The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-23
MAJOR
READY TO USHER
+ IN SEASON
Chicks, Crackers, Pehcans,
Vols, Travellers, Lookouts,
Bears and Barons AL Set.
BY BOB RleuE.

BY BOB PlGUE.
D. i !. !. !. !. !. !: !" 4 !. !: !: !: !: !. & 4. !. !. ! ! !: :. !. \. !. !. !: !: !. i
- IXIE's MAJOR is ready to
usher in the 1919 baseball
From one end of the
lAE Southern league to the
~ other the glad news comes
that all is In readiness, the
~ teams are PINNED to the
minute. the batteries have
been chosen for IL getaway tomor-
row, which will bring back TO fam
ished fandom the game of games.
Four clubs in the Southern associa-
ton will move today. The Memphis
leaving Memphis tonight at lo;45
O'Clock wei the Rock Island, for the
purpose of meeting Kid Elberfeld and
his Travellers in the curtain raiser in
1Ae Pebble City Thursday. The New
0F4eans Pelicans will invade Mobile.
The Nashville Volunteers will drop
down to tangle with tho Birmingham
Barons, while the Chattanooga Look
outs will be guests Of the Atlanta
Crackers at Ponce de Leon park.
IEvery manager in the league gives
the word that he is ready for the
start, and while there are some few
of the Dixie pilots whose clubs are
not lined up as they had hoped, still
the teams all look formidable and ev-
erything tends toward the greatest race
for the flag in the history Of the asso-
citation.
From one end OF the league to the
other great plans are being formulated
for the opening day games, and every
club in the Dixie major Is counting
on winning the opening day trophy Of
Tered by President John, D. Martin, Of
the Southern. Even the ~so-called small
attendance towns Of the Southern,
Nashville. Chattanooga, Mobile and
Little Rock, will be right up in front
Of the scramble for the cup, and every
possible effort is being made to fill
every available space in all ball yards
Thursday and Friday.
Following the initial getaway m Lit.
tie Rock. Birmingham, Atlanta and
Mobile, the four clubs which went
away from home to open the season
will be accompanied to their own back
yards by the clubs they played on
GpHning day, The Little Rock Tray
aArs will return to Memphis with the
Chicks, the Birmingham Barons will
gsshome with the Nashville Vols, the
Atlanta Crackers will go to Chat
tanooga, while the Mobile Bears will
journey down to New Orleans to meet
the New Orleans Pelicans. Thus will
the league lid be lifted as early as
possible in all cities. This plan has
been followed for several seasons and
is very popular with fandom generally.
Big Opening for Memphis.
The biggest opening in the history
Of the Memphis ball club is planned
for Friday, when the entire town lie
expected to turn out and watch the
Chicks and Travellers get started on
the 1919 campaign in Memphis. L. j.
Moss is chairman of the opening day
committee and is working hard to put
the biggest opening day over that the
4 Tribe has ever known. He Is being
assisted by Billy Hack, who will have
Z chFrge of the parade.
The pageant is going to be partlei-
phted in by every fan in Memphis who
has an automobile, and everybody has
been invited to take part. In addi-
f, ton to the fans in the parade there
will be the Memphis and Little Rock
soldiers and city officials. The Mem
+. phis Associated Amateurs will also take
I part and all clubs in the NJ. A. A.
I have been notified by President Gilbert
. Schloss to get in uniform and be Mt
I the courthouse at 2 o'clock Friday
afternoon, where the parade will form.
! The line of march has not been 5e-
cided upon as yet, but It will be along
Il the principal ~thoroughfares.
4 Mayor Monteverde will toss the first
\ ball, with Maiden. Buck, one of the
heroes of the world war, on the receiv-
Il Ing enc! .Ine STANDS at RuSSWOod are
going to be gaily decked in bunting
LOT all kinds and the bands will be on
l@dAck to furnish harmony throughout
the game, playing between innings.
To Be Half Holiday.
Mayor Monteverde has issued the
i~%SfnIlowing proclamation:
~Whereas, baseball, the national pas
time, Is being resumed all over the
fEUHited States; and
E.Whereas, the Southern league has
~*ionored Memphis by electing one of Its
distinguished citizens president of the
k1eague; and
seawhereas, the league opens its 1915
season Friday, April 25, and 1t is de,
sired that Memphis capture the trophy
offered for the largest attendance OF
the opening day OF the season, l there,
fore declare Friday, April 25, a hall
holiday, starting at l O'Clock pm.
We have just passed through a Ions
lperiod of war, and this week everyone
rs at work on the fifth Liberty loan
and on Friday afternoon we a &C
ID c,Russwood park and celebrate GU
Victories, as we'll as win the attendance
cup for Memphis.
n: l.. MONTENEGRO, Mayor.
& CHAS. B. QUINN, Commissioner
ALFRED D, MASON, Commissioner
C.. w. MILLER, Commissioner