The Daily Alaska empire., 1940-05-06
Moose Win Opening Game Of 40 Season as Douglas
 Loses Ten-|nning Contest

as though it might last longer than the ten innings it did, the Moose last evening broke 1 to tie that had lasted four innings, trimming Douglas 3 to l when Erskine gave two hits to the Moose who turned them into runs.
 Eager fans hooted, cheered and cat-called at everyone in the Fire mems Ball Park when the first ball of the Gastineau Channel League for the 1940 season was thrown from the pitchers box by Mayor Harry I. Lucas. Douglas catcher Johnny Odell carefully caught the famous "-1 ,000" ball used by the Mayor and lent for the opening pitch by Dolly" Gray who has had the ball autographed by at least two dozen big league players last year when he was East.
 Tenth Inning
 A crowded grandstand Of tiring fans began to think that the over time innings would extend until dark when the tenth inning saw Snow take a three-bagger from the Douglas pitcher, bringing in Schmitz who had been walked two plays before. Johnson singled into left field and brought Snow in, wind ing up the ball game. The Doug las team attempted a rally in the second half of the tenth with Man ming singling, but Johnson caught Erskines fly and the ball game was over
 Schmitz Brings in First Run
 Schmitz of the Moose brought ill the first run of the game when he knocked double and Snow brought him in with two-bagger.
 The score stayed to 0 with the Moose leading until the sixth when Erskine bunted a single, bringing in Manning who had been walked the play before. The Moose pitcher chalked up an error for himself when he made poor throw to first base, allowing Erskine to second base, bringing in Manning, and giving the Douglas team their first and only run of the game.
 HarringtOn's Catch
 The screaming grandstand wa S brought to it's feet early in the 5eventh frame when Bill Harring- ton, new left fielder for Douglas, vas sent flat on his back catching hard outfield fly knocked sky ward by Kimball. Harrington leaped nigh into the air, made a snatch at the ball, and fell in a furry of dust, only minute later to hold high his hand exhibiting the caught fly and showing that Kim ball was out.
 Claude Erskine surprised tn z crowd when he deliberately walked Joe Snow, preventing possible hit when Schmitz was waiting on the second base for a chance to turn hit into run.
 Flushed for a few minutes, the otherwise boisterous crowd leaned forward on the edge of their seats in the eighth inning. The bases were loaded and the Moose had two away when Joe Guy went to bat. But possible breaking of the tied score was thrown away as calm Claude Erskine struck out Guy and the inning was at an end. First on 3rd Strike Thinking quickly, Norm Rustad practically stole first base when catcher Kelly Blake dropped the ball on Rustys third strike By the time Kelly had ripped off his mask so that he could see the fumbled ball, Rustad was practical ly at the first bag, and a quick | throw by the catcher proved fu- | tile.
 But the two pitchers, who pitched every inning without substitution, found that their popularity was enyied. It was not seldom that the smooth working teams had to stop their functions to escort several cocker spaniels from the field which | apparently thought was as much theirs as the players.
 Empires were George Red Shaw behind the plate and Harv Iffert on the bases.
 The box score follows: