The San Francisco call., 1909-03-31
WHO WON OPENER? !?
THE SEALS, OF
COURSE
In Thrilling Battle of Pitchers
San Francisco Takes First
Game, 2 TO /
By William J. SIatfery

True To the tradition of the last
DO years, the san Francisco baseball
team ushered in the season on the, Oak
land grounds yesterday afternoon with
a victory With 3 900 fans in the grand
stand and The bleachers. and most of
them roofing for Oakland. the Seals
played baseball that would have gone
in any league. Their victory was a
clean cut and honorable one. and it
carried with it everything that goes
I'm the makeup of well earned decision
on the diamond II was a san Fran
cisco day al every stage Of the game,
even il the season was opened IN oak
All the usual hrst day stunts were
pulled OF before the game. First ana
Foremost. they lined up a big bunch OF
and paraded them through the town
with the band playing ana the coiors
lying and the mag gnates snllng ana
the BAH players grinnihg. 1t was
Iransbay fans. who forgot all about
their other troubles ano beat II out
10 the park with all haste.
MaYor Mott Of oakland was on the
lob when asked to pitch the first bali
lie was waiting and warming up mis-
wing for the occasion But with All
this practice, the head Of the Oakland
t4nicipality tossed wild pitch-the
first one OF Ine season He was ali
right till it came to the big show
down and then his wing went back
on him. Hard luck for the mayor ana
more hard luck for the Oakland team
mis- was its jinks.
After the mayor mad finished with his
little stunt, the ball players reallzeQ
that The season was on at last ana
they all waded into their work with
viii. With the sun shining brightly
the band playing gayly. and the rams
shouting merrlly, every IhlnS loohe9
nice and rosy for the first diamond
struggle Of 1909 in the Pacific coast
league.
MIDSUMMER BALL
And the game was all that any fan
could have asked for Who ever nealu
before Of > to / hour and half
struggle with only one error on open
ing day2 Why. they were all WlliinS
10 admit that il was Just one shaue
short Of marvellous, and some OF the
more enthusiastic fans were Wiling 10
say that marvellous was the proper
word 10 use in describing It.
OF course we all expected that the
Seals would win, for they nave Deen
winning that first game Tor the last
10 wears But the thing which sur
plised Us was the great showing made
by the Oaklanders. After the manner
land lads down the line, the local fans
inquired that they would be soIt AoI
the Seals, but il was not so
The lengthy Mr. James wigs Wno
league for Oakland. gave an exhibition
of pitching that made many a man
hat stand on three hairs lie winged
10 of those Seals out on strikes ana
outside Of two innings, none OF them
stung him safely. Inc game dld not
belong TO san Francisco till 1t was
adj over.
BROWNING DITTO
Even if Wigs was sensational and
spectacular. Browning was equally a 8
.afHnrrfrra though IN more SdDQueu
way After the Commuters opened UP
on him and hammered run home IN
Jig time during the progress OF the
Iirst inning. the Texan took up the bur
den like a Trojan and not another one
Of them could get WITHIN whistllng dis
tance Of the pan.
oaks, celebrated the occasion by punch
ing a two sacker out 10 left neld. Nc
Cay faded away and so old IrueSdale-
But brother Willie Hogan did not for
get his base hit bat he was there with
a great two sacker that sailed over near
the right field fence and Murphy tore IN
with the first run Of the season
But the Seals showed their initial
fash Of the real lighting spirit Cap
tain Mohler patiently waited till Wiggs
heaved four wide. ones at him and
fearing that he would not be properly
bunted along, he took a chance and
neatly stole second Tom Tenant put
the double twist on his bat and laced a
Texas Lacquer TO short center which
tied up the score.
A PITCHERS BATTLE
Then the real battle began in
earnest The rival pitchers, both of
whom have been working out in the
sunny south. let loose all they had and
simply burned the atmosphere. The
felders behind them all performed like
three time pennant winners and so the
game went along at a furious pace till
the eighth inning, when the Seals broke
il up.
NcArdle sprung a sensation by fall
ing safely on one OF Wigs shoots and
coping out pretty hit past short
Browning. however, put the fans in
mourning by forcing Bsac. But the old
captain, Kid Mohler, had another one
left and st was the real big one Of the
afternoon Out il went in the form of
a great two sacker to center. amid the
yells Of the Seals admirers.
Browning knew that he had to make
the sprint OF his life II he hoped to win
that game, 50 he started on his way
with all four cylinders pumping. He
came down the home stretch like a
quarter horse and slid into the plate a
second ahead Of the ball. This was the
great stunt OF the day. II won the
game. for Oakland could not land in
the next inning.
All the san Francisco admirers were
happy. They were worrying about that
opener, but once their team put the
final run over there was no more dan
ger in sight II was A great victory.
The greatest first day attempt that any
t-A1 III lAlt AOdSL trdkue ever maze.
san Francisco is now on its wav- and
look out Los Angeles. Sacramento.
Portland. Vernon and Oakland
The all around work of the Seals
was fast and sneppy and systematic.
The boys seem TO be in grand shape
after those practice games with the
Sox, ano-sWith the exception of one or
two Of the pftchens they all figure TO
be ready for the grind from now-en.
Anyhow. there is nothing like getting
Of 10 a good start after the pennanf,
sae score.
OAKLAND
ABB r. BH. sB Po A. f.
s..;l.g,,. ssgsp5y c ~ f.-..- I 9
McCay. 81 -.-...-4 O q y
lieSaa. Ib .--.------ o / o Q
Bfpyeftc. ..-..-- o q n
ID. Lewis ]. f---..-- o q n
Carroll. r f.-.--.--- o q q q n
ia Longe. G. .-...-. o o.. q I n
wigs p ---------- ] ? O
Total -.------..--.29 3 % "a O