The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-23

Don't have to tell you what nap pened. Guess you know!
 Ought to, anyway; it's so frequent now. What! Nope, we didn't win. It rained again. Yep, old Jup saved the Pels.
 Moley has right to be sore at the world today. For the past three weeks, in fact, ever since the incle- ment weather began, the Barons have had the ill luck to be right i'll the midst of it. It wouldn't be so bad if the team was playing rotten ball and the fans didn't give a care whether they were all drowned or not, but there's different tale.
 The Barons are playing g. nice game. In fact, it's too nice to remain III the second division. Consequently the per- centage of the Barons that places them in the league standing IS grad ually rising, although during the past week we lost about points. For the first time in months, the Barons near ed the first division. But that was all. With another win needed to elevate the clan of Moley, we couldn't put II across and here we rest.
 The season is not over yet. and the chances are that before many more weeks roll by the Moleys will be play ing a still better brand of ball and the home fans will have the delight of
 
 in the first division. It don't make particle of difference whose home we take, just as long as we are able to nose in. Once there, the odds are that it will take all the dynamite in the world to blow the Barons.
 The majority of the fans are looking upon the Barons in the same light, and Moley has given us his word that with particle of luck or breaks of the game as the chubby one terms it, the Barons will ascend the old ladder. The steps are pretty well worn down now, due to the constant shifting of the teams, but they're still strong enough to stand little advancing on the part of the Barons.
 During the past week, the Barons got to play but three games, two with the Crackers and one with the Peli- cans. In the three trials the Moleys were successful in only one, that from the Crackers last Monday. That sounds like disastrous week, and it may be, but had all the scheduled games been pliayed there would have been a diqfferent tale for the better. A little misfortune like this can't dishearten us, as we get another shot at 'em soon.
 The Barons open a three-gam series with the Crackers in atlanta tomor- row The Barons will have a hard fight on their hands, as the Crackers are now back in shape and are com petent of giving any team in the league a good game. This is the best opportunity the Barons have had since their squirt of gaining little ground on the leaders.
 Yesterday the Crackers were de- feated, while the Lokouts lost couple of battles The Vols were also de- feated. Thus the Barons gained on every team ahead oi us in the stand- ing with the exception of New Or leans. The team recognizes the op- portunity and every member is deter mined to put his shoulder to the wheel and pull the Barons out of the mire. It can be done and the personnel of the team is fully of the standard to accomplish it.
 Following the series with the Crack CTS. the Barons return home to meet the Lookouts Gulls and Travellers, and then hit the tran again. By this time, the fate of the Barons will be known. Let's hope it's to win the old gonfalon. Negotiations for the transfer of Tom Rogers, the no-hit-no-run-no-man reach f1rst-base twirler, who has pitch ed four shutouts in his last six games to the St. Louis Browns, has been practically completed. according to in- formation from Voltown and which says Rogers will report to Fielder Jones at the close of the Dixie season.
 The price paid for Rogers by St. Louis has not been made public. The Browns however, are said to have had the pick of the Nashville club upon payment of 5000, the agreement ex- isting since last spring when Kaufman, Lee, Williams, Kores and one or two other players were sent to Shrop- shires club.
 Rogers phenomenal work during the present month, five victories and one defeat, is the talk of the big league circuit A half dozen different offers are said to have been made Shropshire, but he had to turn them down be- cause of the alliance formed with St. Louis.
 AS result of the development of Rogers, it is expected that Magnate Shropshire will figure awhile next spring before he becomes tied up with any club to pick the best man he has for a thousand beans. If placed on the market Rogers probably would bring in the neighborhood of s10000, as very few hurlers have been de- veloped this season.
 In regard to Bill Schwartz, the for mer pilot of the Vols and now leader of the Hopkinsville team, Bob Pigue in the Nashville Banner speaks as folows
 Bill Schwartz, pilot of the Hoptown Kitty Leaguers, was around at his rope garden last night chinning with the boys and telling 'em how much he is batting in the classy little Class D circuit Bill is playing first base for the Hoptown team, but only par ticipates in the games on home grounds, not making any trips. Bill is the Jake Daubert of the Kitty, and oouSns many shiUerS tO rlIn m and