Volume 15 , Issue 27

1904 - Browns & Cardinals Preparing For Opening

In The St. Louis Republic, dated 20 March 1904, in St. Louis, Missouri, we find this article concerning the first game played at Sportsman Park, April 2, 1904, between the Browns and Cardinals.

The local patrons of baseball back then would not have to wait much longer to get the first installment of their annual baseball diet in the Spring of 1904. First Game was to be played at Sportsman's Park, Saturday, April 2, 1904. Each Team had many admirers. Cardinals showing mid-season speed in preliminary practice. Shay would make a regular berth at short. Browns training faithfully, players used much liniment in spring training. This was the baseball gossip of Spring of 1904.

Just thirteen days from 20 March 1904 the first game of the ante-season series for the championship of St. Louis would be played. As was the case last year, partisans of both teams were loud in the praises of their respective pets. Brown rooters already had the series tied up in a knot, while Cardinal rooters said it was all over but the shouting.

Less enthusiastic, but more careful, fans believe that each game would be well contested, and that not until the last game was played would the championship of St. Louis have been decided.

Manager McAleer claimed the Browns would make a short but pleasant meal of the Cardinals, while Manager Nichols retorted that the Browns would be breakfast food for his "Babes."

And the players of each side shared the confidence of their managers. Burkett, Heidrick, Wallace, Padden, Demont, Jones, Glade, et al, looked to win from the Cardinals right off the mark.

Corbett, Nichols, O'Neill, Taylor, Beckley, Burke, Smoot, Barclay and the stalwarts of Camp Cardinal said it was a shame to take the games. With that feeling prevailing in both camps, the fans should certainly be treated to some rare baseball.

The rivalry between the teams that year (1904) was much keener than it was the season before (1903).

Cardinal rooters pointed with pride to their much strengthened team. A Cardinal rooter would not talk fifteen seconds before his tongue unrolled the names of Corbett, Nichols, Tylor, O'Neill and McFarland at the end of a eulogy on them collectively and individually.

The Brown fans, and they were a multitude, claimed that their pets did not show anything like their true form in the last season (1903). In 1903 Wallace, they claimed, was sick; Burkett was off his stride; the absence of Padden cost the team many games, and the reversal of form shown by the team in batting was unaccountable.

This season (1904), they said, things would be different. McAleer had wisely provided against accidents by enrolling enough players in case of emergencies.

That both teams should show better form the year of 1904 than 1903 was the prevailing opinion of the fans, and they would get the first chance to judge for themselves on April 2, 1904.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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