The Indianapolis journal., 1904-04-17
MAYOR HOFFMAN WILL
PITCH THE FIRST BALL
Preparations Made for an Auspi-
cious Opening OF the Season
in This City.
PEARS WILL UMPIRE.
Line of March OF Parade of Play
ers-Wednesday Set Aside as
Ladies Day.

Preparations have been completed for a
very auspicious opening of the American
Association season in this city next week.
President Ruschaupt has invited Mayor
Hoffman to pitch the first ball OF the
season, and the city's chief executive has
kindly accepted the invitation. There will
the usual parade of the two teams-fndan-
apolis and Kansas City-before the game
and concert at the park. The cham
pionship games will be called at $3.50, and
Umpire Frank Pears has been assigned by
President Grillo 10 officiate during the
opening series. The parade will leave the
Grand Hotel at Ills. and the line of march
will be as follows: South on Illinois street
10 Union Station, north on McCrae street
to Georgia. east to Medidian. north TO Cir
Gle. around the west side OF Circle 10 Ohio,
east to Pennsylvania. south to Washing
ton, out Virginia avenue to Maryland. west
TO Illinois. north to Ohio, west to Senate
avenue, south to Washington and east
on Washington to the ball park. The
Indianapolis Military Band will head the
procession The players will occupy car
riages.
President Ruschaupt announced yester-
day that there would be only one ladies'
day a week this season. the American AS
sociation magnates having ruled against
two days week being set aside for the
free admission or women. Wednesday will
be ladies' day in Indianapolis, put this will
not include next Wednesday, which is the
opening day OF the season.
++<
Indianapolis is sadly in need OF left
fielder. President Ruschaupt has been out
of the city for a couple of days. but he
refused yesterday to tell where he had
been. He said that Indianapolis had lost
two good players because it had been made
public that they might come to this city,
and he will not announce who he might
secure until the prayer arrives in Indian
apolis. The management has not given
up hopes Of obtaining Swander from the
st. Louis Americans, but the chances of
getting him are rather slim, because
Hueisman. the extra outfielder of ST Louis
has been ordered to Chicago. Ruschaupt
wore huge smile yesterday, and it is
probable he has a line on very good man
for the only position that needs attention
Five to nothing at the end of the first
inning" yelled Ruschaupt over the phone
in his office at the ball park yesterday aft
ernoon in answer to call from an enthu-
siast who was too chilly to attend the
game I'm favor of indianapolis, of
slammed the receiver into place. What
do you think of the nerve of that fellow
asking who was In the lead?" exclaimed
Ruschaupt and he darred out to get fresh
air.
All the teams of the Commercial Base
bali League viii indulge in first practice
this morning on the Riverside, Fairview
Garfield and Brookside grounds. The play
ers have been greatly inconvenienced by
the inclement weather and errors probably
will be numerous in the first games which
will be played next Sunday morning. The
Y. NJ. i. ard Journal teams will practice
at the Broodside grounds. The players of
the Journal club Will report at o'clock,
while the members of the Y. M. i. team
have been ordered to report one hour
later. The players doing the best work in
their respective positions to-day will be
The last exhibition game of the season
will be played at Washington Park to-mor-
row afternoon, the Washington, a semi
professional team of this city, being billed
to meet the Hoosiers. The Indianapolis
players will rest on Tuesday to be fit for
the opening game of the regular champion
ship season, which will be played on
Wednesday with Kansas City The Wash
1ngtons will line up as follows: Jordan and
Shields, C: Shea, Laitner and Tincher, p;
Iotshaw, 1b; Firestine. 2b; Kenworthy, 3b;
French. $; Reddick. II; Condi1, CT. and
Bartlett RI. The Washington team will
open its regular playing season at Rush
Vile on April a.