Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-03-23
Courthouse, Banks and Busi- ness Houses Will Close
 This Afternoon.
CINCINNATI COMING
 TO PLAY COLUMBUS
rhristy MathewsOn and His Squad Will Clash at Athletic Field Against Joe Tinker and His Buncll-FaSt
 Game Is Anticipated.

Christy Mathewson and a big squad from his Cincinnati National league club, will be here this forenoon, from Little Rock, for the big game this aft ernoon at Athletic field against Joe Tinker's Columbus club of the Ameri- can association.
 Mathewson will put on the field the line up with which he expects to open the National league season, although during the game it is expected some of the most promising recruits will be given a chance to show what they can do in the heat of battle.
 Tinker will put his best foot fore most, also. He has already announced that Mordecai Brown, one of the best hurlers the game has put forward at any time in it's history, will pitch the first three innings. Others who will pitch will be Kahler and probably Curtis. Coleman and La Longe will do the catching, and the others in the lineup will be Barney, c. f.; Witter, Q. f.; Demmitt, r. f.; McCarty, h.; Johns, 2b.; Tinker, 3b.; Gerber, s. s.
 But for an accident yesterday, in practice, Pitcher Loudermilk would likely be used in the game today Loudermilk, in the course of the days work, was playing leapfrog, when one of his teammates spiked him, cutting the second finger of his right hand, to the bone Dr. Pitt rendered first aid, and announced the tall hurler will be out of commission for repairs, three or four days.
 The game will start at 2:90 o'clock, the early hour being fixed because Mathewson and his squad want to re- turn to Little Rock on the late after noon train The grounds yesterday afternoon were reported in fine con- dition, despite the heavy rain of early yesterday morning, and Manager X Tinker stated that unless there is further rain, the field and diamond will be fit for a mighty battle this aft ernoon. Sand and sawdust have been gathered, for use in generous quanti- ties this morning, if needed to assist in drying out the grounds. If there is no rain, however, the use of these methods will not be necessary.
 To Be Some Holiday.
 This afternoon is going to be some big holiday, the courthouse. all the banks and business houses having an- nounced their intention to close at 2 o'clock, so that the bosses and the employees alike may take their ladies out to see the ball game. And judging from the Indications, the lady folk have been insisting that they shall see the game, just as will the men.
 The chamber of commerce and Mayor Simon Bloom have both offici- ally called upon the business men to thus observe the half holiday, not only to give the employees chance to see world famous baseball stars in action, but also as means of letting the Co., lumbus management know that Pine Bluff appreciates the presence here of the Senators for spring training, and wants to make the visit of the ball players as pleasant and as profitable as can be.
 Banquet Players Tonight.
 All the members of the Columbus party will be guests of honor tonight at a banquet at the Hotel Pines, with the chamber of commerce as host. The affair will begin at z o'clock, and while it will be informal in every re- spect, this is expected to make it even more thoroughly enjoyable than would be a formal affair.
 Early tomorrow morning the Sena- tors will leave for Shreveport. where they play Saturday and Sundayi They will return home Monday morning early, to resume their regular work here Next week, a game with the St. Louis club and second contest with the Little Rock Travellers have been scheduled, following which on Sunday, April 1. the Senators will start their voyage homeward, number of games en route having been scheduled.
 Is Team of Bunters.
 If Christy Mathewson fails to ac- complish anything else in this his first full season as manager. he is al- most certain to give Cincinnati the greatest bunting aggregation that has been seen in the big league for long time.
 And in turning out team of bunt- { CTS Matty is developing the fielding eff ficiency of his pitching staff to the last notch, so that it will be practi- cally impossible for any ball club tc bunt the Reds off their feet.
 Ever since the Reds began their spring training Matty has drilled his whole squad on bunting. His pur- pose is two-fold. He believes his pitch ing staff is going to be strong enough to enable his club to play the one-rur game instead of using slashing at q tack. So he wants every man on his team to be able to lay 'em down.
 He also figures that he can win : few games this season by sending : bunch of men up to the plate in row to hunt until the opposing team goes mp in the air and begins throwing the ball away.
 And while he has been drilling his players on bunting his pitchers have been getting the benefit of practice al fielding bunts, it's going to be hard task this season to beat out bunt which a Red pitcher can handle.