Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-01
PREPARATIONS MADE
FOR OPENING OF YEAR
Band Concert and Parade to Preeede
Game, With Appropriate Exercises at
Ball Park-Mayor Reilly to Pitch
First Ball-Pennant Raising Day to
Come Later.

tional necessity. the Marshalltown
Baseball Association. desires to do it.
bit as an organization. To this end
directors of the association. at q meet
ing Monday afternoon, decided on the
first step toward assisting in the prep
arations for defense.
Thursday will be more than the first
day Of the baseball season-it will be
Red Cross day as well. Ten per cent
of the opening days receipts will be
given the local chapter OF the Red
Cross to carry forward its work.
That the chapter may realize a suo-
stantial sum from the enterprise 1t was
the unanimous decision Of the direc-
tors that a percentage Of the opening
days receipts be appropriated for this
purpose, rather than fixing a special
Red Cross day, when the attendance
possibly would not be so large.
To a lesser degree every fan who
attends the opening will be contribut-
ing to the work of the Red Cross. and
an effort will be made to swell the
opening days attendance that a goodly
sum may be realized for this work.
Program For Opening Day.
Wishing to concentrate their efforts
on the Red Cross project the direc-
tors determined on a curtailment In
festivities preceding the game. No
special effort will be made in staging
an elaborate parade, but the Marshall
town and Cedar Rapids players will
march to the grounds, headed by Uncle
Sam and his aides and the band.
A band concert will be given on the
court house square at l o'clock, fol-
lowed by the march to the fair grounds.
The line Of march will be from Main
and Second streets to the grounds.
leaving Second street at LAS.
Following a halt hour OF batting and
fielding practice. Mayor S. H. Reilly
will pitch the first ball.
The opening ceremonies will take on
a patriotic color. and the stars and
stripes will be flung to the breeze from
the pennant stan prior to the game.
Pennant Raising Later.
No definite date has been fixed for
pennant day, but the raising of the
championship emblem will be the oc-
casion for a celebration in the near
future, possibly when one Of the new
members Of the observation-disclosures
or Dubuque-comes here for it's first
series Of games.
1t was announced this morning that
the public schools will be closed early
Thursday afternoon for the game.
Revised Schedule Ready.
President Ford has prepared a sched-
ule for the first nine days OF the sea-
son to be followed until the season
schedule is ready for adoption. The
temporary schedule follows:
May g. and Cedar Rapids at
Marshalltown; Clinton at Waterloo;
Dubuque at Fort Dodge; Lacrosse at
Mason City.
May s, and s-Clinton at Marshall
town; Cedar Rapids at Waterloo; Du-
buque at Mason City; Lacrosse at
Fort Dodge.
May 9, 10 and 11-Marshalltown at
Dubuque; Mason City at Cedar Rap
ids; Fort Dodge at Clinton; Waterloo
at Lacrosse.
Time Of Games Unchanged.
The opening game. Thursday, May
3, will be called at o'clock but there
after the opening hour will be the same
as last year, week day games. with
the exception of Saturday, starting at
$50. and Saturday and Sunday games
at o'clock.
Tuesdays and Fridays will be ladies'
free days as heretofore.
All Clubs Stronger Than Last Year.
Ante-season predictions place at
least six Of the clubs on an equal
footing with all clubs rated as higher
class than last year. All clubs are ad-
nn!ttedly stronger than In 1915, due
largely to the fact that the weak clubs
Of year ago are in the hands Of more
skillful pilots and the strong clubs OF
1916 have strengthened in anticipation
| OF q faster circuit.
Manager O,Leary. Of Mason City
fresh from the Three-I league. declares
he comes in the Central association
| with the firm conviction that this cir
| cult Is Just as fast or faster than the
Three-I, and he Is not making the
mistake Of other pilots who have come
into this league from higher organiza
tons expecting to find bush-league
baseball teams, but is prepared T.
compete with clubs OF the same elias:
that he has battled with in the oloel
organization.
Local Team Better.
Marshalltown win be represented BY
a better ball club than 1t supported
last year. The infield Is much faster
will field better and excel the 1916 In.
field in hitting.
The outf1eld is less certain, with tn
loss of Murphy being keenly felt. Lee
Beau. unquestionably without peer ii
fielding, will retain his place in lef
field, and Is expected to increase tn
effectiveness Of the outfield this yea
by an Improvement in his hitting. LeiI
in center, Is Of less experience, but !
a fielder os promise and may prove
most valuable acquisition as he gain
experience. His hitting is not expect
ed to rival that Of Murphy's. In tn
right garden Naughton probably vii
open the season. Naughton IL an in
fielder, but has shown himself capa
BILE man in the outer gardens, as we
as being a consistent hitter.
Pitchers More Problematieal.
The pitching staff is more problem
atical, owing to the new materis
Boyle has to work with. Torkelso
and Higgins are known quantities !;
this league. and II they pitch the ba
they pitched last year, their end G
the work will be well cared for.
OF tho newcomers there are sewers
men OF promise. Hissins has bee
showing good form. Mayo, the New
ark lad, has not been under nre, br
in practice he has shown ability
control and in service. Rush, the I'LL
. l,nois boy who came here undertake.,