Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-12
WESTERN STARTS THIS WEEK
League Season Opens Wednesday,
with Omaha at Des Moines.
FIRST GAME HERE TwEETY.THIRD
All Teams Are Changed for the Bet
ter. it is Hoped, and Close
Race IL Anticipated by
the Fans.

Play ball" until cold weather comes the
fans will be kept al fever heat. wondering
who will be able to land the bunting. Pa
the wise ones say, has a team this year
which should be able to win the flag.
Five pitchers are now ready for work
and the rest OF the team is in readiness
fo- the opening, except Graham, who
wrenched his knee in the last game with
the Yanigans. and will be out of the fray
for at least two weeks. his place being
taken by King the utility man.
Captain Franck has been getting himself
into condition and will play from the
start. The pitching staff has been cut
down TO Hall and Ragan as the only vet
Grams, Ritzman, the new southpaw, who
showed upso well against the Yanigans;
Noah, the big rlght-hander. whom the
league already fears as a "seven-footer"; /;
Holleubeck. the tow-headed southpaw
whom George Clark touted so strong that
Pa hired him (snd Clark's judgment has
been justified because Holly has been
making good mp to date), and Metz the
bis boy from the mountains, who is get
ting better and better every day as the
weather gets warmer
Chicken Autrey has won for himself
place at first base and Joe Dolan is now
on the books as utility player: Graham
will be at second as soon as his knee
meHds, Franck will play short and Austin
third. TIE outfield is composed of some
heavy hitters in Householder. Welch and
Beldeu. with King as utility outfielder.
M strange Faces I'm Other Teams.
Many strange faces will be seen in the
lineup of the Pueblo team when that bunch
: comes to town. Manager selee has been
scouting all over the country and sends the
following lineup:
Pitchers Fitzgerald. Jackson, Bies. Mich
OILS, Galgana and Ackley. Catchers-smith
and Mckenzie First base-Pstterson. Sec
/ ond base-Clancy Third base-Niehoff
Shortstop-- Corhan.' OutfieIders--Matticks,
Craig and sulligen. Utility-Hoffman.
The makeup of the Des Moines team will
not be determined until Comiskey and the
Cantilons decide what players will be rele-
gated back TO that city. The players now on
the list are Clarke, McGregor Peterson and
Sawyer. pitchers; Dexter and Kintz, first
base; Schoch, second; Fitzpatrick. third
Caldwell. short; McLeaS left; Mclaughlin.
center field and McCc-land. right field.
The oatchcrs are YoPger aGd Hopkins.
The Dcnve" team gndcr Manager Irwin,
csn,e down from the mountain heights and
trailicl q Kansas City, where 1t is said,
the fans picked the team as being a conner
They have now returned 20 Denver for a
couple OF exhibition games before the OPEN
ing Of the season In the lineup may be
recognized such old familiar faces as Cas-
sady. right waidron, right; Downey, short /;
Relden. center; Irwin, third; White, first;
Lautetborn. second; Zalusky, catcher; Ker-
ner, catcher: Adams, pitcher; Bohannon,
, pitches: Paige pitcher; MARI, pitcher and
Doll
Guy Green will have much the same team
that finished so strong last fall and the
new players are all players we'll known in
this league. The team consists of Sullivan
and znran catchers Mckay, Jones, Slim
mel Williams and Zackert. pitchers
Thomas, first! Fox, second; Gagnier. short
and Redick. third. The outfield will con-
sist OF Walsh, left Davidson centerfield
and F'enlon right field.
$50 An Unknown Quantity.
Ducky Holmes himself, says his team is
an unknown quantity and the fans OF
Omaha can judge for themselves by the
results of the exhibition games which are
now bcng PLAYED at Vinton street park.
His team consists Of Williams, Starr, Cor
Astt Furchner and Jacobson. in the box
Henry and Chapman, catchers; SEVERED,
first base; Andress, second; Granville,
Z
! ner center field and Weed right field
The unpires win meet in Omaha tomor-
row 10 conferswith Jack Haskell, chief Of
lumpires OF the Western league The meet
ing will be held at the schlitz hotel and
the umpires will he given their instructions
which they are supposed to follow. Has
kelt has been In Omaha all winter Stats
Davis has been wintering in Sioux City and
Brennan has been In the east.
Thursday, April g. will be the big day
in base ball for Omaha. for on that day
GUY Green will bring his Lincoln Indians
TO the large city to open the season for
Omaha. the Rourke family will play at
Des Moiues for the opening of the season
and will then go to sioLX City to meet the
Ducklngs, after which they will return to
Omaha for April q.
Mayor Dahlman will toss the first bal
and has recently been seen in his bacI
yard limbering up his arm that he may be
able this year to throw the ball clear e
the plate. He docs not like the idea to &c
cut that man who has a national reputa.
tion as a lariat thrower is not able TO toss
q base bali from the pitchers box to homs
plate The city council has accepted Pa.
invitation to occupy the boxes and tn,
band has been engaged. Brother Dave
has ordered a new supply Of peanuts and
the flaSpole is ready.
The pcnanEt for 1903. which was won las
year by the Rourke family has been re
ceived In Omaha and is now on exhibition
at the berg Clothing company. Il is good
sized and heavy and will tax the steel poll
at the cast end OF the lot to carry such
responsibility.
The sod on the new diamond has settled
and omahe now has a real ball park Th'
sod makes the ball move lively when Il /,
dry and also improves the looks OF tn,
park. Pa Was not satisfied with simpl,
soddmg the diamond, but las put greer
sward all the way TO the grandstand
This will help, Il will keep down the dus
which has OF late years contracted bat
habit of swerying around ipto the grand
stand
Batch Free Once More.
Butch Freese. the clown OF the lot 4
again looking for job. He signed Will