The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-19
Bargain Bill at Redwood Today SPOI
SPORTS
FOOD FOR RANDOM
By FRED BoDEkER
adamant. ready to shut off rallies any

adamant, ready to shut off rallies any old time.
 Now that Charley Frank has heard the cry of the Atlanta scribes for certain members of the team, but two are left on the roster that are al- most certain. to feel the axe. Eddie Lennox, the former field captain and Ed Lafitte. the big pitcher. Dick Jemison writes as follows concerning the wanted move that will relieve Lennox and Lafitte of their monthly income
 T would rather have a lucky pitcher then a good one." Manager Hen dricks of the Indianapolis team of the. American Association is credited with making this statement, which has been repeatedly referred to by base ball men ever since as true.
 This statement fits perfectly in the case of Ed Lafitte. the Crackers den- tist-twirler. Ed is out of luck. He cannot win for losing. The minute he steps in the box Dame Fortune smiles on the other fellows.
 Since June 1, over seven weeks ago, Lafitte has been able to win but one ball game. In all he appeared in IA, and in ten he is chalked up with one win and nine losses, the other four no charge one way or the other being recorded.
 In all Laftte has worked sS innings since June 1, or approximately 10 full games. In these 10 games he has per mitted 64 runs and 93 hits, or an aver age of over six runs to the game and of over nine hits to the game.
 Figures do not lie is another old and true saying and these figures prove that Lafitte, who is and has been good pitcher, might prove of some service to some other club, but with the Crackers he seems doomed to de- feat on every start.
 Eddie Lennox has also slowed up perceptibly. and it is all the more mo- ticeable because he is not hitting as Lennox has been able to hit in the past. If he had been hitting and driv- ing in runs, his slowing up would hardly have been commented upon.
 Lennox has been able to get few balls other than those hit right at him during the season, and some of those he has permitted to sift through.
 He can go neither to his right or left fast enough to cover much more than a, postage stamp, while on bunts, dur ing the past few days he, has been helpless, grounders down the third base line being beat out several times in the New Orleans series and in the Birmingham game Monday.
 On the paths Lennox's slowness has retarded the speed of the team. Mon- days game might have at least re- suited in a tie had he been able to score on a single to right field. which most any other player in the league would have scored on He was thrown out at the plate and the Birmingham operator sending the game to the detail parlors recited that a wide circle at third caused him to be caught.
 At the bat he has been well nigh helpless principally because he keeps hitting at the first ball nine times out of 104 and the pitchers have become used to 1t and are generally making him hit at bad balls.
 We're sorry that he have to write in this vein, but we're for the Crackers strong and always will be. We firmly believe that the retention of these players is a detriment rather than a hele.
 This criticism is written for the good of the team as whole. Baseball is not sentimental game and players who enter into the professional ranks expect when they, have outlived their usefulness to be relegated elsewhere.
 Changes at these two places are inn perative The fans demand it. We have received numerous complaints verbally and by letter by fans of the retention of these two players. It started several weeks ago. We were averse to commenting on the situation then and tossed said letters away or laughed off the verbal comments. hop ing that both men would strike a bet ter stride.
 But both seem to be getting worse instead of better.
 There are other changes in the team that we think we could suggest also, but we'll pass them up. The team looked pretty good in Birmingham on Monday. even If it did lose. It was one of those hard luck games.