The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-04-27
OPENS
ON THURSDAY
Fans Anxious for Start in
Ohio State League.
MANSFIELD TEAM READY
Tigers and Diggers Sure to
have a Traditional Battle.
Zmich, Lefthander, Likely TO Work
for Locals In First me-Big
Crowd is Certain.

Just forty-eight hours away is
the grand opening of the OHIO State
league. Just forty-eight hours from
now, Mayor Scherff will hurl the
first ball of the season over Tor
somewhere near) the home plate and
the Diggers and Mansfield will tie
into each other and the second sea-
son of the organization will be in
progres.
Marion fandom is hungry for good
baseball and is anxiously awaiting
the opening OF the season. The
exhibition games have not been
anything very good. Some fast teams
might have been booked for Man
ager OlDay does not favor such
method OF training. He believes that
the games come before the athletes
are in condition and that many a
promising player is kept from show
ing his true class by too strenuous
work so early in the season. The
veterans are stiifened up and are not
ready for the opening day. OF times
when games are booked with the
! big leaguers, they, straight from the
south where they have had weeks OF
work and are in condition, stack up
against the minor leaguers, who
! have not yet got into shape and
/ the result is that the players are
made to look cheap before the
crowds they must amuse all sum-
mer. The idea is a good one, and
as a result of its being carried out
this year, Marion will enter the
race in good condition, with little
=, lamenes or soreness in the muscles
of the lads. The club may not &C
out with the jump that it did las'
year, but it will not take 1t long tC
strike dts stride and which there
is nothing better in the league,
OlDay has pra tically decided upoI
Zmich as his twirler for the openin]
game. Zmich Is a southpaw, Sc
cured from Grand Rapids. lie ha
been working for several weeks an'
is in fairly good form.
Many of the local merchants hay
decided to close their stores ol
Thursday afternoon during the bal
game and several of the shops will
close down at noon to allow thei
employees to attend. The resul
with any kind of favorable weathe
will be record-breaking attendanc
to encourage the Diggers in the bat
tie with Mansfield.
In past years, and IL Is likely {
: be so again, the games played be
tween Mansfield and Marion have a
been close and exciting. No matte
! what the position of the two club
/, in the raj e, the conrests are genei
! ally those close, low score kind, tina
y keeps the fans on edge until the enc
! Mansfield will be here for uhro
days and Sunday Newark will com
for three more. Then the Digger
take the road for six games.
The park is being placed in shar
as rapidly as possible and th
y groundkeeper promises that he wi
y have the playing field in excelleI
l condition by Thursday afternoon
U The manager will probably not maj
U a decision i'm regard TO third bai
U until just before the game. Eith'
i Conwell or Watkins Is likely to
1 see nthere. it may be that boi
will be held for a week or two an
- be given a chance 10 show the
4 mettle in a championship game. n
Q matter which candidate is success
full there will be many disappoin
0 ments with the managerial actlo
> Conwell and Watkins both ha'
u many admirers
y The opening game will be call'
i at 3;l5 o'clock so that where stor
/ are closed at 2:3O proprietors al
y clerks will have plenty of time
y get out TO the yard in time for d
2 matinee.