Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-14
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,
Bv Frank G. Menke.

1EW 4Ohh, April l4-W nile
v something like $4,000 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 Cavorting
on the various greens in regular fash
ion.
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
seemed certain long before the game
began that many of the late-coming
FAIRS would be turned away because of
lack Of room for their accommodation.
~ the National League the Giants
were billed to open at Philadel-
"a, the Boston Braves displayed
'eir wares in Brooklyn. the Pirates
'"ora to meet in head-o collision
\ the Cardinals in the Missouri
aud the Cubs tackled Charley
2os's Reds in the Redleg town.
he world champion Athletics
ned with the Yankees at the Polo
e ounds. the Senators grapped with
Red SOX in the Hub City, the
rs were billed to open with the
Write SoX in Chicago, and the
PrownS and Tigers were scheduled to
settle their first argument of the sea
son in the Michigan City.
There was considerable speculation
as to the outcome of the Phil
lie battle. The two were bitter enc
mics last year, and seemed for a time
about evenly matched. But this year
the Phillies, raided 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 IS strong as we
were last year and well furnish a
few surprises
THE Yankee lineup for the opening
4 game this year and the 1913
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 sicking 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.
nyav q G
the dark horses in the National
League battle, sized up to-day as one
Of the best aggregations that ever
fought under the Braves banners.
The addition of the peppery Evers
has added about 20 per cent to the
strength of the team, and with the
pitching staff in good shape, It looked
to-day az il the Braves would blow
themselves to a nice little start and
that they would furnish trouble all
the way,
THE Senators looked mighty good
l when they lined up for battle
to-day. With Johnson still In his old
form, with two Of Grifflths young
twiriers giving promise of being able
to help out the Speed King, and with
the outtield and infeld intact, the
bows from Washington look like for
midabe foes.
The Maps didn't look overly husky
to-day when they appeared for their
first clash OF the season. or course
the smuggling pair, Jackson and La
toie. were among those present and
with batting orbs undimmed, but the
loss Of Falkenberg. the Maps pitch
ing mainstay last season. and the tact
that Chapman, the shortstop who
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.