El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-12

TEW YORK. April 12.-With clear
M and fair weather in seven Of the
l. eight major league cities. the
opening games Of the baseball season
today attracted big attendances. The
American leagues initial contest at
Boston was the only one in either
big league where inclement weather
conditions prevailed.
In the national league. Boston played
at Brooklyn New York at Philadelphia;
Chicago at Cincinnati, and Pittsburg at
St Louis.
Detroit opened at Chicago in the
American league; ST. Louis at Cleve-
land: Philadelphia at Boston, and Wash
ington at New York.
Unusual Interest in Opening.
More than the usual interests CEN
tered in the first contests this season
on account Of the many changes in per-
sonnet Of the teams and ownership OF
the clubs which have taken place since
the winning of the worlds champion
shin by the Boston Red Sox last october
closed the season OF 1915. In the in
term the Federal league abdicated to
organized baseball. and there followed
n general distribution Of the indie
pendent league players among major
and minor circuits of organized base
ball
Following this reconstruction period
new interests bought into the Dig
leagues in Chicago, Cleveland, St LOUIS,
Boston and other points and in some
cases the teams were virtually taken
over with the result that they were Tar
stronger than year ago. All lndlca-
lions point to well-balanced and hard
fought pennant struggles in both the
American and the National leagues.
Big League Stars Back.
number Of former big league stars
who had cast their lot with the FEEDER
ais are again seen on major league dia-
Inonds. In the American league Lee
Nfagee, Germany" Schae1er, Cullop ana
Gedeon are wearing New YORK uni
forms, while Deal. Crandall, Hartley.
Chapman. Plank, Groom and Borton
play for ST. Louis.
The consolidation OF the Chicago Ma
tional and Federal league clubs gave
the Cubs a number Of former Federals'
as was the case in st. Louis, where the
American and Federal organizations
doubled up. Under the management OF
Toe Tinker. the following players are
wearing Chicago National uniforms'
Yerres. Hendrix. Zwilling, Seatons Eel
der, F1ack. Brown and others
Giants Have New Lineup.
The New York Giants show Benny
Kauff. Rousch, Rariden and Anderson
on their roster. Hal Chase, former
American league star, is back in the
big circuit, playing first base for Gin
cinnah
seen in new uniforms. Frank Baker,
former star OF the Athletics. plays third
base for the New York Americans, while
This Speaker. long a member OF the
Boston Red Sox, plays with Cleveland.
Fans Favor Boston Teams.
While there is a vast difference Of
opinion among close followers Of the
game regarding the order in which the
teams will finish the season the two
Boston clubs appear to have the great
est number Of hackers. although the
18th hour sale Of Iris Speaker has not
improved the chances OF the Boston
Americans. In the National league, Bos-
ton, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and New
York are generally picked to finish in
the first division. while in the Ameri-
can league Boston, Chicago, Detroit and
New York are favored to fill first d.
vision positions
in the senior league the Philadelphia
club which won last seasons pennant
starts the 1916 campaign with almost