The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-11
By FRANK BUCK" oNEML

Oy II MANN ~SNS4 ~ @N@S"@~@~
Having let well enough alone"
for time out of memory, the major
league club owners decided to work
Stew Improvements in baseball.
They ratified the schedule first
proposed by President Clark c.
Griffith several years ago. a sweep
ing departure from the old order,
and a change which theoretically
will sustain interest to the end Of
the pennant flight.
President Will Harridge, Of the
American League and President
Ford C. Prick, of the National
League. announced last night that
the several teams Of the leagues
would make four trips into alien
territory instead of the conven-
tional three.
:, Under this arrangement the
first three series between the
teams would be Of three games
instead of the four, four and
three. There will be a final
series of two games.
When the official schedule is
announced later, fewer socalled
open dates will mark the card.
The season will close on Sep
TENDER q, which may be con-
Sidered a break for the resi-
dents Of cities quartering tail
end teams.
1ntersectiOnal Games on Apr. n
1ntersectional trips will start
on April a instead Of in the
first week in May, which has
been the usual order.
incidentally, for the first time
in many years, the Griffs will
open the season against the New
York Yankees. The American
League season will open here on
April Is and the rest Of the clubs
will get under way day later.
The GriffS will open in New York
with the Yankees.
~, This change will throw the
Griffs on the road earlier than
they would have been called upon
to go under the old schedule. This
year the boys would have made
the first Western trip during the
first week in June, having enter.
tanned the Western clubs here
first. Just when they will hit the
grit now is a matter of conjec-
ture.
Throwing the Eastern clubs into
action against the West early in
the season will doubtless boom
interest early in the year. Under
the old schedule, the strong clubs
OF the East bombarded the weak
.uns for three weeks before new
faces appeared at the ball park.
BY that time, in many instances,
no one cared particularly whether
they came or stayed home.
It will be refreshing, for in
stance, to have the Cleveland In
dams, with the hard-hittinG Hal
FroSky and the others in here
q week or 10 days earlier. 1t
will be great to welcome the
Steel-eyed, keen-minded Rogers
Hornsby into the Capital four
times instead of three. And the
folks in St. Louis will be glad |
perhaps to say good-by to the |
Browns four times instead of |
three. Fans are like that under |
certain conditions.
Will Cost Thousands
This change in schedule will
cost each club in the major
leagues several thousands of dol
lars more than the old arrange
ment, but the owners seem to
think that the added expense will
be justified by greater returns
at the gate. Eliminating open
dates will reduce the overhead on
the road.
There is a danger, however,
that in the event of rain, the
schedule may become pretty bad
1y damned up. But the boys are
willing to accept that gamble.
w. This will be a great thing
for baseball" President Grit
fifth said this morning. "The
$50 fans will see new teams while
:. the season is young and inter
> est will be sustained. I'm glad
In see the change made"