The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-04-08
FIVE LEAGUES OPEN
SEASON THIS WEEK.
shskeup In Big Leagues Finds Seven
New Manager on the JOB
This Season.
Five Of the Changes Are In the Amer
lean lessue-cineinnati Has An
umpire-Mansser.

NEW YORK. April The Ameri-
can and National leagues, the Ameri.
can Association and the Cotton States
and Southern leagues start the base
ball season this week.
This virtually means the beginning
OF the annual six months period. dur
Ing which this year more than 300
recognized clubs OF professional
players will battle in almost as many
cities throughout the country for pen.
nant honors in nearly two score or
ganized leagues.
In the west. the Pacific Coast league
has stolen its usual march on the
other baseball sections by already
getting into the game" but by We'd
nesday the fans" OF the middle west
VIII start roofing for their favorites
In the American Association circuit,
ana on Thursday, the opening day,
enthusiasm will have spread to the
Atlantic coast reaching a climax in
eight OF the major league cities.
In quick order follow all of the
minors long list OF them-until by
the first OF June all of the forces
which organized baseball can COM
mand. will be in the field for a season
which is hailed in all quarters as
promising a greater and broader de-
yelopment OF the national game than
ever.
Big Shakeup.
Although the big leagues retain
most OF the veteran players and the
younger idols OF last season. the
chapge in arrangements which seven
OF the clubs undergo this year is the
greatest shakeup OF the kind within
memory. The American league has
hve such changes. Clark Griffith has
left Cincinnati and taken charge OF
the Washington team: Harry Wolver-
ton has come from the Pacific coast
to put new life into the New York
Highlanders. Jake Stahl the Boston
American first baseman, has come
back after years retirement to man.
age the team: Harry Davis, the Phil
adelphia Athletics famous first
sacker. has gone 70 Cleveland TO run
the club. and the Chicago White
Sox are to be generated by Jimmy
callahan, the old timer. whose come
back last year surprised the fans.
In the National league there are
TWO changes in management Johnny |
King, the former star catcher of the !
chicago Cubs, is promoted to the |
management OF Boston after a sea- |
sons work behind the bat there. In !
Cincinnati there will be the novelty |
OF an umpire turning manager, as !
Hank O'Day, a National league arbi- |
traitor for years. has undertaken 10 |
lead the Reds.
Lynch is Optimistic.
President Thomas J. Lynch, of the
National league. Is very optimistic
about the coming season.
Il look for the best season the Ma
tional league has ever enjoyed" he
said. With so many OF the clubs
strengthened. is should be a keen
race. New York. Chicago. Philadel.
phia and Pittsburgh are sure TO have
close competition among themselves
and this season Brooklyn. Cincinnati.
Boston and St Louis look much
stronger than last year. And the
more teams that figure strongly in
the race the better the season will
be"
Ban Johnson. president OF the
American league. is quoted I'm
similar vein on the prospects OF the
junior organization. He predicted
that instead OF there being two prom
inent contenders i'm the pennant race
a. was the case last season. there
would be five or six in a close race
this year.