Evening star., 1926-04-13
SH|VERY C|T|zENRY
HES TO BALL PARK
TO WELCOME MATS
Team Getting Warm Send
off in Spite of Chances of
Snow or Rain.
WEATHER TRYING FOR
INCLEMENCY RECORD
Dawes Ready to Mount Mound for
Brief Pitching Career, Then
Season Is On.
The Probable Line.Jp.
Place-Clark Griffith Stadium.

Place-CIark GTiftith Stadium.
Shelving for the nonce the Capitals
business, a goodly part of which con
stitutes also the Nations business.
some 30,000-odd citizens. representa-
tive of all phases of Washington's
life. bundled themselves in woolens
and furs this afternoon and prepared.
snow or no snow, to give the Ma
tionals a warm send-off at Griffith
Stadium in their drive toward third
successive base ball pennant.
This snow problem was not to be
smirked at, either. according to Fore
caster Mitchell. who still insists he
has a close attachment for the ma
tional pastime.
He believes that today's big opening
contest stands a flfty-fifty chance Of
degenerating into a SNOWFALL orgy
before the afternoon has progressed
very far. with Bucky Harris and his
men mushing around in snowshoes.
mayhap, and Vice President Dawes
and the other fans beating one an
other on the back TO keep warm.
IncIemency Record Expected.
Whether it SHOWS, rains or just re
mains cloudy. it was generally con
ceded that the weather probably
would set a record for inclemency
for such an occasion, with the tenn
perature threatening to f1irt within a
few degrees OF freezing by the time
Mr.. Dawes winds up to deliver the
first ball, at or about 3p.m.
Barring cloudburst or blizzard.
however, it was certain that Presi-
dent Clark Griffith would make every
effort possible to proceed with the
imposing program arranged for the
day, including the ceremonies and
fanfare preliminary to the battle be
tween the Mats and the Philadelphia
Athletics.
Only the absence of the President
and the First Lady, who are observ-
ing a period of mourning. made the
picture at the local base ball park
this afternoon any different from
those presented at opening games i'm
memorial. Occupying the presidential.
flag -draped box. near the Washington
dugout, would be the Vice President
and Mrs. Dawes. their young son
Dana, Miss Rena Decker. a guest. and
E. Ross BARLEY, secretary to Mr..
Dawes.
Same Old Panorama.
The local background was to be the
same as last year from the colOrful
panorama of humanity and the pa
rading musicians of the Army Band.
to the stalwart form of Walter John
son poised on the pitchers slab.
The same team that last fall bat
tied staunchly. though unsuccessfully.
to retain for Washington the honor of
housing the world champions was to
take the field against Connie MaCk's
Athletics. The peerless
of Peck or Bluege to Har-
ris to Judge was to manage things in
the infield, while far out in the Grif-
fifth garden would cavort the relia-
BILE trio of fly chasers--Goose Goslin.
Sam Rice and Joe HarriS-reading
from left to right. Behind the plate.
of course. would be the dependable
Muddy Ruel.
Opposing the beloved Barney was
scheduled to appear one Bryan (SlimD
Harriss. sinister name to ccnjure
with, to say the least. Backing this
Slim fellow up would be such familiar
names as Bishop, Lamar, French.
Simmons, Hauser, Cochrane. Dykes
and Galloway. with q possibility that
"Bing" Miller might substitute for
Lamar in left field. due to a slight
injury suffered by the latter yester-
day.
Overture at l O'Clock.
The preliminaries began, as a mat
ter of fact, around l o'clock this pm,
when Meyer Goldman and his mu-
sical fans offered a concert of peppy
tunes for the edification of the early
-Y-fVr
due to the chilly weather.
There was sparse but hearty
cheer as the white uniforms of the
local players appeared on the field
during early batting practice, before
2 o'clock. Manager Griffith cast several
worried looks skyward, but the boys
seemed oblivious of the
frowning heavens.
During practice Walter Johnson was
presented with a large silver loving
cup by Edwin Marshall, 9-year-old
whose essay on "Why Walter John
son Is My Favorite Ball Player" won
him the trip here in a national con-
test Edwin's essay was declared best
of several thousand entries, the judge
being Billy Evans. American League
umpire. Ed. blushingly explained that
the cup represented the admiration Of
the boys of America for the venerable
pitcher.
Get Down to Business.
Batting practice by both teams over,
the more formal rites of the program
were to take place, starting with the
grand march of the teams to the flag
staff in center field. where Secretary
of War Dwight Davis and Clark Grif-
fifth were to run up the American
colors. to the tune of THE Star Span
gled Banner" Then, with Capts. r.
G.. Sherman and w. j. Stannard lead
ing, the band was to escort the play
ers and officials back to the infield.
The march was to start shortly after
the arrival of the Vice President and
his party, about 2:40 pm, as appro-
priately heralded by the Army Band,
and upon it's conclusion the official
tossing out of the first ball by Pitcher
fsContinued on Page 2. Column s1