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Show OPENING OF BASEBALL SEASON But three days remain before the opening of the Union association league season in Ogden and in thoso threo days the fans will bo given ail opportunity to witness the work of a team which Manager J. J. McCIoskoy has-selected to oppose tho Great Falls club as a starter in the strife which will decide another pennant-winner in the Intermountain country Tomorrow afternoon tho regulars Mil appear in an exhibition gamo at the Glenwood park grounds against Charlie Irby's Helena team and tho same teams will mix it again Sunday afternoon. Monday Mon-day will bo a day of rest for tho players, play-ers, with tho possible oxception of a short workout in tho afternoon, and then comes the real struggle for, as in the caso of the ponies, to get away to a1 good start is half the race Nothing but the possibility of bad weather stands in tho way of a sue cessful opening of the league season While conditions have not been the best, and added to this is the difficulty of getting a new grounds In shape, favorable fa-vorable weather, with plenty of warm Bun shine between now and Tuesday will put things in fine Bhape for the opener. A force of mon has been constantly con-stantly at work on the diamond and outfield, and everything' along tho lino of human endeavor has been done to give tho teams a fast Bpace. in which to perform. The exhibition games tomorrow to-morrow and Sunday will servo to Bhow up any possible defects which can bo remedied before the opening game on Tuesday afternoon White Manager McCloskey, because of delays in establishing a park, has not been able to give his men as much training as he would llko, it is probable prob-able that they will be in as good condition con-dition at tho opening of tho season as the other teams, which have been forced to remain idlo becauee of unfavorable un-favorable weather. Schlmpf, Alexander, Alexan-der, Wells and others of the squad have been working out for several weekB past and were ready to Jump into the league season upon their arrival ar-rival in 'the city. During the past week McCIoskoy has been handing them some valuahlo instructions in team work and when it comes to shaping up a club every other man- me a m-mmt-m---m agcr In the "Union association has no hesitancy In taking off hlo hat to "Hones John." Tho manner In which McCloslceyvs bunch landyd a victory from Irh s Helena club at Provo on Wednesday indicates that it will lake somuthhifr in the line of veal baseball base-ball to head off the Ogden bunch. And speaking of that Helena gamo, or rather tho toports of It which went In to the Salt Lako papers, It would ( seem that somebody was stringing the baseball scribes in tho Capital cit . It was reported that the teams played but eight Innings and that the urn- I pires robbed Helena of tho game. Members of McCloikcy's squad view the report as a Joko. They declare that they wero In tho hotel by 6 I o'clock and so far as calling the gamo 1 at the eighth inning on account of darkness, they could have played an- j other nine Innings before such would , have been necessary. With the score . tied in the eighth. Bill Stevens poled the ball over the fence for a homei', driving in two runs, and that was all I thoro was to It. If there was any robr ' bory it was perpetrated by Slovens, who robbed ono of Irby's pitchers of his glory Umpire "Speck" Hulburt, the arbitrator ar-bitrator who Is to officiate in the opening series In this city, Is expected expect-ed to be on hand early enough to perform per-form In the two exhibition games with Helena. t Great Falls Team. The Great Falls team, which has been working out at Murray, will arrive ar-rive In Ogden Monday evening and lesorvations for twenty players and two baseball scribos have been made at tho Reed hotol. President Lucas has never explained Just what might have been his motlvo in sending Ogden, Og-den, tho "baby" team, against last season's pennant winnors in tho coming com-ing series. And speaking of last season's sea-son's Great Falls club, it can be said with truth that Manager George Reod has not reduced the caliber of his club in. tho least this season. Fans will, recall tho rumors which wero afloat with regard to the Great Falls team last season and the same roports are j already afloat this year. But the result re-sult fs not going to be the same. It would seom that tho finish of ono Jack Cody of Boise would havo a lasting last-ing example for Union association managers, but another demonstration of tho cast-iron rules laid down by President Lucas seems to bo ,In de- mand. There Is a salary limit in tho Union association which must bo ob-sorvod ob-sorvod and President Lucas is determined deter-mined that It shall .be observed by ovory manager No manager can organize or-ganize a class B club In a class D league and hope to get away with it. It cost Great Falls something liko $10,000 to win last season's pennant. It may cost that city even more this year and still the Union association bunting will not flap in Great Falls. imgBwBx m |