The sun., 1901-04-18
BASEBALL PENNANT RACE.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
SEASON BEGINS TO-DAY.
Brookiyns Beaten In Close and SHARPLY Played
Game by the Toronto Team Clean Field
Ing and Batting by Both sides-Davis
Makce -Four Safe Drives Other Games.

Ing and batting by Both sides-Davb
Makes -Four safe Drives Other Games.
The two weeks preliminary training is over
and to-day the race for the National League
baseball pennant OF 1904 will begin. Owing
70 the more than unusual uncertainty as to
the strength OF the eight teams. caused by
trades and inroads by the American League
for players. there Is more Interest than Is
generally the case TO see how the teams will
shape UP. Those OF the teams that went
South for practice have returned pretty 1T
for the championship hght. while it remains
to be seen whether those that trained In tho
cold and wet North are as ft as their rivals
The games scheduled for to-day follow:
Brooklyn a, Philadelphia.
Boston at New York.
Pit,sbure At Cincinnati.
Chicago al 81. Louis.
TORONTO, o, BROOKLYN. s
The Brooklyns tackled a hustllng minor
league team at Washington Park yesterday
afternoon and were beaten by a Score Of
to 5. The game was sharply played and
the several hundred spectators enjoyed thor
ougnlv the hard clean hitting and fast field
ing. interspersed here and there with an error
TO make the issue more doubtful The To-
rontos OF the Eastern Leasue were I he con-
Querers OF the Champions They are an
active lot OF players, and not being in the least
overawed by their company. were on their
toes from start TO finish. making the most
OF every opportunity.
While beaten, there was nothing about
the playing of the Brooklyns TO cause their
supporters to feel downcast. The batting
OF the Champions was exceedingly good
that Of Lefty" Davis especially so In hve
times at the bat Davis made three singles
and double Every time he hit safely he
met the ball squarey amidships and sent IL
whistling on line to its destination Bruce
Of the lorontos, an Indian. wns next best
with the willow. He made three clean hits
Tho Iorontos were OuthHtfed but grouped
their hits better than the lSaguers kitson
and McJames did the pitching for Hanon's
men and there would have been fewer runs
by the Canadians with clean support Kceler
dropped "A liner after a short sprint wuich
let in one run and a poor throw 70 second by
Mcclure was expensive. Hanlon shifted
Kelley over 10 FIRST and assigned Sheckard
to tho guardianship Of third bGEe Sheckard
had little 10 do. handling the single grounder
that came MS way cleveTly
The Iorontos jumped away I'm the lead,
scoring twic. in the first inning on a base on
balls, Browns sacrifice. two singles and an
oltHed fly. Sheckard scored for Brooklyn
IN the third on force and helley's double
Two singles, a % Vel yI9ced seCraC", a stolen
he"4rT'- mum let the visitors sCOr" two more
in mo fourth Brooklyn responded win one
In the same inning paly made the count on n
twu-ba GER and force oI'.
II looked as II the Broukiyns lad the game
won IN the seventh Davis cd og with
nHshingtrip kDe err aC ed r-ton keeler's
mutl ul mas IT. SheCkHrd hi' 10 tho rignt field
fence for three bases and Kelley raised 'y
20 deep centre This combination 4 happen
lngs gave three runs. but the Toront0S raped
Mclames nard in the eighth Brown singled
and Bonner and Bruce followed with three
Brooklyn man on FIRST in tho ninth and one
out Sh"Ckard drove IA long one 10 rignt
Brown took the ball on the run and doubled
up Davis al first base by a long, accurate
throw. Tho score.