan, especially since the begin ming of the season, when the kld thinks Cholly tried to put one over on him in the Bisland deal. Andrews and Frank, too, are at outs, and the slaughter of the Crackers was music to the ears. According to reports, one of the best weekday crowds that has been out in Chattanooga in sometime witnessed the battle. The Kid cer- tainly deserves the support of the 1.-. Got hl lxv to kick in with a winner.
 Lookouts scribes are still chirping about a pennant and the road trip of eight games won and only seven lost does look pretty good. It remains to be seen what they can do under the home tent.
 The future of the Lookout machine depends almost entirely upon the con- dition of the pitching staff. With only Marshall left as a dependable hurler others must come through Should Johnson show his last season form and Dixie Walker come back, the Look outs would have formidable ma chine. Otherwise not
 As an indication that the Kid is preparing for storms is his cancel lation of the deal by which Jim Allen
  Texas league Allen will remain in Chattanooga and Jules Watson has been canned to make room for him.
 The fact that the Kid is today with out another dependable pitcher is his poor judgment in OverWorking Joe Martina, for there is no getting around the fact that Joe was overworked. In the first Is days of the season the former Pel worked in seven games. From May until May 13 he worked in five contests pitching most of the time with a sore arm. From April 14 to May 17, a little more than month, Martina worked in IS games for the Chattanooga club, winning five, losing two, relieving hurlers in three and be- ing taken out as many times
 During this period Joe allowed a to- tai of 5S hits for 27 runs in 82 in- nings.
 Treatment may enable Martina to continue working in Class A company Reports from Chattanooga, however, indicate that he will not be of much service to Elberfeld again this year, and just as soon as the 15-day pe- riod expires, chances are he will be suspended for the rest of the season.
 Martina case ought to be a lesson for young pitchers ambitious to be hailed as a hero. True, 1t behooves every man to give his employer the best he has, but at the same time there is no necessity of any young ster shouldering the burden that was handed him by Elberfeld. The Chat tanooga manager planes Martina's sore arm to the constant use of the spit ball, but there is different opinion among oId-time players who have been through the mill.