Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-23
BALL IN EARNEST.
NATIONAL LEAGUE SEASON OPENS
UNDER PLEASANT AUSPICES.
AN ENORMOUS ATTENDANCE.
The Figures Reach the Aggregate s1
81 ,f30-A Big Parade I'm baltimore.
Champions Defeat the Bean-Eaters.
Giants Defeated.

WASHINGTON. April 2.-The Ma
Uonal League baseball season for 1871
opened to-day IN the various league
cities under pleasant auspices. The
weather was all that could be desired.
ana the total attendance reached the
enormous figure Of 6l.i30. Philadelphia
having 1904 As rule, the scores were
close and the games hotly-contested.
The opening contest In this city was
witnessed by large audience, among
whom was Speaker Reed and a number
OF other politicians. as well as a great
many society people. The Senators and
Bridegrooms were evenly matched, and
but for Demontrevllle's wild throw In
the sixth inning the home team would
undoubtedly have won
number of New York enthusiasts
journeyed TO Philadelphia and saw the
Giants taken into camp TO the tune OF
to ]. The game was rather dull and
long-drawn-out, and on the part OF tho
New Workers was somewhat unsteadily
and poorly played. Their four errors
all wild throws-gave the local club their
runs. In the seventh inning Taylor and
Hallman reached first, on Wild throws
ny DdNlS anu Joyce, anu ldJOle tlen
sent both home with n three-base drive
to left centrefeld LaJoie scored on
Delehanty's hit. The Phllics lost a
| chance for several runs by careless base-
running.
Rusie joined the New Workers to-day.
He IS In excellent condition, and will
begin practice with the team tomorrow.
At Baltimore the Champions defeated
the Bostons. in the presence of 1900
enthusiasts. For six innings excitement
ran high Klobedanz who replaced
Suvetts in the middle Of the sixth.
showed great speed, but proved wild and
ineffective.
The season was opened with a parade
OF the home and visiting teams through
| the principal streets of the city. The
| procession was headed by the Fifth Regi-
ment Band and drum corps. and fol-
lowing them came a long line Of hand
some equipages, bearing Manager Ham
Ion. Treasurer Won der Horst a host
Of prominent citizens who arc devotees
of the game, and the players hand
some float. draped in red, white. and
blue, held alott the Temple Cup and the
pennants of 1894. 1895. and 1896.
FAG-ENDEKs WIN.
The Cleveland team met defeat at the
hands Of Louisville. the "fag-enders'' OF
the league. The latter. outplayed their
opponents, both i'm the field and at the
bat. The Clevelands scored their first
and only run i'm the first innings on Bur
ketts single, a sacrifice FraZer's wild
pitch and an inheld hit. For the re-
mainder Of the game Frazer had the
Spiders at his mercy, al owing them but
three singles Young pitched great ball
until the sixth inning, when four sin
giles and sacrifice netted three runs.
Mayor Todd pitched the first ball across
the plate. and then made "A short adj
dress TO the players Of both teams
1t required ten innings to decide thu
game at Cincinnati. After hard fight
the Reds won by a score of 70 7. Ia
the eighth inning the score stoo1-Cln.
cinnati. 4; Chicago, G. In the ninth Irwin
hit a hard one to Pfeffer. who made a
bad throw TO Decker allowing irwin 10
go to third. Ritchie then hit for two
bases. stole third and scored on Schriev-
er's grounder to Dahlen. tying the score.
Ritchie's play was the feature OF the
game.
Thornton started of with a three-bag-
ger in the tenth. Pfeffer went out TO
Rhnes Griffith flied out 10 BurlSo. and
Thornton scored, leaving the score-Chi-
caeo, Z; Cincinnati, g. In the Reds half.
Miller hit TO left Pietz wen, cut TO Beck
er. and Vaughan hit for three bases.
bringing Miller home. Irwin then hit
TO Dahlen. and Vaughan scored
The smallest crowd Of the day-5,GJ--
gathered at st. Louis whore the Pi'tsburg
pirates defeated the Browns by score
of TO T. TIE visitors played "A stronger,
better game than the home team, and
earned their victory.
The game was called at 3a5 O'Clock,
Pittsburg taking the field The first In
ming was featureless. except for the re-
tirement on strikes OF Smith PittsbDrgs
star batsman. In the second inning both
Pittsburg and St Louis scored. That
was the last OF Il for the Browns. Pitts
burg scored easily In the sixth, and pick
ed up two more runs in the eighth on
Brodies double over first base.
In all the cities there were the usual
street parade, and concerts at the
grounds.
Following are the scores:
At Washington: X. II. r..
Washington .......2t0000 0o--i 4
BROOKLYN 2o02-5
Batteries-Mercer and MCGUIRE Payne
and G,lm. Umpire Hurst. Time-2
hours and 40 minutes.
At Philadelphia: II. VI. T..
Philadelphia ......1 O01 1003 o-5
New York .........O00 0O0-l
Batteries-Taylor and Clemens; Do-
heny and Wilson. Umpire-Emslie.
Time-2 hours and 20 minutes.
At Baltimore: X. H. H.
Baltimore .........1020 10 IL
Boston ............2O00 0O0o-5 20
Ratteries-Hoffer and Robinson; Stf-
vetts. Klobedantz ard BERGEN. umpire-~
Lynch. Time hours and 5,minu,es.
At Louisville: X. "a. Il.
cleveland ......10O0 O0Oo000-l
Batteries-Frazer and Wilson; Young
and thinner Umpire-McDe,mstt.
Time hour and 40 minutes.
At Cincinnati: Il. IL ~.
Cincinnati .......OO4O0O0o2 IS 10 1
chicago .........1120l 000i-7 IL
Batteries -Ehrct. Rhines. and Peitz:
Griffith and Kittridge. Umpire-Sheri.
dan Time-2 hours.
At ST. Louis X. II. IA
Pittsburg .........010001o2 l
batteries -Donahue and MCFARLAND;
Kinen and Sueden. Umpire-McDona-d.
Time-l hour and 40 minutes.
Baseball To-Day.
Richmond vs.. McCabe's School,