Cricket 1883

MAY 31, 1883. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 143 CR ICK E T IN N E W YORK. T h e N . Y. Herald forecasts the season of 1883 in and about the metropolis, as follows : The cricket season of 1883 was opened on Wednesday, May 2, by the St. George’s Cricket Club, on its grounds at Hoboken, and before a fortnight has passed, the other metropolitan clubs will no doubt fall into line. Many years have now rolled by since the revivalof England’s game in this country. Originally it was brought from the old country, prior to 1747, the early games having been played in the vicinity of where Fulton Market now stands. Its vicissi­ tudes having been numerous, but on the whole, since its revival forty-five years ago, it has made most satisfactory progress. Turning to the score sheets of last season it is found that more matches were played in this vicinity than ever before, and that a much larger number of clubs responded to the roll call. This year, the same organizations and a new one are making ready for the season. They are: The St. George’s, Newark, Manhattan, of Brooklyn ; Staten Island Cricket and Base Ball Club, Brooklyn, New York, Columbia College, Clare­ mont, of Jersey City; Paterson, Trenton, Per- severence, of Paterson, N. J., Arbroath Wanderers, West New Brighton, of Staten Island; Newark United Amateur Cricket and Football Club, and Thespian Eleven. Taking up the clubs in the order named, it is found that the St. George’s members still main­ tain the privilege of playing on the Stevens Institute grounds, at the foot of West Ninth Street, Hoboken. George Giles, who for the last nine years wasthe club’s efficient groundman and professional, has resigned, and his place has been filled by Frederick Smithson, late-with the Belmont Cricket Club, of Philadelphia. George Giles, jun., who was also under engagement to the club, has left for the position of professional of the Oxford Club of Philadelphia. The committee announce that the practice days have been fixed as follows : The ground will be open for practice on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the season, on Fridays and Satur­ days of each week, from this time to September 1, and on Mondays and Tuesdays, from June 16 to October 15. A club meeting will beheld every Wednesday in the club-house for the proposal and election of members and other business. For some years past this pioneer organization has done little in the way of match playing, although by long odds the only first class wicket in this vicinity is to be found insideits enclosure. The club is prosperous, however, the members’ list showing 11 honorary names, 163 active, 24 junior, and the undergraduates of Stevens Institute. The unavoidable clipping of the cricketers’ wings of the Staten Island Club by its committee, in giving its base ball members in­ creased facilities for playing, will no doubt increase the St. George’s membership. The eleven furnished by Mr. J. Henry Smith, the club’s secretary, reads : Messrs. J. B. Cashman, G. Hyde Clark, R. J. Cross, E. Kessler, E. H. Moeran, B. Mostyn, J. R. Moore, F. N. Saunders, J. B. Sleigh, G. R. Westfeldt, and Smithson. Next in age comes the Newark Club, or­ ganised in 1843. It is in a prosperous condition. The grounds on Johnson Avenue are admirably located, and by a reasonable expenditure, could be made the finest in this vicinity. William Brewster has been engaged for the season as professional. The club will open its season this week, the date yet to be named. The members’ list shows some fifty odd names, and in con­ sequence of the Manhattan Club having decided to do without professional talent, some four or five of that club’s prominent members have made pplication for admission to the Newark Club. 1he eleven this year will probably be selected from the following players: Messrs. J. D. Orton, T. L. White, J. Mart, E. Mountford, E. W. Sadler, J. Poinier, W. R. Williams, B. Stanford, G. Kell, W. J. Knight, E. Boote, J. Owen, H. Knight, H. R. Brientnall, J. Cressy, Dr. Hulbert, and S. H. Makiu. The Manhattan Club, with Richard Jones as professional, opened the season on May 7, at the parade ground, Prospect Park. After the play the annual opening club dinner was held. The club has already made a number of fixtures this year, and in all probability will remain at the top of the list as match players. Its first fixture is a game between an eleven of the club, and the first eleven of West New Brighton, on May 26, at Prospect Park. Other matches have been arranged, namely: Against the champion Bel­ monts, at West Philadelphia, on Decoration Day, and second eleven v. Staten Island second eleven, at Prospect Park, on the same date. From the following names the first eleven will probably be chosen: Messrs. Richard Davey, Robert Greig, Dr. Hulbert, George Scott, L. A. Mackintosh, Samuel Hosford, H. Cleverly, Joseph Sprague, W. M. Lendrum, E. Squance, W. Byron Wharton, C. A. Deller, S. H. Makin, and William Mackenzie, jun. The Staten Island Cricket and Base Ball Club is late this season in making arrangements for its opening. The club will continue for the present to occupy the grounds at Tompkinsville, S. I. There will not be as much cricket played by the club as in former years, but the cricket eleven is beyond question a very strong one, as the following list will show: Messrs. Kessler, Moore, Moeran, Saunders, Hill, Patterson, Walker, Poole, Hole, J. J. Eyre, Inman, and Jones. George Hayward has been appointed ground man, and Lane is again engaged as professional. The Brooklyn Club will continue to play on the Parade Ground, at Prospect Park. It is a