Evening journal., 1916-04-05
pacific =LEAGUERS
OPEN BALL Season
Double A Circuit BlazeS
Way for Big Year on
the Diamond
MANY FAMILIAR
MEN AS MANAGERS

AS usual. the Pacific Coast League
mas the honor OF leading the grand
march in the pennant ball festivities
yesterday, being inaugural day
for the great Glass double-A circuit.
The mild applause which greeted the
efforts of the athletes in the curtain
raisers OF the training season swelled
into a roar along the Western Coast
and. gaining in volume, spread East
ward until the raucous shrieks OF the
trenzied fans met and mingled with
the booming OF the Atlantic's surf
Eight days after the Coasters have
started the ball rolling, the we'll
known American League of Mr.. Byron
Bancroft Johnson. and the equally no
iorious National League or the Hon.
John Kinley Tener. will. weather per-
hitting. initiate their 1916 flag chases.
April "a will see the Southern League
clans in motion. and the eighteenth is
the date set for the American Assoca-
ions getaway. From then on the
baseball pot viii boil merrily. Many
new minor leagues have been launch
ed. and scores Of cities that disap-
Deared from the professional baseball
nap in the disastrous years OF 1914
and 1915, will again be in evidence.
Wilmington is included
Reverting 10 the Pacific Coast
League. there is every indication that
is seventeenth annual championship
race will be under the most auspicious
auguries, If you know what that
means. The substitution Of Salt Lake
City for Sacramento. last year. while
viewed with misgivings by some.
proved TO be a happy solution OF a
sexing problem. Salt Lake gave the
Bees more liberal support last year
han was accorded 10 any other club
IN the circuit by the home fans. pop
ilation considered New broom. 4"
some of the knockers in other cities
have been saying. but Sour grapes"
is likely more pat. Cliff Blankenship
s again the leader Of the Salt Lake
club. which finished second last year.
The San Francisco Seals, last years
champs. arc again under the guild
ance OF Harry Wolverton. the form
er pilot OF the New York Yankees.
The Portland Beavers, led by Walter
McCredie. look good for a comeback.
After winning four pennants in the
i've preceding years. the Beavers
landed in the cellar in 1915. Rowdy
Elliott is the chieftain OF the Oakland
Oaks. and it is rumored that he is
engaged in a dark. deep conspiracy
to bring about a repetition of the
gladsome season OF 1912. when the
Oaks grabbed the bunting.
In the South both the Los Angeles
and Vernon clubs are under new lead
srship. Frank Chance. whose name
has strangely familiar ring. has
been engaged as the pilot of the An
gelic choir. The Seraphs haven't won
a pennant since 190S.and the fans OF
Climateria are placing lot OF conf
dence in the genius Of the former
Peerless Leader OF the Cubs and not
quite so peerless pilot of the Yanks
The new manager Of the Vernon Ben.
gals is Ham Patterson. and the Tiger
rooters are hoping that he is the Han
what am. Patterson has played bal
in Omaha. Crookston, Mimi; Oska
ioosa. Ia. and other places, and ono,
played few games with the ST. Louis
Browns. He began his managerial
career ten years ago in Oskaloosa. In
1908 he piloted the Pueblo Western
League club. and the following year
he was butted about by st. Louis and
Pittsburgh in the majors. finally land
ing with Chattanooga in the Southern
Leasue, and was sold to Nashville. In