Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-15
"PLAY BALL"
UMPIRE CALLS
Eastern Teams Of American League
Get Started Today: Other
Mines Go Tomorrow.

Even with the Germans pushing in
their supreme effort over there, it is
worthy of mention that the time has just
about come for the big-league baseball
season TO do it's annual bow to fandom,
and embark on another season. the sad
dest the old game has yet known, but
nevertheless a l5i-gamc twin penant
race, eliminating probably in the custom
ary annual classic. the Worlds Series,
Today stages the first two games of
the season. Tomorrow tho remaining II
teams will swing into action, and II IS to-
morrow that the Philadelphia curtain rises
on baseball as public institution, with the
Phils and the Boston Braves clashing In
mortal afray.
Both these teams have been blasted by
war and trades, but q lively interest seems
to he afoot locally in the persons of the
new members Of the Phil caravan, Fitz-
gerald and MeuScl from the Coast League,
Mule" Watson from the St. Louis Cards.
and Prendergast and DIlhoelcr trying
10 fill the Alcxander-killefer footgear.
II will take lots OF sunshine TO get
the Phil field in shape for the opening.
SATURDAY. morning there was thick tlan-
ket of snow investing the scenery. THIS
afternoon Manager Moran has booked 4
practice for his men. in case the field
Is in anything like solid condition.
Today games are between the Eastern
teams OF the American League. The Ath-
lcticS left last night for Boston where they
will help the Boston Rel Sox arouse
the New England popuiace. The other
contest brings together Miller HugGns
J ankecS and the Senatorial satellites OF
Clark Griffith, the old fox Both these
q l. Il IL,
strong on the defense The bout is booked
for the Capital City.
The drafting OF Alexander Is generally
considered to have removed the biggest
obstacle in the path of the Giants a. they
proudly and loudly proceed toward the
1918 pennant. Mattvs Cincinnati bunch
was supposed 10 he strong enough to
create some disturbance hut the way
they were trounsed time after time by the
Detroit Tigers in the ante-seasOn conflicts
sort OF knocks this dope on the head
Al the same time II gives followers OF
the Jenn.nesites lot TO talk about, and
the Detroiters are nov being mentioned
in the same breath with the two colors
OF Sox that are generally considered &c
he the class of the Pan Johnson circuit.
PENNANT WINNERS DuPED To REPEAT
AL the dopcsters unite IN d v4r ing the
pennaE.s Ia tho SAM teams thar Wou
them l4st wear. " hich does not make The
season loom UP as attractive a. Il would
to were tn re other strong contendcra II
the field About the best you can sax ol
the situation is that baseball i yer,
uncertain proposition and that when yoI
ieast expect Il some team bobs up and
turns ell the prediction. upside down
Locally there wouldn't be much inter.
est IN the season if all local fandoH
agreed with the out-Of-toWn sporting
thinkers. They award last place 10 the
4 : almost unanimously, and most oi
them figure the Phils about 6-7-S The
a are an untried machine. but the
Pills, even without their peerless bat
terry, look lot better than eighth.
Any team that has Cravath Whitted
bancroft and stock around is not going
to be any bush league affair, especially
with Joe Oeschgcr safely immured from
the war by reason Of his marital stale
and a couple Of other pitchers from
whom some claas can be expected not.
ably Mule" Watson, one OF the most
promising young pitchers that has come
nto the league IN recent years.
The Phiis viii miss Kilhfer, Alexander
and Rixey very severely, but all the other
10 the Phis looks like very shortsightec
representation. remembering Whittec
and Stock and Cravatb and Ludcrlls anC
bancroft and Oeschger, 10 say nothing o
the possibilities in McGafigan Meusel
Fitzgerald, Dixie Davis and the rest o
them