The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-11

Nashville. March 10.-(Specia1.)- El- lam Is beginning to learn the woes which are the managerial birthright. The for mer Baron lieutenant who in his first start as a skipper broke a flag famine of eight years duration in Nashville, just now is travelling the "via dolorosa." Out side of having two aching voids in tho outfield, as many on the inner defense, four stubborn holdouts, uncertain mate rial from which to construct a pitching staff and park submerged in winter, with reporting day his next door neigh Dor, Roy Illam has not a care in the wide, wide world.
 So that as matter of fact the Vol skipper will greet but a mere skeleton of a ball club when March 15 rolls around and even included in those invited to come are several members of the cham pions who are slated to be swapped, traded or sold. Sheehan and one of the pitchers-Kroh, Herbert or wells-have been offered to Beaumont, Tex, for Joe Martina, the sunny Italy native who set such torrid pace in the early stages of 1916 campaign only to collapse under the strain of too much work. Baker may or may not be retained, his fate being entirely dependent upon the return of Gus Williams, if any such good for tune should .befall the Vols and the ex- tent to which the Cub alliance will plug the gaps in the garden.
 Roy IGllam has raised protest against the move to discard Baker, claiming that the slump of the dump climber was due to a. change from short bat to 8 long club. pointing out that when Baker resumed his old time mace in the Char lotte series he smashed the baseball hard and often.
 The most alarming feature of the in- field situation is the baking antics of Art Kores who insists that unless he is given s4O0 monthly he will leave the Vols high and dry. Kores last fall claimed his in tention of deserting Dixie was based upon the torrid climate, but apparently he is willing to blister through another cam paign if the pay is lucrative enough. To guard against the dedication of Kores the Vols have all but completed 8 deal for Whelan, a third sacker from the Central league, who had a fair season afield and in batting with Evansville and Muskegon last year. One of the extra pitchers or catchers win likely be swapped to tho Muskegon club for Whelan, who is barred from regular berth by reason of the fact that his manager Is third sacker by trade
 A crop of uncertain candidates for mound duty. numbering 10 beavers. has been corralled, but none of those who have signed have flattering pitching an- tecedents. Ellis, second to Roger in ef. fectiveness last season, threatens to quit the diamond over salary differences. If Wiley Taylor reports in proper. physical condition and shows the brand of ball which he formerly displayed in the Texas league, the Wols can be assured of one dependable right handler Cavet, at pres ent balks over failure of the locals to pay transportation for his wife from vigo Park, Tex, to Nashville, but is expected to be on hand on reporting day.
 The flooded condition of the Vols play ground has necesstated an arrangement with Vanderbilt university to practice there until the acquatic season in the dell is at an end. Altogether the outlook for the Vols is bleak. Still the same situa- ton prevailed last spring and Roy Ellam won a flag. But the Vols were lucky in the aid secured from the Browns and the same good fortune may continue through the Cub alliance.