Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-07
SAVANNAH TO THE BAT.
FORMAL OPENING OF THE SEA-
son ON WEDNESDAY.

Wednesday OF this week Will marx tn'
formal opening of the base ball season il
this city. On that day the Savannah ard
Louisville (Ky.) clubs will cross bats il
the first OF a series OF four consecutive
games. The blue grass team is one of the
finest in the country, and some very
pretty games are looked for. The Louis
villes will reach this city this afternoon
from their home, and Tomorrow and Tues
day will 60 into practice with the home
team.
SAVANNAH IN PRACTICE.
All the members OF the home team are
now in the city except William McLaugh-
lin, the champion catcher OF the Pacific
SLOPE. and Edward Nolan, the effective
| twfrler Of last seasons Philadelphia club.
| Mclaughlin left San Francisco on March
| 3 and will probably arrive here Thurs
| day. Nolan is detained at his home at
/ Patterson, N. j., by the illness Of his
wife He will be here about April l.
O'Day reached the city yesterday and
John MOTiarty on Friday, and each I'M
mediately went into practice with the
other members of the club, who have been
at work twice a day thrOu ghOut the week.
The new uniforms Of blue and old gold
were donned Thursday for the first time
and present very neat appearance. A
gOOdly number of spectators have been in
attendance during practice hours, but
hereafter the gates will be closed to all
corners except the players and members
OF the associations
THE SAVANNAH CLUB.
Following is full list of the players
who will constitute the home club:
q. u. Morton, manager; Len StOckwell,
Thomas Gillian, William Mclaughlin,
catchers; Henry ODay. Joe Neal, Ed
Nolan and John MOrlarity, pitchers;
James Field, first base; George Strict,
second base and field captain; Thomas
Murray. third base; Joe Miller, short
stop; Eugene MOriarity, left field; one of
eatchers in centre ON alternate days; Hub
Collins, right field.
1t will be seen from the above list that
Powell, Voss and Butler have been re-
leased from the club since the signing Of
men first commenced. Butler was re-
leased because of his inability to report
here before April 10.
AT BASE BAIL PARK.
At base ball park the arrangements for
the opening game are about completed.
The grounds have been placed in fine con-
dition and new grand stand has been
erected, with frontage Of 100 feet, imme-
diateiY to the right OF the covered one
built last year. The new structure gives
the park nearly double the seating capac-
ity of last season. It will be for the exclu-
siVe occupancy of ladies and their escorts.
! The fair sex will not be required to pay an
admission fee Wednesday, but the regular
schedule charge will be In operation at
all subsequent games.
EXHIBITION GAMES.
AS already stated in the NEWS the
! league season opens April Is with Savan-
| nah at home with Chattanooga. In addi-
ton to the schedule games to be played
| in this city before the club leaves home
Manager Morton has arranged for the fol-
! lowing exhibition games in addition 10
those with Louisville already mentioned
March 1s, 20, q, %, and 24-SaVannah
VS.. Detroit.
March p and 29--savannah VS.. Pitts.
burg.
April Z, 8, and 9-savannah vs. Chi,
cagO.
Philadelphia wanted dates, butit has &C
| far been impossible to arrange for the
! ones asked for, and ii is therefore moi
| probable that Manager Wrighps team
! will be seen here this season. Similar
| trouble was experienced in the case o
Manager Smeltz's st. Louis League team
COLUMBUS CLUB.
In locating the Chicago Blues in Co
lumbus. the local management, together
with almost everybody else in Georgia
seem to have overlooked the fact tina
two members of the club, Atkin
son and Decker, pitcher and catcher
are disqualified under the National agree
ment from playing against clubs in tn
Southern League, one for ignoring his re
serve contract with Philadelphia, and tn
other tor an equally grave shortcOming
Arrangements are being made to over
come this state of affairs. and the club will
probably be seen in this city April l,
and 8.
SHORT STOPS.
Manager Morton has not paired the bat
teries, and it is not known yet even how
they will be pitted against Louisville.
The famous Guy Hecker will be seer
with the LOuisVilles.
Manager Morton has received three sets
of cabinet photographs in frames OF the
Detroit club, which will be put on ex'
hibition in different parts Of the city.
Neal has been doing ambideXtrOus
work in the pitchers box while practicing
this week. His drop curve is an eye
opener.
O'Day is the most speedy Of the quar-
tette Of local twirleTs and has unusually
wide in and out curves.
Moriarity, the left-handed puzzler, so
mesmerizes every ball he throws that the
| Oatsmen invariably saw the AIR.
Nolan is said 10 do great head work, in
\ addition to throwing q lightning ball,
which goes TO his backstop with a course
as winding as a serpenGs.
Manager Morton thinks he has q Jewel
I'm every one OF his catehers, and they
have been showing up finely this week.
Gillen and Murray are dong great work
in the practice games. They are as great
fayorites as ever.
People who think Savannah hasn't got
a heavy batting team will get badly left.
Eugene Moriarity and Hub Collins are
the fastest runners in the team. AS a
sprint the latter il hard to beat.
Collins used 10 be called "the Pocket
when he played first base with Columbus.
club" Is very popular here even though
he used 20 be unmerciful in putting out
the Dixies aud OglethOrpes.
Striefis showing up great on second
He will also captain the team.
The out field is said 60 be scooping in
every fly that scrapes the sky, no matter
how long the run or apparently impossi
bic the catch.
Field on first is reported as not hav
ing let ball go by him this year, gather
ing in ugly grOunders and high jumpers
with equal facility.
Manager Morton is a veritable sphynx
but that don't prevent him from doing q
good deal Of thinking ana having Ions
head. II there Is any money TO be mad,
he will make IT.
There fs a ganerat failing In thia ctt,