Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-05

Omaha will observe Opening Day
sad Military Day simultaneously
i Wednesday when the Rourkes usher in
s,the 1918 Western league season on
the home lot.
Although earlier in the spring Pa
Rourke planned to make opening day
notable event, he has concluded a
plan OF simple ceremonies will be
best.
All OF the soldiers at Fort Omaha
and Fort Crook will be guests oi
Rourke at the opening game. This
applies to officers and enlisted men
and Rourke has urged the COM
raanders OF the two local posts to
rive as many of their soldiers as pos
sihle chance to attend the first game
OF the season.
Real music will be crowded by the
4lst infantry military band from Fort
rook.
Dickerson Here.
Emerson Dickcrson, president OF
the Western league, has promised to
attend the. opening game here to
see what Omaha can do in the way
of supporting its ball club.
Omaha again will make BID to
4 capture the Arthur Capper cup, pre-
ssnted by the governor OF Kansas to
4 the club recording the highest paid
on opening day.
The first year the Capper cup was
4 offered, f916. Omaha won the trophy
hands down with an attendance OF
more than 5000. Last year, how
ever, Wichita stole march on the
N Gate City, when the weather man un-
looseda blast that cut the Omaha at
attendance down to less than 1000.
This season., however, Omaha has
.kn excellent chance to win the trophy
again The Chamber Of Commerce,
Rotary club and other civic Or
xanizations are boosting the even,
and many business houses will give
their employees the freedom o. the
afternoon 50 they may attend the
game.
Deserve Support.
The Rourkes this year deserve the
support OF the Gate City fans. In the
face Of the many obstacles which con-
iront the base ball magnate in these
times of trouble and strife, Pa Rourke
has assembled nifty ball club. Only
Qnc team in the last decade looked
any better at the start Of the year than
the present aggregation. That was
the championship team of 1916 which
nciudcd such players as Ernie
I Kruger, Peterkin Kilduff, now in ths
majors - Lou North. Ray Miller
Marty Krug and Cy Forsythe.
But the 1918 team appears to be I
real team. Ii looks like a-team thai
would put up a stiff fight in Class 4
iii times OF peace and such a team il
little short Of . gem in times Of war
One veteran Omaha fan who has seer
many Rourkes come and 60 il, hi
sltime, remarked the other day aftel
scanning the lineups of the eigh
teams Of the Western league: IF !
swas a certainty Roufke could hole
every one ofsthe present players fol
the entire season, | would be willing
to bet even money Omaha finishes
one-two."
That is the only problem that face:
Rourke, the element of uncertainty O
retaining his players. The war ma,
riddle his team at any time. But al
sbase ball magnates face the sam,
problem.
A new manager will lead tn,
Rourkes into battle Wednesday. Fl,
is Bill Jackson, late of Peoria. Jack
son plays first base as well as man
ages the club, and he is considerable
FIRST sacker. Ec formerly played witt
Seattle and when the Federal league
VAS organized he jumped from th'
coast to the Chicago Feds, where h,
made an enviablc record. When th,
Feds were taken over by organize,
ball, Joe Tinker, for Voom Jackson
played at Chicago, sent Bill to Peori;
20 manage that club. in which Tinke
owned stock. Jackson won two pen
Y siarts for Peoria in the Three-I league
Then last year when the Three-l avi
ated, Jackson took his Peoria team
into the Central league. They ac
ccpted place almost at the bottom 0
the standing of the teams in orde
5. TO get into the. league. And they al
dinost set the loop on FIRE. Had tn
season been little longer Peori;
probably would have won anothe
81 pennart.
Of Fighting Type.
Jackson is a manager of the fight
ing type. He isn't a rowdy ball playe
'or anything like that, but he has tn
knack Of instiIiing the spirit of tn
eame into his men. A team led b
jackson can be depended upon I!
icrap, even though fighting agains
seemingly too great odds. And that
what the fans like to see.
On paper the Rourke out6eld an
{n6eld seem to be easily the class 0
fhe league with such stars as DEBATE
Donican, Manford, Bashang, Holder
nan, Callahan, Nye and Jackson him
telf The catching, department, Pratt
1. 4 veteran, and Ling1e. recruit, shoul
fo1d its own. The fate of the Rourke
hangs on the pitching staff. OF til
zix pitchers, only two. Merz an
oofe, are veterans. If the othe
S IIo1|f. the youngsters, prove winners
or If only two of them prove wir
xxlexsthe Rourkes have more than
5xhting chance for the Wester
league pennaft.
Sioux City will be Omaha's oppe
0ent "Wednesday.