The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-12

This week will witness the opening OF the
National League championship season. on
the local grounds the Cardinals viii have
as their guests Chicago's National League
representatives. Beginning Wednesday aft
srnoon. the two teams will play 4 series OF
FIVE games. including games on Saturday
and Sunday afternoon.
Boston and Philadelphia will also open
their season on the same date. the Bean
eaters being the guests OF the Milionaires
at Philadelphia On Thursday Brooklyn will
crOss the suspension bridge and try con-
illusions with Mugssy McGraw's eggreGa-
ton Of pennant aspirsHts. On the same
date Pittsburg and Cincinnati will play
their first championship game. the latter
being at home to the Pirates.
TIL first series OF games will give no line
on the relative playing merits OF the East
ern and Western clubs. the Western clubs
playing in the West, while the Eastern
teams Will try conclusions in their own por-
ton OF the country
Much interest will be manifested IN the
games between the Cincinnati team and the
Pirates. These clubs are admittedly the
strongest in the League and are the teams
that the wise ones figure on fighting it out
for the pennant. Each team will do much
to outplsy the other.
From reports received from the training
quarters OF both clubs they are in splendid
condition, notwithstanding the fact that
they both experienced the humiliation OF q
defeat at the hands Of minor league teams.
The game In ST. Louis VIII be less inter
e5tirg so far as its bearing on the pennant
Is concerned, but should furnish a very
pleasing article OF baseball. The Chicago
team has been training in California. and
IS said TO be the best conditioned team In
The League.
When the locals face Chicago Il will be
with a much stronse team than they had
last year. IN every position on the inheid
the Cardinals look to be an improved team
over what they we're last season OF course.
Farrell at second played excellent baseball
last season. but there Is no reason why ne
should not do even better this season. Otto
Williams at short looks TO be a big i'm
prOvement over the German minstrel. Otto
Kruger. His method OF gathering in diff
ficult E!ts is very impressive, while his bat
ting has been the feature OF the Cardinals
training trip and the antezeason series.
At third base Dayy Brain outclasses Ger
many Hartman as clearly as JIn Jeffries
outclasses Big Ed Dunkhorst.
The oGtael6 Of the Cardinals looks as
good as any outield in the league. and
Donovan, Snoot and Barclay compare IA
NOEduI viii any u t4UIIC dulNNS IN n
National League. with the possible excep-
ton Of Pittsburg's fly trappers-
On the firing line the locals are an I'M
known quantity. To be sure. DonoTan's
dozen have been earning brackets against
leagues. The first line on their class. how
ever. will be obtained when they face the
stylish sluggers of the National eague
One thing certain is that the Cardinals
will be closer 10 the top of the heap at the
end OF this playing season than they were
at the conclusion Of last years baseball
With the willow the Cardinals have a
SSEfGys sISSihs arr PT9 nd2@slly S memSer! pS of tfe
exclusive 800 set Brain and Williams
should also break into the 500 class. while
Burke shock hands with the mark last
season. hitting .2S-
Exactly one week after the opening Of
the National League seaso1 the American
League will start the bail rolling. On the
oval at Sportsmsn's Park. the Coniskey-
eentatives OF the Windy City. viii open the
American League season locally. playing
g ieur-day stanG; insiIaiSE Saturday and
Philadelphia and Boston will play their
first game Aprl %. but as none OF the
that date It can hardly be looke1 upon as
the American Leagues opening date.
A; the approach OF the opening Of the
Leagues championship season the
Browns look to have excellent prospects.
i ntlE llALLLA-. hGllAIE 1iA EtAELAA hbEA IN 1
the practice games played last week against
tho academic and semiprofessiOnal teams
about ST. Louis was very impressive.
or courfa. the c. 3. C's are not the
Cleveland Blues. The East St. Louis Troi- 1
leyites are not within a thousand miles OF
the playing ability Of Clark Grlaith's team.
and the High Schccl team Is rot a cham
pionship one. bat the Browns did immense
" better work sgsiBst fhess teams than did I
any Of their American League rivals against
the semiprofessional and college teams they |
been lining Up against
Al the bat the Cld-time sluggers. Burkett
and Heidrick. are showing excellent form. |
True. Eeidrick has not been getting as 1
many hits as some of the other players on
the CLUB. but he has been meeting the ball |
This means n whole lot. When a batter
meets the ban hard the chances for the
spheroid landing tn safe territory are en-
HANGED. II a fielder gets in front Of one of J
these harc-ht bells. the batter has n fair 1
chance 70 get to base on an error. Another !
thing. whether a player makes the base or |
not. tho fans IKE TO see hard hitting. AS a 1
rule they prefer a long rap thai makes a /
fielder extend himself 10 oyeTtake to a
scratch hit. This Is the way that ]. En- |
nett Is hitting them oft. and Il IS p safe !
prediction that he VIII be among the so |
ticker this year. On the bases Emmett Is
one of the fastest men in the world. As q /
fielder he has no superior. |
Burkett Is batting better now than he /
ever did before this early in the season. His :