The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-11
BOTH BIG LEAGUES
OPEN morrow
Greatest Event in Annual Sport
ing Calendar in United
States.
EXCITING TIME FOR "FANsn
Queer Turns Of Human Nature
That Season Mill
Disclose.
EXCITING TIME FOR "FANsn

disclose.
To- morrow the greatest event in III,
annual sporting calendar viii take
olacc-thc first game OF the ma ior
league baseball season 10 the IN
initiated. lukcwarm and purblind read.
ef. THIS announcement is Of no snecial
Significance. but to the dyed IN ,nc-
"ooi, raging, rampant ling tailed
IAN, the millions OF masculine ,nauiacs.
"ho yearly toss as ,nany porfcc,l,-
good straw * cllys'' high in the ali.
ander stress OF great cNcitcinemt ii
'iN"hs III Importance the assassination
OF the President, declaration of
MI. or the announcement that Ionu
~ IS candidate for cXccutiv. chief
OF the United States on the Socialist
'ieKet, II means the democratic hob
mourning of hootblacks aud bankers. bar
tcliaers ana brokers he visual APP
pcarance OF small boys idols. and a
liberal interchange OF the currcnr,. Of
the realm
but Inc onen!nG or the baseball sea
soh mas stili another. deeper darker
S-de--a side which brings sorrow 10
thousands OF happy homes. make.
prcvaricators of hitherto perfectly hon
est men. and causes a dearth or onlcc
"oSs' which threatens to bring the
BUSINESS Of the nation to a standstill--
To- Wit. the death of grandmotllers
rhis summers loss OF Tho doar old
adles has long been viewed as IA sea
son which, during its open months.
Hyais the yearly slaughter OF other
game In fact. so great has been tho
alleged death OF superannuatcd 70
maies INIT It is estimated, upon com.
oettnt authority. that something lika
'o'oocooo succ'inb annually 10 .he
Hgors 81 our summers.
Then there is the .,b,,e" ,ytoea
hedgehog is the home team This ma.
starts MS .prins With tho exodus OF
me Gibbs for the south ana cradunlly.
sheds garment after garment as thev
work North, till tomorrow he vii an
pear on his way TO the opening game
"i'hout any overcoat, POSSIBLY With
ms coat unbuttoncd, but always show
Ing sly symmetrical stogics, which re-
tail at half-doxen Tor a quarter. and
VIII swear by all that he holds sacred
mat summer is here.
Compares New with ola.
sun another victim OF that uixzl,nr-
hlsease, "fanitis.' IS the hoarv oc-
toSenarian, who joStics YOU on tho car.
pess your pardon in uuaverinE tones.
ana stra!Ehlway launches into a d.s-
sertation regarding the relative merits
OF the teams OF ycsicryear and those
OF to-day. This ancient bug" usually
remembers the day the game, was ~ .
vented fa,niliarly calls by nans No
man who tlrst' improved horschido BIZ
surrounding ball with IT, ana will,
II properly approached, permit YOU 10
feel his Oiceps. and pull that Sinba n
stuli about the time l!c used 10 bounce
the pill off the back fence with such
regularity that they had to shift Il a
f-milc.
Then too, there is the family man
VIC once bound. hard working married
~. 'oh, "hose ohiS acquaintance With
the game is through the ncwspapcr
reports. The man who Will look visit
iully out OF the office window. hands
IN pockets. and pen. behind car and
wonder how the games goin'." Tho
man who Will go home to his family,
bail in his quota OF fodder, and losc
himself IN the sporting page. intil
Drought To life by his better half, who
demands TO know what he sees IN
that old baseball anyway, ana ~
VIII then retire for the nigh, ana
dream Of The happy days when 80
cents wasn't such great anoun,
ana he could occasionally kin n ,c,a !
tive and see Il game.
but aside from all these Queer Kinks
ana turns OF human nature that tr1
season VIII disclose, there is the vast
nIny OF fans" not bugs" YOU n
dcrstand--:i bug" is parasite .
,.ai.'ac' aha q pest, but "fans"--m
women and children. rich. welI-to-do
and poor--wiio. at work or at ,l;y
AWAKE or asleep, at home or harvest
cat. sleep. think and talk live bnsc.
ball '"'r
the fans whose money contribute ~
10 the life or baseball. whose iutercs,
MAKES II profitable and whose allcgi
ahcc to the hum team creates thnt
spirit Of rivalry without which ,nnnfr
ana interest would be Of no nva;,-2
these arc the people 10 whom tbe
announcement that the MIA ;oi. Ieagu,
season opens tomorrow means The
most.
Where Teams Play.
The opening Of tho season presents
the worlds champion Athletics Al
homo in the Quaker CITY with IN.
reiuvenatcd New York IIighIapdor;
furnishing the competition Conn.,.
Mack has preserved his 1910 combine.
ton. and also has secured several rc.
cruits who show promise of develop
ing into lively ball-tosscrs. The team
will be stronger Than the band that
copped tho big series, as 'Rube'' old.
ring, who was laid up al the time
Will be back in centre field. The
greatest change in the appearance Of
the Yankees is caused by the acuu-
Sition Of Roy HartZcll from the st
Louis Browns, and lie is down 10 play
short Tomorrow unless Chase makes
another of his famed eleventh. hour
changes Of mind.
The Cubs, practically new team
SO far as the nicld is concerned. and
with half dozen new ningars. will
face Roger Brcsnahan's ST Lo,tis Car
dinals, who will invade Chicago with
brighter prospects than at any Zine
during tho last five years. Chance
himself, although in trim 10 play al
top speed. will likely delegate him,
self to the job Of bench occupant while