The San Francisco call., 1909-04-11
CRICKETERS WILL
OPEN SEASON
APRIL Is
In Addition to League Games
Four InferCify Contests
viii Be Played
By William Unmack

Sunday, April 25, has been officially
set by the California cricket associa-
ton for the opening of the cricket sea-
SON. Already the different clubs have
started practice, and with still another
two weeks before them the Alameda
and Pacific teams. and the Wanderers
and Barbarians. who open the compe-
tition, will be in first class. condition
The prospects for the 1903 season
look brighter than ever before Greater
interest is being taken in cricket all
over the state than in previous years.
and this fact is borne out by the inter
city games the association has been
able to arrange with Los Angeles and
Santa Cruz.
The local teams themselves seem to
be imbued with a greater amount of
enthusiasm than ever before.
The games between northern and
southern California Clos Angeles
cricket association will be played at
the Del Monte grounds. This halfway
point is satisfactory to both teams, and
the hotel management has guaranteed
rs good a wicket as possible under the
conditions. The Del Monte grounds are
ideal for cricket game and if the
pitch lis sufficiently rolled the players
Will have no cause for complaint.
Cricket in Los Angeles has also i'm
proved of late and the southern teams
are said to have some really first class
men in their ranks.
The competition last year was
fpo -i,l,
after disastrous start the Pacifics
managed to win everything before
them and gain the coveted champion
ship challenge cup. The Alameda and
the newly formed Barbarian clubs were
a close second and third respectively.
This year the teams appear to be about
the same as before. Several of them.
however have experienced losses which
will be hard TO replace.
The matter of suitable PLAYING
grounds has always been a stumbling
block TO cricket in this city. Last year
Park Commissioner MacLaren laid a.
concrete wicket in the stadium for the
city cricket teams. The place Sc
lected for the wicket was not a very
desirable one from a cricket stand
point as it was in a direct line with
pedestrian traffic from one side of the
park TO the Other-
This year the park superintendent
has offered to put another wicket down.
A location has been selected that ought
TO prove ideal at the eastern end of
the stadium, in the bend of the bicycle
track. The bicycle track will form a
splendid boundary for three sides, and
a few flags on the western side will
complete the circle.
During the week the San Mateo
cricket club has been heard from, and
has stated it's intention of joining the
ranks of the association. 1t is eX-
pected that a special meeting of the
association viii be called at an early
date to consider the application.
Last week representatives of the city
clubs expressed their disapproval of
the San Mateo club being barred from
coming in, and announced their inten-
ton of voting for the admission OF the
new club.
The schedule committee of the Cali
fornia cricket association last week
submitted its fixtures for the season
1909. Each team in the competition will
meet every team twice during the sea-
son. and besides these club fixtures two
intercity games with Los Angeles and
two with Santa Cruz have been ar
ranged. Besides these games the regu-
lar yearly games between teams repre-
senting benedicts and bachelors and
veterans of the association have been
provided for. and on September &c the
champion team Of the competition will
meet the picked team of the rest of the
association.
The games scheduled and not in the