The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-16
M E N w O M E N
 A N D T H IN c s

One Of the charms of life is it's sur prises, and am sorry for that man or woman whose paths never lead them into uncertainties, but spend their days ac- cordins to well-defined schedule.
 
 It's the dead level of monotonv uvh;on takes the joy out of existence. had rather have ups and downs than to plod along beaten road without any valleys or hills, for if one gets in the depths re- lief comes on the mountain tons of ex- perience.
 am getting poor start. for only meant 10 lead up to the fact that the reason politics, weather predictions and baseball are so fascinating comes from their very nature of what is going to happen next, for all three of them have way Of doing the unexpected, and there- fore have perennial charm.
 It VIII not be necessary to go far to ind one of the strangest political come packs in history, for all we will have to do will be to look across our state line and see what has come to pass in C,eore;a TOT Tom Watson beats Dorsey many thousands of votes for the United States senate and Hoke Smith for the time be- ing is put in the political discard.
 Take Horton, the weather man and ne IS held responsible for every varying ~iho' every downpour of rain, every change of temperature. If the breeze goes down. blame it on Horton. If it sprinkles, blame it on Horton. If if turns hot or cold, blame it on Horton. This is why the job of a weather pronbet Is not one to be coveted, for it makes no oit1erence what kind of weather he pre- diets, the kind that arrives is bound to be displeasing to some. This is why praying for rain has always been provo- cative of discord.
 But just now as interesting as IS poli- 'ics ana the weather, I am ensrossec In another subject, and will take TIT the difficulties of a baseball manager Now, be it known, I have only the very slightest acquaintance with one Carlton Molesworth, whose business it is to han. ale the Baron colts. The extent of my personal acquaintanceship being tha, some years back I was casually intro- duced to him, and since then have lei it go at that.
 But l have known him in his public ca. reer for many years. for used to see him when he was familarly known as Gladys" and was considered to be one Of the best center fielders in the South. ern League. Those of us who used to see him give his famous wave signals when he had long or high fly located will never forget the significance of his upturned arms. It meant little ball, fly high or far, but 'popper's' got nice little nest for you
 saw him advanced to the position of manager. and from time to time have heard him praised and cussed with ye- hemence. Now, this is not to be a story or his defeats or his successes. for the average fan knows it better than I do I but on the whole I think he has made good. and while the baseball public is more interested in his career on the dia. l mond than his private life, still I think it worth while to say in his favor that in all of his stay in Birmingham he has | been high-class citizen.
 i But now I m getting to the game itself for it's useless to string out lot of plati tudes> to let people know that the posr-1or of managing baseball team is not a ta st that is easily done, for it is we'll knowr | that the average ball player is about a. ! tempermental as an opera singer. ar actress or even movie queen. Havins 1 included the latter there is no use to cit, any more examples of temperament fol a movie star has all there is and ther some. This is why I rest my case witi her.
 | I'm getting close to what I sat dowr to say. and that is the element of chanc, is the drawing card of baseball fol if fandom could forecast the results O the game the grandstand and the bleach CTS would soon show a falling off Tn, thing which brings out the crowd da, ! after day is the element of uncertain W for in baseball a game is never over unti the last man has gone to bat There Ii always fighting opportunity to turn ; defeat into victory. and the Americal people are always ready to applaud gam fighters.
 Did you sec the four games the Baron had with the Pelicans (Pels for short) We'll. did. and in spite of the fact tha the home team lost three of them here maintain that our boys played goo and hard ball. The Saturdays game wa
 one in thousand, and I daresay wa the best exhibition of the national spor
 that was seen on any diamond in an league north, south, east or west. It wa just classy ball. and there is no gestin around it. Both teams did themselve proud.
 It is true that on Monday the Baron
 lost both games. but had they been playe
 in the middle of the season they woul lbaye hoAn raD~ er1H Ann Rrp 1;