The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-06
FIRST GAME IN KANSAS CITY.
Gears American Team Easily De-
feated Athletic Club PLAYERS.

Kansas City. April "a small but
select crowd of thirty-third degree
baseball fans greeted Dale Gears
american association Blues Yesterday
afternoon at Exposition park 1t was
the first public appearance of the team
Of the season Of 1908. and the Kansas
CITY Athletic club champions had the
nonor Of being the Blues opponents
Ihe unal score was 10 to 4 in favor of
the Gearites
As an exhibition Of the game of base
pall the contest was not a startling
success. The Blues played as though
tney stln had frost in their bones, and
lack of practice caused the tee nwork
or the Athletics to be rattle ~ag-ged and
1rayed at the edges Those Blues who
We're not too stiff to be agile were VIC
Tins Of spring fever. and the result was
contest that was not what could be
called intensely exciting or brilliant
Hnt the fans who went out in spite
of the disagreeable weather conditions
TO shake hands with the Blues. figura-
lively speaking. expected nothing more
than what they saw They wanted to
see the men and. as the men were there
on exhibition, the spectators were salts
fled Billy Nance. "Lajoie" Lewee.
Ralph Gibson and Lefty Mcdonald
were each vigorously apDlauded as
they stepped to the bat for the first
time Nlox was greeted as an old
time acquaintance, and McAndrews
and lazy Elmer Smith came in for their
s'ttetN vi 1NtfitlOl All the new men
appeared to create d favora bic impress
sion among the fans. This was partic-
ularly true of Ganley. The easternef
played center field yesterday in 4 very
pleasing style, and showed up strong
at the bat Vanderbilt the catcher. will
probably be made the object of some
close scrutiny when the season opens.
The fans do not know vet whether they
like him or not He let several pitches
get away from him yesterday and his
form on the diamond was not excen-
tional. Bull" Durham was in the box
for the Blues when the game opened.
he showed pretty good rate of speed
and his work was well received Roth
fuss was on the ground working out.
but was not in the game.
The showing of the Athletics was
very creditable They have the mater
ial for a first class team and only need
to be rounded up. Charley Lyons. who
played third. and Harry Horton, pitch
er, should have no difficulty making
good on Gears team. They are now
under contract with him for this sea-
son. Straight had the Blues going
south for a few innings. but after he
was discovered they made it so hot for
him that fitzpatrick was substituted
Later Horton went in and finished the
game for the Athletics.
The foul strike rule was put into
practice at yesterdays game. and the
result was that the contest was not al
lowed to drag. The rule viii prove a
tTOdSend this summer. and the fans
have already signifed their approval
of the innovation Stephen Edward
Collins did all the megaphone work.
and made q hit with some Of the spec
tators by his Brush league tactics.
This week the Blues viii begin prac-
tice at the new American association
park. and it viii not take long to
round the team up into championships
form. Yesterdays score:
E.H Z.
Blues o.. ......4 1O1O o. . 0 1-lO II O
Athletics . 20 O 0 0 , o. 2
Batteries-Blues. Durham. Mcdonald
Gibson and Vanderbilt; Athletics
Straight. fitzpatrick. Horton and But
terworth and Wilson. Umpire-Collins
Attendance-300