The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-17
Opening Games of the National
League Season.
FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Large Crowds Witnessed the
Games Everywhere.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND AT ST LOUIS
The Day Was Perfect and the Teams
We're in Good Form and Play
ed Almost Errorless
Games.

| were IN 1000 FORM ana PlaY-
ed Almost Errorless
Games.
Washington, April 16--A quorum of
either House probably might have been
obtained with more readiness at the
National Baseball Park to-day than at
the Capitol. Many others in official
circles were present at the opening
game between New York and Washing
| ton, which the home team won by 6
to 3. The crowd which filled the new
seats swelled the total number of those
| present to about nine thousand. The
| thermometer hovered about the nine
| ty mark. The sky was clear and alto
gether it was as fine baseball weather
as could be desired. A band was in
attendance. The game was well-play
ed, except in the fifth inning, when the
| home team tailed five unearned runs.
In this inning Mercer replaced Selbach
at the third on account of damage to
the latter's clothing, and scored for
him. The play which brought forth
the loudest applause was a sensational
catch by Abbey of = high fly from
Harry Davis bat in the eighth inning.
Attendance, 9,256. Score:
| Washington 0 ooo5 1000 0-6 Z 8
| New York. Q 0 0 Q 0 2 0 0 0-3 9>3
Batteries. Mercer and Mcclure;
Clark and Zerfoss. Umpire: Hurst
AT ST. LOUIS.
St. Louis, April 10 Fifteen
thousand people passed through
the stiles at Sportsman Park
to-day to witness the opening games
of the season between the Spiders and
the st. Louis Browns. This was the
largest crowd that ever attended an
opening game here. The day was per
| feet, and the enthusiasm OF the big
crowd of fans uproarious They went
wild over the playing of the home
team, which put up snappy game
| from the beginning. The Browns
fielding was perfect, while that Of the
visitors was not up to the standard
set by last years games won by the
| spiders. They made two costly err
rors. Britenstein was in w1od form and
| pitched wonderful game, while
| Young was hit somewhat more freely.
Montecross as short stop made several
| wonderful stops, and his excellent
throwing caught the crowd, who seem
ed willing to accept him as a worthy
Successor of Ely. Score:
st. Louis, 00110021 Ks Ill o
| Cleveland. 0 0 2 % z 2
Batteries: Breitenstein and McFar-
land: Young and 0'Conner. Umpire;
| Sheridan.
AT CINCINNATI.
Cincinnati, April 16.-Grav's errors
and Rhine's weakness in the sixth and
seventh innings lost the game for Gin
| cinnati to-day Fisher was substituted
IN the eighth, but he, too, was batted
/ freely. Hawley was hit hard. but not
consecutively, and save in the second,
when two three-baggers sent George
/ Smith around the bases, Cincinnati
scored no runs. Attendance, 14,4Oo.
/ the largest opening day under the
/ present management. Score:
Cincinnati !. / 0 0 o % % 10
Cincinnati 20 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 0--1 10 3
Batteries: Pietz, Fisher and Rhines:
Merritt and Hawley. Umpire, Emsley.
AT PHILADELPHIA.
Philadelphia, April 16.-The opening
OF the championship season in this CITY
was signalized by a crushing defeat for
| the Phillies, the Bostonians having ev-
erything their own way from the start.
! When Mayor Warwick tossed the first
ball TO the umpire, over $4,000 people
we're on the grounds, and the crush
outside was so great that the doors had
| to be closed and locked and thousands
! turned away. All the fayorites receiv- 1
ed enthusiastic ovations and a profu-
sion of floral offerings, particularly
| Nash and Hamilton, each of whom
| played against his old team.
The visitors victory was largely due
TO the inability Of the Phillies to hit
Nichols, although three fumbles by
Cross at critical junctures proved cost
". The Bostons played an almast error
less game, and hit the ball hard at OPP
perfume moments. Score:
Boston 3102 20o01 Or 10 / |
Philadelphia 0 0 2 0 90 O-3 7sl
Batteries: Nichols and Cancel; Tay-
Tor and Clements. Umpire, Lynch.
AT BALTIMORE.
Baltimore, Md, ApriI 16.-The season
was opened here before a crowd Of |
about 11,000 people. Over 900 compli- |
mentary tickets were issued and So
ciety was out in force. The BaltiInores |
played surprisingly poor game for
them in the field. McMahon's pitching /
was good enough to win nine out ten 4
games. Kennedy was in great form for
Brooklyn and up to the sixth inning |
was hit for two hits. Brooklyn to-
wards the close of the game batted at
opportune times. bringing in runs that
were enough to win. The batting and |
run-gettin0 of La Chane together with |
the batting of Anderson and the ALI
round playing of Shindle, despite his
two errors, were the features. Doyle's
first appearance was a success, he ac-