New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-14
PERSONAGES DRAF TED
TO THROW FIRST BALL
Lieut.. Gov. Wagner to DO
the HOnOrS for Yankees
and Athletics.
SUPERBAS FACE BRAVES
Greater New York Most vitality
Affected by Opening. with
Four Games at Stake.
luv HAYWOOD BROUN.I

The big league baseball season Of 1914
bccins to-day. Nobody disputes it. The
only difference of opinion exists as 10
,he particular happening which marks
the beginning Some will date II from
the moment the ticket window flies open
and John X Swasey. OF Perth Amboy, y.
j.. slaps down his IS cents.
For others the season will not he born
until Princes band plays THE River
shannon" as the flag is raised In centre
field at the Polo Grounds. There is merit
in the contention that the opening is in
the hands OF Lieutenant Governor Rob
ert 7. Wagner, who will throw out the
nrst ball.
The batteries for to-day's game" OF
the announcer and the Play ball" Of the
umpire are both epoch making in some
ewes. while for few there is peculiar
significance in the first effort Of the home
pitcher
Many New York fans insist that all the
rest is a mere overture and that Bakers
first home run into the right field stand
is tho official declaration Of hostilities.
But nevertheless the biz league base
ball season of 1914 begins to-day
Lieutenant Governor Wagner Is not
the only parsonage of Importance TO be
drafted for the purpose of hurting out
the first ball Brooklyn will have John
4. Tener, who ranks as Governor in
PENNSYLVANIA and as president in the Ma
,ional League Washington will depend
ou one of its local fans. Woodrow Wilson,
who has a position In the government.
For the most part. first ball pitchers
are not a success. Lacking spring train
iug. their effort is usually misdirected.
President Wilson. Governor Tener and
Lieutenant Governor Wagner were all
baseball players i'm their day. and may
be expected TO rise above the precedent
that the first ball shall never be thrown
within twenty feet of the man for whom
% is intended.
Greater New York is most vitality af-
fcctcd by the opening, as it has four
games at stake. The Yankees open AT
the Polo Grounds against the Athletics,
Brooklyn meets Boston at Ebbets Field,
the Giants play against the Philles in
Philadelphia. and the TIP Tops making
their first official appearance on any dia-
mond, will engage the Pittsfeds in Pitts
burgh.
The Athletics were here on business
last autumn. AZ that time they were
known as the "Mackian Marauders."
This was partly due TO the fondness OF
headline writer's for ALTERATION, but in a
large measure the epthet was deserved.
There is we'll grounded suspicion that
Mack has sought this spring to make the
people Of New York forget his depreda-
tons lie and his men have tried to en-
list sympathy. They have been defeated
by Brooklyn. by Newark and by Jersey
city. IN the box scores OF the games ap-
poared such well known members OF the
worlds champions as Burning, Kopf. Nc
Avoy and Bohcn.
Frank Chance put his mon through a
hard practice at the Polo Grounds early
in the day Heating, Caldwell and Nc
Hale are All ready TO pitch. and the Sc
lection will probably be- made only a
short time before the game, when Chance
\ viii give his tWirlers the "oncc over" or
! the up and down." as the slangers say.
Staliiuss and his Braves practised at
Eobets Field I'm the afternoon. following
the Superbas. who used the diamond In
tie morning. Edward Rculbach. who has
displayed tho greatest consistency OF any
of Robinson pitchers in the early games
win be- I'm the box for Brooklyn. Huh
Purdue, Who opened here with great sue.
cess last year. or Tyler will he the so.
lection Of Stallings.
Down in Philadelphia John McGraw Ia,
either MathcwsOn or Marquard ready t.
send against the Philies The Tip Top,
VIII USE SeatOn or Summers