The times., 1897-04-23

With cOngenial weather at their disposal
and the great attraction offered by the
formal Inauguration Of the baseball season
as many as 10000 people visited National
Park yesterday afternoon.
Two hours before the time of game the
right field bleachers were packed and the
stream continued constantly unu til the
b0-cent seats were filled and the grand
stand and private boxes he'd a mass Of
humanity.
The crowd came in cars, carriages, On
bicycles and on foot. The ticket sellers
and takers had circus day job and wore
themselves weary handing out and taking
back the admission pasteboards-
Though it was a payday" the ladies
were present by hundreds, and their gaily-
Colored costumes, banked against the
maroon finishings OF the stand, made a
maze of color which, mingling with the
green of the diamond and the perfect
sky above, furnished scene nothing less
than enhancing.
The fair fans always loyal TO the home
club, cheered and applauded the stalwart
Statesmen upon the smallest provocation
and it was no fault OF theirs that defeat
was the Senator'S portion.
The press Of public business prevented
President Mckinley from attending The
neat little box provided specially for his
use was the cynosure for many eyes DUR
ing the afternoon, and not few were
disappointed because of the gentleman S
VI.
In the season.
But the inaugural was not without dis
tinguished attendants. Speaker Reed, Sen-
ator Smith, and Congressman Payne, Ben
nett, Sherman, odell and wadworth occu-
pied boxes and kept close tab on the game.
Speaker Reed and party upon first eu-
tering the stand were assigned TO a box
on the extreme right, but Mr.. Wagner
afterward provided the rotund gentleman
and his fellow fans with more convenient
seats in the left-hand section. When the
Speaker walked across the stand TO the
new location he was readily recognized
by the audience. aud had to lift his hat re-
peatedly to applause.
The other notables in attendance were:
President Young and family, President
Byrne and Col. Abel, of the Brooklyn
Club; Capt. Mike Scanlon, Messrs Doug
Allison and Paul Hines, Umpire Charles
Snyder, and Billy Earle, the great little
catcher who has trotted the globe, also
New Jersey, in following up his profes-
sion.
After the parade of both clubs In open
carriages, the route being from the Eb-
btt House up Fourteenth TO b, out to Sew
enteenth, and then to the Avenue, TO
Four-apc-a-half and TO the grounds, a con-
cert was given in the stand by Pistoris
band OF twenty pieces The leader seemed
to know the favorites of his audience and
dispensed such foot-sbuffling ditties as MY
Gal is a High Born Lady," Sweet Rosy
o'Grady'' and other tunes, common TO the
vaudeville diversion.
When the big gong was sounded for
practice and the Trolley Dodgers" at
tired in their neat travelling suits CT gray
with dark red trimmings, trotted out on
the field the crowd gave them welcom-
ing hand.
An ovation awaited the Senators. Tom
Browns boys, in immaculate costumes,
were assured Q ( the hearty support Of the
fans 10y hand-clapningS. cheering and other
noises peculiar 10 cranRs gathered at a
ball ground. Each and every player had
TO don his cap time and again in re-
sponse 10 personal recognition and general
applause.
Tim Hurst, the sunny-haired nttle unl-
uSe, whose legs elbow out from one an
other aboat the knees, and who is the
most popular master OF the field that