The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-27
THE BASE BALL SEASON.
The National League Opened the Season
Yesterday Under Pleasing Auspices-The
Attendance Enormous.

! Washington. April 22.-The National
League baseball season for 1897 opened to-
day in the various league cities under
pleasing auspices. The weather was all
that could be desired and the total at
81. 43o. Philadelphia led with 17,014. AS a
rule the scores We're close and the games
hotly contested. The opening contest in
this city was witnessed by a large audi
ence, among whom was Speaker Reed and
a number Of other politicians as we'll as
a great many society people. The Sena-
tors and BridegrOoms Were evenly match
ed and but for DeMontieville'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 l. The game was rather dull and long
drawn out, and on the part of the 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 Hall
man reached first on wild throws by,
! Davis and Joyce, and La Joie then sent
both home with q three base drive to left
centre field. La Joie scored on Dele
hanty's hit. The Phillies lost a chance
for several runs by careless base running
Rusie Joined the New Workers today. He
is in excellent condition and will begin
/ practice with the team tomorrow.
A Baltimore, the Champions defeated
the Bostons in the presence of Is. ZOO en-
thusiasts. For six innings excitement ran
high. klobe Danz. who replaced Stivetts
in the middle of the sixth, showed great
! speed, but proved wild and Ineffective.
The season was opened by a parade of
the home and visiting teams through the
! principal streets of the city. The process
sion was headed by the Fifth regiment
band and drum corps and following them
came a long line of handsome equipageS
bearing Manager Hanlon. Treasurer Won
who are devotees of the game and the
| players. a handsome float draped in red.
white and blue held aloft the Temple cup
and the penants of '94, '95 and SO.
The strong Cleveland team met defeat
at the hands of Louisville, the tail
enders' of the league. The latter out
and at the bat. The Clevelands scored
their first and only run in the first in
ming on Burkett's single, a sacrifice.
Frazer's wild pitch and an infield hit. For
the remainder of the game Frazer had the
/ Spiders at his mercy, allowing them but
three singles. Young pitched great ball
and a sacrifice Melted three runs Mayor
Todd pitched the first ball across the
plate and then made a short address to
/. the players of both teams.
1t required ten innings to decide the
! game at Cincinnati. After a hard fight
the Reds won by a score of s to Z. In the
eighth inning the score stood Cincinnati
4 and Chicago 6. In the nineth Irwin hit a
hard one to Pleffer. who made a throw to
| Decker. flowing Irwin to 20 to third.
| Ritchey then hit to first base. stole a base
and scored on Schriever's grounder to
Dahlen, tying the score. Ritchey's play
ing was the feature of the day. Thorn
ton started off with a three Dagger in the
tenth. Pfeffer went out to Rhines.
Griffith flied cut TO Burke and Thornton
scored, leaving the score: Chicago Z. Gin
%cinnati 6. In the Reds half. Miller hit to
left, PietZ went out to Decker. Vaughan
! hit for three bases, bringing Miller home.
Irwin then hit to Dahlen and Vaughan
! scored.
The smallest crowG of the day, 5000.
| gathered at st. Louis. where the Pitts
burg Pirates defeated the Browns to /.
The visitors played a stronger, better
their victory. The game was called at
3:45 o'clock, Pittsburg taking the field.
The first inning was featureless. except
for the retirement on strikes of Smith.
] PittsburS's star batsman. In the second
inning both Pittsburg. and St. Louis
scored. That was the last of it for the
sixth and picked up two more runs in the
eighth on Brodie's double over first base.
In all the cities there was the usual
street parade and concert at the grounds.
Following are the scores:
At Washington
r. H.. f.
washington ........2 ) 4.
| Broaklyn ...........O OOO12OO2 . >
Batteries: Mercer and Mcclure: Payne
and Grim. Umpire Hurst.
Al Philadelphia
Philadelphia ......1 : /
New York ........-.0 . y . | 1000 , 4
Batteries: Taylor and Clements: Do
heny and Wilson. Umpire Emslie.
At Baltimore
r. H.. f.
Boston ........-.....2 o $500 o 0-3 10 s
Batteries: Hofer and Robinson: Stiv-
etts. klobedanz and Bergen. Umpire
Lynch.
At Louisville
Louisville ...........0 00003000 3 5 oI
Cleveland ...-.......i 5000 O 90 o. 4 ?
Batteries: Frazer and Wilson: Young
and thinner. Umpire McDermott.
Al Cincinnati
r. H.. Z
Cincinnati .........-0 04000022S 10 4,
Chicago ......--.....1 1901 - II II >
Batteries: Ehret. Rhines and PETIT.
Griffith and kittridge. Umpire Sheridan.
At S.. Louis
r. II. +.
s.. Louis-.---.--.-..0 000 90 Q g 0-1 5 >
Pittsburg ........-.0 100O10 x-4 . /
Batteries: DOnahue and Mcfarland
killen and Sugden. Umpire Mcdonald. /
VIRGINIA LEAGUE.
A. Richmond |
r. II. +. !
Richmond .-.--..-..1 q GEO Q y 2-l2 Il ii
Richmond cOllege..n q 9 Q 9 = 9 q 90 > !
At Norfolk