"Play Ball!"

Tuesday last the National League unlocked its gates and started its turnstiles ticking off the thousands. The following day the American League umpires announced " Play Ball " for 1923.

Sporting prophecy is chiefly valuable because of the contingent " ifs " which are a ready aid to conversation. Each year the scribes and the prophets, the managers and the elevator boy scan the situation with professional care and announce their choice. General consensus this Spring places the preliminary laurels on the high priced, if not otherwise elevated, brows of the New York teams of both leagues. They won last year and each team has been strengthened by the acquisition of expensive juvenile talent.

On the other hand, no less an authority than the Baseball Magazine picks Detroit in the American League and Cincinnati in the National. Other well informed critics insist that the two St. Louis teams, who came so near the top last year, are not to be denied again. All agree, too, that Pittsburgh has a thoroughly capable outfit. And last place in both leagues has been definitely assigned to the representative of either Boston or Philadelphia.