The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-24
A Record CrouOd Expected at
Ton1orouU's Opening Game Here
ALL PLANS MADE
Big Parade, Starting at 1880,
viii Precede Game.
Capacity of Park May Be Taxed
by the Crowd.

Tomorrow will be TOpeka's
big baseball day. Tomorrow aft
ernoOn the Savages will open
their 1915 season here with Dem
yer and the better part of the city
Is expected to be at the ball park
by 3 O'Clock.
The opening of the season here has
always been a banner baseball day,
and Topeka. even when she had her
worst teams. and when enthusiasm
was at its lowest ebb, has always
turned out well for the opening game
But this year-tomorrow-u all
indications prove deceptive, the big
gest national pastiIne crowd ever
known here will be on hand to watch
the team that defeated st. Joe three
out Of four games match strength
with the strong Denver aggregation.
1t has always been the custom here
to make the opening of the season a
gala day and holiday occasion. and the
first local game Of the Western league
season has always been one of To-
peka's few sport holidays
Matter of Civic Pride.
But tomorroW's opener is to be
more than a gala occasion and a
holiday. The civic pride of the
city has been aroused and every
loyal Topekan has made up his
larger cities in the league, none
shall boast a bigger opening at
tendance.
Keen rivalry for the honor of having
the largest opening day crowd among
all the cities of the league has devel-
oped this season along with other re-
newed baseball enthusiasm and it Is
generally conceded that the place that
does have the best paid attendance
will be acclaimed the most wide awake
and most progressive baseball center
in the league.
The local effort to win this honor
has carried the campaign for a record
opening crowd tomorrow beyond the
furthest outskirts of local fandom,
and many Topekans who have never
attended games have made their plans
10 go out tomorrow afternoon merely
that they may assist in placing their
city at the head of the list.
Four Cities Out.
It is true the four cities that had
their openings last week did not have
large attendances, but this was due
entirely to weather conditions. In st.
Joe practically every business house
closed for the game, but the day was
so cold and wet that many were
afraid to venture out. The total St
Joe attendance was only S23. In Den
yer and Des Moines conditions were
no better, but both of these places had
NA0NNAo VI dbOuL 1.uNus ana Lincoln,
on the following day. which was also
cold. there We're 4,525 paid admissions
at the park.
But the other three towns that
open simultaneously with Topeka
tomorrow are those that will
make the civic pride race a hot
one. Especially in Wichita and
Omaha are they out for the at
tendance record at any cost.
Willard at Wichita.
In Wichita, which is already con-
coded to be one of the best baseball
towns in the league, an added attrac-
ton is offered that may be expected
to boost the att ndance greatly. This
added attraction is the opening stunt
that will be participated in by jess
Willard and Frank Gotch. Willard
as the heavyweight champion of the
world, and Gotch. the greatest wrestler
OF his age, are the two foremost in
dividuals in the sport world today
and the mere fact that they will get
a chance to see them will attract hun
dreds to the Wichita game.
Omaha has the greatest chance OF
winning the opening day honor be-
cause of the activity of her live Ro-
tary club The Omaha Rotarians
have purchased more than 5000 tick
cts to their first game and all of these
are to be distributed among the
Omaha school children.
It will readily be seen that if
Topeka Is to be the leading city
Of the league. IL will require an
attendance larger than was ever
before known here. But IL is
f"neiy predicted that such crowd