Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-15
Organized Baseball Lid Will Be
Lifted in Eight Cities This
Afternoon.
GIANTS OPEN WITH PHILLIES
Connie Mack's Athletics to Tackle
Yankees; Senators and Braves
Are Dark Horses,
BY Frank G. Menke.

DN r rank II. MPDke.
rEW YORK, April 14-Whiie
~ something like 175. 900 fanatics
alternately ate peanuts and
shouted their greetings, the major
league clubs of organized baseball
lifted the cover from the 1914 season
and began the business of cavortng
on the various greens in regular fash
ion
1t was gala day for baseball, and
also for the fans. Fandom showed
how eager 1t was to get a glimpse of
the big leaguers in their opening bat
ties Of the season by fighting among
themselves hours before the game
started for choice seats from which to
watch the doings of the athletes
A capacity crowd at each Of the
parks was indicated by the early sale
Of tickets. and in some cities it
seemed certain long before the game
gan that many of the late coming
ans would be turned away because OF
1Cl of room for their accommodation
n the National League the Giants
We're billed to open at Philadei-
ah'4, the Boston Braves displayed
heir wares in Brooklyn. the Pirates
""re to meet in a head-on collision
h the Cardinals in the Missouri
- r. and the Cubs tackled Charley
Harzog's Reds in the Redleg town
The world champion Athletics
onened with the Yankees at the Polo
4 &
F7he Red SoX in the Hub City, the
Maps were billed to open with the
White Sox in Chicago. and the
Browns and Tigers were scheduled to
settle their first argument of the sea-
son in the Michigan city
There was considerab BILE speculation
as to the outcome Of the Giant Phil
lie battle The two were bitter enc
mics last wear, and seemed for a time
about evenly matched. But this year
the Phillies, raided by the Feds, have
sent into action lineup that seemed
somewhat strange to the fans and
which on paper seemed weaker than
last years combination. But Charley
Doom, the red-headed manager, has
come to the fore with the remark
that despite the loss of several OF
our best men, we are as strong g we
were last year, and wen furnish a
few surprises
THE Yankee lineup for the opening
game this year and the 1918
opener was just about as different as
dav and night Only one man out
side of a catcher and three pitchers,
remains of the 1918 Yankee team, and
Chance in sticking his new combina-
ton at the Athletics, was confident
that it would prove a stumbling block
to the Philadelphia boys whose vic
tories over the Yankees last year
greatly aided them in their fight for
the pennsnt,
The Boston Braves, looked upon as
the dark horses in the National
League battle, sized IN to-day as one
Of the best aggregations that ever
fought under the Braves banners.
The addition Of the peppery Evers
has added about 90 per cent 10 the
strength of the team, and with the
pitching staff in good shape, it looked
to -dav a if the Braves would blow.
themselves to A nice little start ana
that they would furnish trouble all
the way.
THE Sena tors looked mighty good
/ when they lined up for battle
to-day. with Johnson still in his Old
form. with two of Grhiths young
twirlers giving promise Of being able
10 help out the Speed King, and with
the outheld and infeld intact me
boys from Washington look Ike Tor
midable foes.
The Maps didn't look overly husky
TODAY when they appeared for their
first clash Of the season. or course
the smuggling pair. Jackson and La
tote were among those present. and
with batting orbs undimmed, but the
loss of Falkenberg. the Maps pitch-
inc mainstay last season and the tact
hat Chapman, the slortstop VINO
broke an ankle some weeks ago, won
be able to get into the game for an
other month, seemed to take away
about 20 per cent Of the clubs normal
strength.