Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
FANS ARE DELIGHTED
Opening of Local Base Ball
Season a Success.

Eliminating the defeat of the Nationals,
the opening of the base ball season in this
city WAS a great success. and there were
very few il the vast crowd to leave the
grounds dissatisfied with the afternoons
sport The local boys We're under "a great
strain, nervousness being perceptible in
several of the players and over anxiety to
perform well was responsible for all the
errors made. The youngsters coming into
fast company and facing a great pitcher
ike Chesbro for the first time were handi-
capped from the start, and the team as d
whole was made TO look weak at the bat on
account of the fine pitching of the New
York twirler, but the sensational plays of
Hill, Jones and Stahl were of the sort to
make the spectators feel that they were
getting a run for their money. The vic
tory for the visitors put another feather
in the cap of the grand old games honesty
as there are still many people who year
after year predict that the home team will
be allowed to win the opening contest so
as to attract people to the games. This
may have been the program in the early
stages of organized ball. but the national
sport has reached such high place in
cent years that the idea is almost too silly
for consideration. Imagine. for a minute.
Manager Griffith allowing game to get
away from him if victory is possible. He
Chesbro on the rubber Friday without his
motives being questioned. but the sandy
little leader is out for the pennant this
year and he Will leave no stone unturned to
achieve this end. Griffith knows very well
,hat victory now may come in handy later
on. as there is no telling when hard luck
period may hit the team, and ii would be
great sport for him to win every game
played. Manager Stahl was just as anxious
10 win as his opponents, as 1t would have
been a great feather in his cap to throw
down such team as the Highlandcrs, and
he certainly exerted himself to the Limit to
"a pture the initial contest. But fate willed
Il otherwise and the dose was taken as
natter Of course by the dyed-in-t he wool
uthuslasts.
To the management of the team the game
hould be considered Il lucky one on
cunt OF the weather. 1t rdlned at noon,
feared up brightly, and when everybody
lad gone home for dinner down came the
raindrops again. To hang up the post
gonement card at the opening of the season
is a serious matter, as preparations to at
tend have been made by the specta tors,
and that assured big outpourlng is diff
cult 70 get together again for a later inau-
gural The Celevland management can ap-
prtciatc this assertion, the snow storm
in that city Friday doubtless threw a
damper on the sport that will take weeks to
wipe out.
Season Started Too Early.
The cold. raw weather forcibly Illustrated
the folly of starting the season before the
first of May, and The combined efforts of
the press OF the different cities interested
should be turned on the National League
and that organization made to see the folly
OF its way. President Johnson and the
combined efforts of his fellow magnates of
the American League combated the early
opening but the National League. led on
by Magnate John T. Brush. insisted on a
long season. and the younger organization
never do TO allow the National League TO
get two weeks start, and perhaps skim off
the cream # attendance, while the Amer
lean League was idle. thereby gaining a
prestige along false lines. The arrange
inent OF a mutual schedule was also impos-
siblc unuer these conditions and Pres dent
Johnson had to make the best of b I'd
partnership The proper arrangement for
spring work would be two weeks trip to
the south then .iome for two weeks ex-
hibiti0n games between the two leagues, al
the conclusion Of which let the season start
about the first of May. BY that tine the
weather is more settled and the pent-up en-
thusiasm will be OF the lasting sort and big
attendance be the rule for weeks afterWard.
Mr.. Brush doubtless saw the handwriting
on the wall that told him how weak the
National League teams are in comparison
with the American clubs. and advocated
the early season with view to choking off
exhibition contests which would have made
mis- organization look cheap. The National
Leagues old argument has been that the
players are paid so much for a season
work, and the extra games tackled on 10
the opening and closing of the season bring