The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-09

Should any citizen or Birmins- ham perchance hear loud cries of warning and look up to perceive large body descending rapidly earthward. he need not fear Zep- pelins. It will not be a German raid. No. It will be the descent of one Tom Rogers, first hurler of Roy Ellam, manager of the Vols, after his ascension in the seventh inning of yesterdays game.
 With New Orleans second vic tory over Little Rock and the de- feat of the Vols by Birmingham, the league leadership is tied. It Is with regret that we note the change. If Ellam had to be knocked off. however. there IS ab- solutely no team in the league which we had rather see do it than Birming gham.
 Woofi Any fan who missed that contest yesterday should regret it the remainder of his life. It was made to order for the fans. Bur ley Grimes was opposed by Rogers and each pitcher had one bad in ming. Grimes teammates came back strong for him and he won his game. The big hurler capped the climax when he struck out three men in the ninth when Nash Ville needed one run to tie the score and another to win the game.
 Incidentally, friend Arlie Barber, the city commissioner, appeared in a new role yesterday afternoon. He did not invoke the wrath of the mighty people upon the heads of the interests sinister. There was no vitrol in his tones and it might be stated that he appeared to ad- vantage. MT. Barber presented Roy Ellam with the magnificent token of esteem which the fans of Bir- mfngham. headed by Charles E. Glover, the supreme bug, pur- chased. It was a beautiful watch TOD, with a Masonic emblem and a baseball diamond which was en- crusted with sparklers. On it there was an appropriate inscription.
 The presentation was made in the second inning when Ellam, with two down, came to bat after hores had walked. Rudderham stopped the contest and the lion and the lamb gathered amicably around the plate with barred heads. Although El!am, being a constant reader of The AgeHera1d, knew that he was to be honored, he had hafnrn when MT Barber advanced to the plate bearing the fob in a floral horseshoe, Roy was visibly affect ed. He choked up and was unable to speak for a moment. Then he expressed his appreciation of the slft Of the fans and the game was resumed
 Mr Barber's speech was brief. There were three things, he said, which he thought in the life of man were appropriate. They were work, rest and play. Baseball, he continued. was a clean American game and the greatest of sports.
 Fhe fans of Birmingham" said MT. Barber, speaking directly to Ellam, standing directly across the circle from him and leaning on the arm of Eddie McDonald, "hava asked me to present this to you as a token of their esteem. They nave very sincepe admiration for you, not only because of your. very excellent conduct on the field. hut because you are a high -principled gentleman and have always con ducted yourself as such, both on the field and off,
 Tom Rogers started off well for tne vols yesterday. The fans, of whom there were legions present, began 10 grow gloomy as inning arter inning passed and there was not slgn Of a hit. In monotonous regularity the Barons went ont one, two, three. Until the sixth in' ming dawned not man had ad- vanced to second base and but one had reached first. Then something happened.
 Moley sat up in his chair. Swift signals were flashed and the fnsil- Iaoe began, which eventually drove Rogers from the rubber. The first counter came in the sixth, when. after Ellam had thrown out Caton at hrst, Red Smith drew a walk Grlmes forced him with his tap to oheehan, but Mcdonald scratched one through the box the pitcher gong to second. Burley scored on fred Derrick's screaming double Just inside the third base line Meusel was purposely walked dl- Ing the bases, and Coombs hit to hores, forcing Derrick at third.
 m thls inning came one of the neatest bits of strategy that has been seen at Redwood this vear one that Eliminates the reasons TOT the position of the Vols With second and third occupied, Rogers under Ellams instructions. called street away from the plate and served Meusel four wide ones You should have heard the stands roar at the idea of walking a man to get to' Coombs, but the wisdom of enls was apparent when Kores hagged Coombs fearfully hard hit grounder at third. So much force was behind the ball that it lifted the Vol off his feet. Of course once he had his hands on it it was an easy Tout at third with two gone. "o
 The wisdom of such tactics lies Tn this. ElIam has never seen Meusel work and last Saturday he was credited with five out of eight. He did know Coombs. Then two With the bases full that gave tbe lnheld a play at every bag. There were no long throws necessary with the possibility of a wild heave and two scoring. This is one of Molesworth's own plays and he srlnned In appreciation as he watched it pulled against him.
 It was in the seventh that the deluge came, and Grimes contributed materially to the victory with his douGle to right fielo, scoring Smith with the winning run. Danny Clark started the thing with his double to the right field bleachers. which missed going into them by a hair. He went to third on Lindsay's perfect sacrifice and scored when Caton doubled to center. Smith singled over second and