The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-18
Only Seven New Men Added to Last Years Squad.
 Training Started
EIGHT PITCHERS TO
 FIGHT FOR BIRTHS
Fans Have Already Picked Team. Crackers Must Be Considered in
 Fight for Rag Through
 out the Campaign
By DICK JEMIsoN

Atlanta. March 1.-The Crackers are all on hand. The first practice of the year was held Thursday morning and at that practice IS men had their first work out, the rest of the squad reporting dur ing the afternoon and having their first work out Friday morning.
 Manager Frank is letting the players take their own time about their work. He Is not pushing thens and for the first week or 10 days they are going to be- left to their own resources. Then th grind will begin and the wedding outa process will start taking effect.
 The players on hand are:
 Pitchers: Day. WilsoA, Brennan. Shee- han, Bressler, Davis, Robertson and Fullenwider.
 Catchers Perkins and Niederkorn.
 First base: Munch and L. Thrasher
 Second base: Bridwell and Cable.
 Shortstop: Reilly.
 Third base: Midkiff
 Outfielders: Moran, Mayer, Mcdonald and l. Thrasher.
 But seven of the above list of players are new to the Crackers, the other mem bers of the squad being members of the squad last season and with the new ad- ditions Manager Frank believes that he will have team that will be in the pen nant hunt all during the campaign.
 MORAN IN FINE SHAPE
 Roy Moran is just back from Boneset- ter Reese, where he had his lame whip expected to be even better than he was In. of his career. The Million Dollar Out field" looks even better this spring than
 it did last and that it will delived the wallops is foregone conclusion.
 Reilly and Munch have their jobs cinched for this season, while Midkiff the former Yankee, who is once more in grand condition, will hold down the hot corner. Midlsiff was with Memphis a brief while last season. but his leg went Huntington, w. Va, ream last season and looked like the Midkiff of old, At second Bridwell, who played short fo Y Atlanta several years ago and for a. few games last season, will battle with Cable, sent to the Crackers by Connie Mack. for the keystone berth, and whichever one lands the berth. ne will have some big shoes to fill, none other than those of Steve Yorkes, who was the pest sec ond baseman in the league last year.
 Perkins and Niederkorn, with one more year of experience, are expected to ham dle the receiving end acceptably, though if they do not, Manager Frank is going after another catcher. He has one in mind now.
 PITCHING STAFF STRONG In the box, Day, Brennan and Davis of last years staff, are almost certain to stick. Fullenwider, the former Sally star secured from the International league is also expected to earn a berth. This will leave 1t up to Finis Wilson, who now that he has had his appendix removed. is expected to return to his old cunning and Sheehan and Bressler, sent to the Crack CTS by Connie Mack are expected to battle for the other berth, though the last two have a good chance of nosing out some of last years regulars. To those who are doping the team it is believed that it will line up as follows: Pitchers: Brennan, Day, Fullenwider, Bressler and Sheehan; catchers. Perkins and Niederkorn: infielders, Munch, Brid- well, Reilly and Mdkiff; outfielders, Mo ran. Mayer and McDonald with the Thrasher boys as subinfielders and out fielders. Cable, however, comes so highly touted that he may horn in on an infield berth.
 The probable batting order will be Nc Donald, If; Reilly, ss. Moran, lf.; Brid- well, 2b.; Mayer, cf.; Midkiff, 3b. Munch, 1b.; Perkins or Niederkorn. C., and then the pitchers. Frank believes he will have a much hitl ting poker as he did last season, with better fielding and more brains, and also more effective twirling. If his ideas are carried out, then the other cities must admit that the Crackers are in the pen nant hunt to stay.