The Washington herald., 1913-04-14
Nv WILLIAM PEET.

Agitation has already been started in
several quarters for a later date to mark
the opening of the American and Ma
tional League baseball seasons, claim be-
ing made that the weather around April
10 not only raises havoc with the ma
jority of ball players but fans who at
tend contests f1irt with pneumonia.
The 1913 baseball season is but four
days old. and twenty-sevep contests
should have been completed, but only
fourteen games have actually been
played, one of these a special dedication
game prior to the date set for starting
between Brooklyn and Philadelphia.
For Washington, three scheduled
games have been called off in as many
days, two with the New York High
landers and one with the Baltimore
Orioles in the Monumental City.
Stoney McLinn. the baseball writer of
the Philadelphia Press, has decided
views on the subject of a later opening.
He says in his Sunday newspaper:
Some of these days the weather man
and the baseball magnates are going to
get together and try to come to an I'M
derstanding about the spring weather.
1t is absurd for the men who guide the
destinies OF the national pastime to con-
tinue to butt their dollars against rain,
snow, icy winds, and pneumonia weather
generally.
Not being a weather sharp, / cannot
offer a solution. But surely the guy
who presides over the rain and sunshine
bureau should be able to tell us why
April has borrowed days from January
the last two years. If he finds that the
coal dealers are going to continue to
get our money in the month which
should introduce spring fever he would
do baseball a service by tipping off the
magnates and allowing them to fix their
schedule accordingly.
''Of course, rain is likely to happen
along at any time. The baseball mag
nate always CANDLES with Jupiter Plu-
vius. But the cold weather has no
place in April, according to our calcu-
lations. The cotests in Brooklyn and
Philadelphia last week were finished
under conditions which made it a hard
ship upon players and spectators. That
was the general rule in every city where
games were possible.
Baseball players take chances with
their future on the diamond when they
are compelled to play in such beastly
weather.
''Msgnates owe ii to themselves, as
we'll as the players and fans, to make
a study of this question. If the old
a way as to make April like unto JAN
uary, the start of the baseball season
should be delayed. Interest will be
greater May / because the fans have
had to wait. The crowds will be great
er as a consequence and at the end OF
the season the magnate will find his
bank balance just as big.
Bob Groom or Tom Hughes, with the
chances favoring the last named, will
be on the rubber this afternoon in the
opening game of the series against the
Philadelphia Athletics. providing, OF
course that the rain holds off and the
badly flooded ball park can be sponged
TO a semblance of dryness.
It is not known who will do the pitch
ing for the White Elephants, but wise
guess will be the one who happens to
be in the best shape, for Connie MACK
wants to beat the Nationals, and would
rather humble Griffs crowd than any
other ball club in the world.
The Mackmen won two games from
the champion Red Sox in Boston las
week, but were forced to use up three
pitchers in each contest, indicating thai
the Philadelphia twirlers are not in the
best of condition.
The enforced lay-off has not done the
local club any good, but the players are
determined to put a crimp in the White
Elephants pennant aspirations from tn:
start, and the opening series here prom
Uses to be bitterly fought.
Roxey Roach, the peppery youngstel
whom Griff signed from the Internationa
League last season and who was car
ried for a short while, has been made
Captain of the Buffalo club, of the Inter