The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-12
American and National Battal-
ions In Blouses March Forth
to Swat the Sphere
TODAY OPENING OF
BASEBALL SEASON
Sixteen Major League Teams
Rest on Their Bats Prepar-
ed for Umpires' Call This
Afternoon

New York, April ll.--Eight leading
cities OF the East and Middle West
States tomorrow afternoon Will turn
their attention to the bawi of as many
blue bloused gentlemen and begin
dividing their attention between I'D
ings OF the chase for Villa, the rumo-
ling of the assaults on Nerdun and the
crash of ash furniture against the
horsehide The baseball season is on!
Sixteen major league clubs are rest
ing on their bats ready for the slgnai
to tear into each other in their an
fnuaI scramble TO get away from the
barrier 10 position Of advantage.
The situation which confronts
dopesters on the popular pastime Is
without doubt. the most puzzing in
years Where a year ago fans sup
porting the various teams were either
looking forward with enthusiasm TO
promising prospects for the coming
season or else were feeding on crow
over the gloomy outlook Of being
forced to trail with a loser. there Is
a strong hunch all along the line now
that almost any club IN either league
NAV keep In the running. spring
squirt in the stretch and drive under
the wire a winner.
Trades In the ranks OF the faithful
and the reclamation of the boys VINO
hurdled from the old corral to cast
their fortunes with the late lamented
Federals have cast strange COM
plexion on the situation No less than
six clubs in the American League
figure to have chance. while four and
goss1blv FIVE must he considered In
'.he calculations In the Nationals
Home Guard In New York.
Here In New York the home guard
called for engagements by TWO pas~
tsltons of the home guard on their
own sreenswards
Colonel william Donovan nsrshais
his Yankee hosts against the sena-
torial OUTFIT from the National Capital
headed nv clark Griffith at the Polo
Grounds. while in BROOKLYN Uncle VIII
hert Robinson IL ready 10 throw his
forces In attack and counter attack
against the invading warriors COM
r,arded nv Marse Gawre Saiiings.
from BOSTON, ,s.
The jnvat flug hosts arrived \ LAST
night and have been encamped
awaiting the call to attack. The
Braves took advantage of the spare
time on their program TODAY To ad-
minister trimming to the Fordham
College nine. while the Senators en-
loved an off day.
The Giants put in frisky afternoon
at New Haven, slipping beating 10
the Yale boys. and departed from that
-rudit city for philadelphia direct
Camped on alien soil for the night
McC;rHws hosts are now primed for
the opener against the league cham
nions
All things considered. IL can hardly
he said, that the assignments handed
out to the three local ba'talions ever
border on the realm of snaps. All
Manager Donovan and his helper will
have 70 do is TO heat Walter Johnson.
which In the face of the news TINT
speed right now, would ordinarily he
considered quite an afternoons bust
ness However, Ross Donovan plans
Ia counter with Slim Caldwell on the
mound, II Caldwell shows the stuF
that he lis known to carry concealed on
his person walter and his playmates
arc due to bump into q lively Amati-
nee.
Richard VIII Bc There,
No less pretentious is the task con-
fronting the Dodgers across the
bridge, Richard Rudolph is slated to
occupy the rife pit for the Gentry
from the Hub. Taken bv and largo
Richard is Just about 'he nestest
bundle Of pitching wares included In
the repertoire of the Braves. Further
more, the addition OF certain other
aiIe Young mon is supposed 10 have