The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-17
M'CRAWMEN HOLD
DODGERS AT BAY
Open 1918 Season in Nation
al With Ga Win Over
Col. Ebbet's Clan.

New York yesterday. Again a major
league inaugural at the Polo Grounds
found America in the throes of the
world struggle, but with all the in
tensity of New York's participation in
the task of downing the Hun it's mo-
bility of spirit sent 10000 to see the
Giants and the Superbas start the Ma
tional League campaign. Contrary to
its customary behavior on opening
days the New York club came through
with the bigger end of the score by
to 4, and at least in New York it
stands this morning where it finished
in the league last autumn.
1t was war inaugural, but a more
brilliant one than ever before. Where
in the days of yore only the players
had paraded in senseless mummery of
pennant raising and the like men in
the service lent their concerted step
and the color and the glory of their
uniforms to the occasion. 1t was not
merely to grace the game that they
were there, nor yet to stir enthusiasm
in the sport, but to- remind New York
in the midst of its baseball dedication
that outside the gates the war-Lib-
erty bonds, thrift stamps-awaited
them just the same.
For once the weather man behaved
like a perfect gentleman, and with
real summer weather-the best dish
ed out for Manhattan baseball OPEN
ing since the island was purchased
from the Indians conditions for ush-
ering the new born season were ideal.
~ c l.
cum and as many Naval Reserves
from Pelham Bay station, each de-
| tachment accompanied by a band,
paraded round the, field. When the
parade reached the home plate the
| Giants and Dodgers fell in behind the
Fort Slocum band, after which the
| column swung out to center field,
where Managers McGraw and Robin
son hauled Old Glory to the top of
the fiagpole, while the service bands
| played the national anthem.
In place of the mayor tossing out
the first ball, Major-Gen. William A.
Mann, commander of the Department
of the East, looked after this detail
| of the program. The general sat di-
rectly behind the Giant dugout.
The Liberty Loan drive was pushed
| hard before, after and during the
game. Lieut.. Marty McHale of the
22nd Engineers, led one drive, and
Gus Edwards and his beauty chorus,
| looked after another one. In the fifth
inning the genial Gus sang Good Bye,
Laddie Boy" which some of his beau
ties illustrated by holding hands with
several lucky Scotch HighIanders
who were sitting by. Divers fans
without sentiment did not seem to
care much about the daylight spoon
ing and tried to drown out Gus voice
with cries to play ball.
After the game Liberty Loan ora
lions were held at the home plate. A
real Indian, in full regalia, seconded
everything the speaker had to say with
an ugh The first one to buy a
pond from the orator was the five
year-old son of a captain serving in
France. The kiddie voted for Benny
Kauff as his most popular player.
But after all the games the thing
! Our old friend, Reuben Vanguard
tried to do little pitching for Uncle
| Robby, but the Giants were so glad tt
see RUDE that every player who wen
to bat greeted the former Giant with
a smashing bingle. After RUDE haC
been smashed for four clean hits, and
no relief seemed in sight, Robinson
told him he had done a days worF
and called Cheney to the rescue. Only
one was out at the time, and by the
time Cheney got the side out three
Giant runs were scored. That gave
the National champions quite a nift.
start. Brooklyn fought hard to over
come this lead, but the first innin!
handicap was too big. Then Brook
Ign had a Wheatless day. lack Whea
was missing from the Brooklyn BATH
array, and several times his big ba
might have strlHal telling blows il
Ebbet's behalf. Cheney pitched wei
for the Dodgers, but he was lifted il
the fourth so Mitchell could bat TO
him, when Brooklyn had the tyin;
run on second base. Burleigh Grimes
the new pitcher obtained from Pitts
burg in the Cutshaw-S tengel deal
was the third Dodger finger who triet
to stop the Giants. He got off to
bad start, but after Burleigh got hi
; bearings, he did well. Grimes per
mitted only three hits in five innings
Jeff Tesreau had the honor of draw
, ing the opening day pitching assign
ment for the Giants. Despite tn
great form the Missourian appeare
to be in while the team was in tn
South, Jeff was given quite a drub
bling by. the Dodgers. He was bette
{ out of the picture in the fourth in
ming. Seven hits were combed GU
| of
, removed him, with none out in tn
fourth inning.
Fred Anderson, who relieved tn
> Ozark mountaineer, did spIendi
. work, and with Pep Young is entitle
: to most of the laurel wreaths for tn
E ! Giant victory. Fred's splitter was jus
/ as mysterious to the Dodgers as it ha
= been to the Cleveland Indians, and h
: permitted only two hits in six in
= nings, and furthermore gave no base
on balls.
v Ross Young, the new Giant right
= fielder lived up to all of his pres
l notices. The brilliant Texan yout
s opened the game with a single in tn
first inning, drove in a run wit
another fierce single in the fourth
: and in the seventh inning Hi Myer
deprived him of a sure triple an
e possible homer by great runnin
: catch in deep left centre, the res
' fielding classic of the game. A
$ Young is a right field hitter, it wa
3 by luck more than anything else tina
s Myers played in left centre for him.
S Larry Doyle also had a splendi
o day to start off with. He got tw
/, singles and a sacrifice fly in fou
8 times up.
r Outside of the Myers play ther