The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-07
YOUNGSTER PICKS SOUTHERN TEAM Twelve-Year-OId Fan Has an Idea All His Own on
 Best Players
We take pleasure in reproducing below a.


 communication received from red-hot fan, who is only F years old. He has picked an all-southern team that would do credit to any sporting scribe A glance at his choice will convince any one that he is close student of the game:
 INT. Bob McPavid, Care the Birmingham Age-Herald
 Dear Sir: I am a little boy of 12 years. I read about your all-southern league team and am sending mine as you re- quested- These boys could win. Yours truly LUCIEN GIDDENS. JR.' Outfeld Southworth, center field, Bir- mingham Barons; Flagstead, right field. Chattanooga Lookouts Walker left field, Mobile Bears.
 Inf1eld: Grimm, first base. Little Rock Travellers; Fisher, second base. Little Rock Travellers; Barbare, shortstop, New Orleans Pelicans; Baker. third base. Nashville Volunteers.
 Catchers: Hauser, catcher, Memphis Chicks; Haworth, catcher, Birmingham. Pitchers: Robertson. pitcher, New Orleans Pelicans; Slapnicka, pitcher, Bir- mingham Barons; Barger, pitcher, Little Rock Travellers; Cavet, pitcher Mobile Bears; Comstock, pitcher, Birmingham Barons
 IT take Southworth for center field for his batting, fielding and speed while running bases and while afield. He is a fine all-round player and hit above 300. His nearest opponent in the middle gar den is Altenberg, an ex-Baron. In this lineup I was forced to switch South . worth from right to center to put Flag stead in right.
 ?. take F1agstead for right field for his hitting, especially, but he is also a good fielder. The man nearest to his hitting in right is old Ham Hyatt Flag stead not only led the right fielders, but led the league and at the end he had the nice average of .379.
 3. My next selection for the outfield is Walker of the Mobile Bears. I selected him for his ability to slam out deer drives and break up any good game however, Compton outhit him by 3 points, but, as I said, Walkers hits are of the pinch variety.
 4. Grimm is about the best first base man in the league. His closest opponent on first is Dick Kaufman. or maybe Graham of Chattanooga Grimm is 9 good fielders as well as hitter
 5. I will choose Fisher for the keystone. I take him mainly for his stick york; bliI he is alsos a classy fielder His nearest rival is either Eddie Hemingway or Ar thur Phelan.
 G. I selected Barbare for shortstop with Distle close second Barbare is bril- liant fielder and full of pep He aiso works well with his bludgeon.
 I. chose Baker for the hot corner with Bues close second Baker has q good batting eye and hits them, too. He is also a good fielder He is about the best man Manager Ellam has
 & Mike Hauser is one of my catchers Mike surprised everybody with his slug l ging, he hit over 800 Mikes nearest seatching rival besides Haworth is Red" Smith, who hit -29S
 q sag nexI catcher Is Haworth. who alsw nir over .%l He and Mike HauSei were right along together in slugging; but Homer is the best receiver Homer slEpEised everyone also with his hitting. 2.s.sf year he was barely over 200
 10- Dick Robertson is one of my hurl- CTS, and he surprised everybody also witt his pitching He won 10 and lost l. That's pitching, tool He is one of the best spitba1l artists in the league Dicily never had been called leading pitcher, and yet he led the league
 IL I now choose Ezra Barger, formerly manager oi the CHiIhS- I1e Wolt Q anN lost l. That goes to show that the human clothes pin hasn't lost any of his effec- tireness Ezra is the veteran of the Memphis club
 12 Cyrus Slapnicka, a Baron hurler near the tor, deserves to be on the cham ponship team Cy had an average of .e67- Boss Moley traded Doc Johnston for Cy, so the boss must have expected of Cy what he gave him.
 a a pretty good pitcher He is of the Mos bile Bears and is around the top. Pug is also a fine hitter
 IA Ralph Comstock had hard luck this season Las. year he was about 300 and second among the pitchers of the league But hari luck was the cause He pitched .555 and that's good eurling