The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-10
City Leaguers Will Open
 Cage Season At Y. M. C. A.
Three Games Scheduled For Wednesday Night
 Sunday School Loop Starts Friday.

Birmingham basketball season will he officially opened tonight when the six quintets comprising the City Cage league start their long schedule with q trio of battles. The games will start at 7:30 o'clock at the Central !. M. C. A.
 Following the opening of the city league, the six teams of the crack Sun day School league will get under way at the "Y" Friday night at the same time.
 The curtain-raising events of the City league will find Stockham playing the Howard freshmen, the "I' RrdhirdS battling Acipco and Arcola facing the Independents. These six qunts form the City league, who will battle until February 25. the last date of the sched- ule for the championship trophy.
 Sunday School Loops To Start
 The Sunday school lives getting into action Friday night are SouthHidc Rap tst. Handley Memorial, Fifth Avenue Preds, First Methodist, St. Johns and First Baptist. The schedule for the Sunday schoolcrs has not been made out, but will be announced in few days.
 The two basketball leagues at the I. M. c. A. this year will probably be much stronger than they have ever been, and the prospects for the greatest cage season the Magic City has ever enjoyed is in prospect. The 12 teams of the two leagues stage hectic trays in their weekly meetings. and the 90 ing is rough from the start, with every member of the loops anxious to get the jump on their rivals.
 A Big Three
 Although all six teams are strength ened this year. it looks like Stockham, Howard freshmen and the Redbirds are the most serious contenders for cham pionship honors in the City league. Two of this trio meet in Wednesday nights battles, and a line on their compara- tive ability will be obtained. These two are Howard Rats and Stockham '1, and their battle in the curtain raising melees is doped to be the feature event
 The Howard freshmen have some of the pick basketeers of great prep sea- son just past, most of them from the Magic City. Their defense bids fair to be the strongest in either league, with John Wilking and Jim Cawthorne likely to handle the guard assignments. Wilking was one of the big cogs of the southern championship Simpson outfit last season, while Cawthorne was the back guard of WoodIawn, the strongest of the city high school teams. Ban croft, star forward of Woodlawn Smith of Barton academy, English of Wood lawn are others who are doped to carry the Howard colors far.
 Redbirds Strong
 The Redbirds. champions of last sea son, will have most of their veterans back, with Charlie Brunson, star for ward, having been elected captain. Con- tos. flashy guard. was named alternate captain. A valuable addition to the "Y'' lineup will be Stanley, who was captain of the University of Virginia quintet several seasons back. Much is expected of the newcomer. Thad Holt vii lalso perform for the "Y" outfit.
 Stockham has galaxy of talent in their list of performers, and will be hard to beat for the title. Headed by the all-Southern prep center of last year, Curdy Byrd, of Simpson fame they will have the two Sellers brothers Dobbins Harrel and other City league veterans. Dewey Byrd, also a member of last years Simpson team, will play for the Stockhams.
 New Material
 Acipco, the Independents and Arcola are also rated strong. and have con siderable new material to spring on their opponents in Wednesday nights openers.
 The City leaguers have been work ing out for some time on the Y. M. c. A. court, and those who have seen them in action predict a much stronger loop with hectic battles in the offing.