Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-18

N KAYBE 1t was an omen for the
season. but the 1915 base ball
season has commenced with
- n the brightest skies and warm
est air given TO any start of
recent years. All over the country nature
smiled on the great game and the crowds
that pressed through the gates showed
how much the public still cares for the
sport This very encouraging condition,
after last seasons disastrous close and
the wearisome debates of the winter,
ought to make the magnates perk up and
feel a whole lot better. Much of interest
has been engendered by the changes
made in most of the teams. the fans being
eager to see just how the new order
would work out 1t is too early to de-
termine the outcome yet, but the dope is
not going to be so easy as it looked a
couple of weeks ago. Better contests for
the honors are promised and, conse-
quently. more concern on the part of the
public. This is good for base BALL and
when such conditions prevail. all who
are connected with the sport prosper.
Western league gunners will open fire
next Friday. 1t isn't always a good day
on which to launch a ship-although the
battleship Nebraska was launched on
that day and has since won nearly all
the honors In its olass-but any old day
is a good day to start a base ball sea-
son. It will be short this year. too, not
running away out into the days when
the patrons of the game are thinking of
something else to do. The determination
of the magnates in this regard was wise.
Having been very much shot to pieces,
as usual, during the winter. IT is pretty
hard to tell which team will be out in
front in the. Western during the coming
weeks. That is one of the delights of
having a Class league; as soon as a
club gets together a good bunch of real
players, they are grabbed by the bigger
leagues and the team owner is forced
to go out and get some new ones. So
the Western will be full of strange faces
durin gthe early part of the conflict, and
1t will take at least one round of the
teams to get settled down to anything
like standing on merit.
One thing Is certain, Denver will not
have the big advantage that has been
enjoyed by the Grizzlies of late years.
that of having the Kansas teams for a
long series of games in the mountains
before the valley teams get into shape TO
play. Denver will play eleven games
away from home. with Wichita, Topeka
and Lincoln. before getting back to the
shadow of Pixies peak. This may make
big difference in the final result of
the race. AT any rate. it will prevent a
repetition of last years performance.
when Denver won eleven out of twelve
games at home from the same three
teams the Grizzlies meet first this sea-
son. BY the way. Omaha will not get a
chance to see Denver in action until June
49, when the Grizzlies come. here for their
first series
omaha's pennant prospects are lust
What you want to make them. The team
is IN good condition, at least II has shown
up very well In its preseason work VIM
ming from the White Sox Yannigans
from Kansas City and st. Paul Amerl-
can association team, and from Lincoln
SHOWS 1t Is not devoid Of ability. but the
real test win not come until Il meets
Wichita and Topeka. They are the
Omaha hoodoos. and If we can beat them
the chances for winning from the others
are pretty good. Pa Rourke is confident
he viii make a much better showing than
he has for several seasons.
The California rCnchman who tried TO
umpire a game between rival towns. and
finished by licking a spectator who shot
him twice in protest against a decision,
ought to have little trouble in getting a
JOB In any of the leagues. Men of his
force OF Character are needed in base ball
A Chicago professional made a record
run OF IL In a three-cushion billiard match
during the week. II he ever gets out Of
job as a billiard player. he ought TO
make cracking good hammer-thrower
or freight handler. Such muscular abil-
ity is not given to everyone.
Stecher seems to be popular enough
everywhere but in Omaha Maybe in
time that bunch Of wise ones who went
to Fremont that night will get over their
soreness and then the Dodge champion
will have a chance to show Omaha what
he can do on the mat.
Jess willard is said to be bearing his
new honors with all becoming modesty;
he also knows that they are now his
meal ticket, and he isn't taking any
chances in not getting all he can in the
way Of ready cash
Jack johnson is just now getting a full
taste Of the fickleness Of the mob. No,
he is not going any place. but nobody
seems 70 care a continental whether he
goes or stays, save the officers OF the
court.
One thing has developed IN connection
with the Omaha team so far; almost any
Of the regulars Is likely 20 break the
fence at any time. They can all hit, and
that is what really wins bali games
Il is pleasing to note that Bert Me
hoff went into Philadelphia and did lust