hard-working organization, and proposes to play a large number of matches during the sea­ son. In despite of the threatening weather, it opened the season on May 5, and there was a good turn out of members. Its eleven this year will b e : Messrs. G. Williams, W . Kennaway, J. D. Swanson, J. Simpson, C. Woolenough, W. Maxwell, L. Munroe, Ames, W. Scott and Brown. The New York Club, whose ground is at Tremont, promises to take an active part in the matches of this season. It has increased its membership during the winter months, and the members’ list now shows over forty names. The eleven for the season has not yet been chosen. George Giles, sen., has joined the club, and will coach the eleven. The eleven representing Columbia College promises to be a fairly strong one. In the inter­ collegiate series it will have to (face the strong teams of the University of Pennsylvania and Haverford College, and the one from Harvard. The Columbia team will play several practice games with the local clubs here before making its attack on the colleges. Of the New Jersey Clubs, the Claremont of Jersey City, has its grounds at Lafayette. Last year the Claremont played a plucky series of games, of which they won one. The club is somewhat stronger this year, and its eleven wall be : Messrs. J. Humphreys, C. Turner, E. R. Grant, T. S. Smith, H. Scott, F. Smith, E. Pugh, F. Caville, T. Danner, and C. Whelply. The Paterson Club will begin its season with a match with the Newarkers, on the grounds of the latter. The eleven this year will be selected from the following players: Messrs. Bullock, Brewster, Robinson, Hinchcliff, Gra­ ham, Kirk, Wild, Finnigan, Taylor, Smith, Gaskill, Shilton, Peacock, and Thompson. TheJTrenton Club has arranged to play on its old grounds during the season, and is desirous to arrange a series of matches with the New York Clubs. Its eleven this year will b e : Messrs. E. Mountford, J. Mart, G. Bourne, II. Clough, J. B. Pope, H. Mason, J. Barlow, J. McIntyre, F. S. Katzenbac-h, Johnson and Williams. The Perseverance, of Paterson, N.J., and Arbroath Wanderers, of this city, will play oc­ casionally during the season. The West New Brighton Club, of Staten Island, has already organized and procured a new ground. At Newark, a new club has been formed. It bears the title of the Neward United Amateur Cricket and Football Club. It counts twenty- five members on its list. The new club will share the Newark Club’s ground. There can be no question that tbe Thespians did much last year to create a healthy interest in the game, and their series of matches was the event of jthe early season. This year, the captaincy of the team has been confided to Mr. H. M. Pitt, who is now busy in preparing a number of fixtures. C bic k e t , a useful publication of this noble and healthy game .—Cambridge Express, May 26. I n a match between St. Margaret’s and St. Andrew’s Senior at Yincent Square on the 19th inst., the latter were dismissed for 18 and 19 (nine wickets for St. Margaret’s). Eastment bowled 14 overs and 5 maidens for 13 runs and 12 wickets. T h e M akylebone C l u b and U n fa ir B o w lin g . —The action of the Marylebone Committee about the present so-called illegal bowling seems of doubtful wisdom. To leave the whole matter to the decision of the umpire is surely to lay rather too grave a responsibility on a class of men who are perhaps, all England over, not quite so sure of their duty as at Lord’s. If tho committee had decided to return to the old rule, that the bowler’s hand at the moment of delivery must be below the shoulder, well and good ; tho law would practically taboo all the best bowlers in England, but it would at least be simple enough. The real difference between bowling and throwing consists in the flick of the wrist at the moment the ball is delivered ; and how, save when the bowling is over the wicket, is the umpire to detect this while the erring hand is practically hidden from him by the bowler’s body ? As a matter of fact, throwing is almost incompatible with a round-arm delivery, and would, moreover, on a good wicket, be far easier for the batsmen to play. A throw has no “ breaking ” power in it.— World. I t is unfortunately for Lancashire, as a cricket county, only toojcorrect that Mr. A. G. Steel’s services as a cricketer will henceforth be rarely available. Mr. Steel, who in both batting anil bowling headed the averages in the Australian tour just concluded, is not yet in England, as he is taking advantage of his journey home to see something of Europe, but when he returns it will be with the intention, it is reported, of devoting himself closely to the profession he in­ tends to follow. If this is so England as well as Lancashire will severely feel his loss.— Figaro. T h e cricket eleven belonging to the Viceregal Lodge is likely to be a very strong one this season, and on most fine evenings Lord Spenser may be seen practising batting in that sylvan glade which forms the Viceregal ground. It used to be said of Kilkenny • ‘ that every bush concealed a knave.” In Dublin, however, nearly every bush, to speak metaphorically, harbours a bobby in or out of uniform .—Modern Society. A f e w odd H u n d red s . —F. Davies 110, Wake­ field v. Bradfield Albion, May 26; E. Lamb 108, Huddersfield v. Dewsbury Savile, May 26 ; Rev. J. R. B. Owen, Trent College v. Soar Valley, May 23 ; L. Wright 129 not out, Derby Midland v. Derbyshire Colts, May 26 ; D. Q, Steel 124, Liverpool v. Preston, May 26; W. W. Read 168, Surrey v. Hants, May 25 O n Saturday for Derby, Midland v Derbyshire Colts, Messrs. F. P. Smith and L. Wright put on 205 runs while they were together.