The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-14
Thousands Yell Themselves
Hoarse At Opening Games
Between Teams of Organ
lied BaseballdOm.
YANKEES LOOK GOOD
Strengthened by Addition of
Evers, Boston Braves Pre-
sent Strongest Lineup in
Clubs History.
BY FRANK G. MENkE.

NEW YORK, April 14.-While
something like $4,000 fanatics alter
nately 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 cavorting on the various
green's in regular fashion.
1t was a gala day for baseball and
also for the fans. Fandom showed
how eager it was to get 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 seem
ed certain long before the game be-
gan that many of the late coming fans
would be turned away because of lack
of room for their accommodation.
Opening Games.
In the National league the Giants
we're billed to open at Philadelphia,
the Boston Braves displayed their
wares in Brooklyn, the Pirates were
to meet in a head-on collision with the
Cardinals in the Missouri city, and the
Cubs tackled Charley Herzogs Reds
in the Redleg town.
The world champion Athletics open
ed with the Yankees at the Polo
grounds, the Senators grappled with
the 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 season in the
Michigan City.
There was considerable speculation
"a s0f he Cior
battle. The two were bitter enemies
last year, and seemed for time about
evenly matched. But this year the
Phillies, rafded by the Feds, have sent
into action a 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 as we
were last year, and We'll furnish
few surprises"
Lineup Shows Change.
The Yankee lineup for the opening
game this year and the 1913 opener
was just about as different as day and
night Only one man outside catch
er and three pitchers remains Of the
1913 Yankee team, and Chance WAS
confident that it would prove a STUN
bling block to the Philadelphia boys,
whose victories over the Yankees last
year greatly aided them in their fight
for the pennant.
The Boston Braves, looked upon as
the dark horses in the National lea
que battle, sized up today as one of
the best aggregations that ever fought
under the Braves banner The addi-
ton OF the peppery Evers has added
about twenty per cent to the strength
of the team, and with the pitching
staff in good shape, it looked today as
if the Braves would blow" them
selves to nice little start and that
they would furnish trouble all the
way.
The Senators looked mighty good
when they lined up for battle today.
With Johnson still in his old form,
with two of Griffith's young twirlers
giving promise Of being able to help
out the Speed King, and with the out
field and infield intact, the boys from
Washington look like formidable foes
The Maps didn't look overly husky
today when they prepared for their
first clash Of the season. OF course,
the smuggling pair, Jackson and Lajoie
were among those present. and with
batting orbs undimmed, but the loss
of Falkenberg, the Naps' pitching
mainstay last season, and the fact
that Chapman, the shortstop, who
broke An ankle some weeks ago, won't
be able to get into the game for an
other month, seemed to take away
about twenty per cent ~ the clubs
normal strength.