Cricket 1900

A p r i l 2 6 , 1 9 0 0 . CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 87 (fformfpoitUntce. The Editor does not hold himseU responsible for the opinions of his correspondents. A WORD TO TOURING TEAMS IN CANADA. To the Editor of C r ic k e t . D e a r S i r , —In the belief that it is for the interest of the game that amateur cricket teams which visit Canada should know something of cricket as played in our west and. north-west territories and the western states, I am sending you these notes. I venture to say that it would be a great help to cricket, and a success financially, if an eleven would make a tour of Canada, starting in at Halifax and take in the cities right through to "Victoria, returning through the western States and winding up in New Y* rk. Any team which would undertake this trip would be surprised at the number of clubs (and strong ones, too) which they would meet, and some of them would “ keep them guessing ” —as they say out here. Visiting teams to this country are led to believe that the game of cricket ends at Toronto, New York, or Phila­ delphia. Such is not the case by a long way. The visitors, I am sure, would be very much surprised before their trip was over at the numerous clubs, and the untold variety of players, they would encounter. From my own experience of twenty-five years in Canada and cricket life, I have found through our north­ west and western States some of the very best of bowlers and batsmen in Canada, and quite a few of them, if residing in England, would be found in the first-class matches or playing with their county. It has often been said that good cricketers make fine soldiers. Our Canadian boys] have proved that, for there are a great many cricketers in the Canadian contingent; but we want more of them to play cricket, and I know of nothing that would do so much good, and go such a long way to boom the game, as that the next visiting eleven should take a tour through our beautiful north-west and western States. They would meet a great many old “ has been’s ” and many “ would be’s ” who have played in the old country. Such players would be delighted to meet men of the present day and fight over with them their battles again ; in fact, it would be a red letter day in the history of Canadian cricket. I need not s*y that visitiug teams would be received with open arms and open doors; in fact, the only thing I am afraid of is that they might be feted to death. On the other hand, I know that English cricketers can stand a long innings in that direction. I would be only too glad to correspond with any party or parties who may feel inclined to undertake bringing out an eleven, and would assist them iu making arrangements, which I am assured would be heartily responded to by cricketers from the Atlantic to the Pacific, who would do their utmost to make such a tour a success, as well from a social as a playing point of view. A team would have to start out about the 15th August, and would, wind up in New York about the end of September. Yours faithfully, GEO. W. CARVER. London, Canada. GREAT MEN AT CRICKET. It is hardly too much to say that nearly every man who has become celebrated, has at one time or another taken his part in the game of cricket. But although a man may he as wise as a Solomon and a Queen of Sheba combined, it by no means follows that he possesses sufficient wisdom to enable him to keep a ball out of his wicket: hence the performances of celebrities in the cricket field have not been always commensurate with their success in other pursuits. But among famous men there are a few who have either succeeded in attracting some attention among cricketers by their performances with bat or ball, or have been talked about by some eccentricity of theirs in the cricket field. It is of such celebrities as these that it is proposed to deal in this short article. Good Bishop Ken, afriend of Isaac Walton (the father of angling), was born in 1637, and educated at Winchester, and whilst there “ was found attempting to wield a cricket bat.” At least, so says Lisle Bowles, as quoted in Timb’s “ Schooldays of Eminent Men.” Thomas Ken was a boy at Winches­ ter in 1656, and his name is still to be seen cut out on stone in the college cloisters with that date annexed to it. Until far into the eighteenth century the game was chiefly con­ fined to the lower classes. In the edition of ChamDerlayne’s “ Present State of England,” published in 1707, cricket was included with such amusements as cudgels, bear-baiting, bull-baiting, and throwing at cocks, as a re­ creation of “ the citizens and peasants.” It is to be feared that for many years the game was patronised, not for its own sake, but chiefly because it proved a means of gam­ bling. England, in the middle of last cen­ tury, was a sporting England, and prince, peer, and peasant were equally anxious to assist in any torm of amusement which enabled money to be lost and won. Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King Geoige II., was a most generous and enthu­ siastic supporter of the noble game, and fre­ quently played ai it himself at Kensington, (Jiiefden House, etc. A short account oi this royal lover of the game, together with an ac­ count of hi •death, from a blow received in the side from acricket ball, will be found inanother column. His younger brother, the Duke of Cumberland (“ Butcher ” ), was also fond of the game, though not to so great an extent as the Prince. He was frequently present at the great matches in the immortal Artillery- Ground, London, and was one of the most liberal supporters of the game in his time. Details are still extant of a single-wicket match played by the Duke in 1751 against the Eari of Sandwich, the first day’s play taking place on Moulsey Hurst, and the match being finished on Englefield Green, near JStaines, where His Royal Highness proved victorious. Charles Jameu Box was fond of cricket. The following appears in his life, by George Otto Trevelyan, vol. I., page 485-6 : “ He was a cricketer, and would have been famous as a batsman, if he had taken to the game as seriously as he took to chess and tennis.” “ My love to Carlisle,” he wrote to JSelwyn from Kingsgate in August, 1771, “ and tell him we have a cricket party here, at which 1 am very nearly the best player, so he may judge of the rest.” When past five-and-fifty, and as much older than his years in body as he was younger in all else, he never failed to run himself out, amidst the reproachful cries of spectators, to whom it seemed almost a miracle that he could run at all. It is not so generally known amongst lovers of the game as it should be that it was on a cricket-field that some of the plans of the Battle of Waterloo were decided upon. “ It was at a cricket-match that some of our officers were amusing themselves on the 12th of June, 1815,” said Captain Gordon, “ in com­ pany with that devoted cricketer, the Duke of Richmond, when the Duke of Wellington arrived, and shortly after came the Prince of Orange, which of course put a stop to our game. Though the hero of the Peninsula was not apt to let his movements be known, on this occasion he made no secret that, if he were attacked from the south, Halle would be his position, and if on the Namur side, Waterloo.” Jn after years the Iron Duke made his memorable statement that the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing- fields and that the victory was due to one game above all others—Cricket. King George IV. was very fond of the game. Bell's Life of 1828 reports that “ His present Majesty was very partial to cricket, and in his youth frequently played at the Islington ground. He was an excellent batsman.” His Majesty, during one of his airings in the Great Park at Windsor, when riding in the vicinity of Cumberland Lodge, once came suddenly upon a large party of his domestics playing cricket. At this unex- pecttd approach of their Royal Master they began to scamper in all directions: but the king, with his accustomed good-nature, sent one of the gentlemen in attendance to desire them to continue their game, and never to let his approach interrupt their sports. His Majesty then continued his ride in another direction, observing to his attendants that cricket was a noble game, and that when he was able to play he himself enjoyed the exercise as much as any one. Baron Alder- son, in August, 1844, addressed the following remarks at Ipswich to the grand jury of the county of Suffolk:—“ In a neighbouring county which 1 passed through on the circuit this time, I had what I am afraid I sh >11 not have here—a day of rest; as I went out into the country, and had the pleasure of a match at cricket, in which a noble earl, the loid-lieutenant of his county, was playing with the tradesmen, the labourers, and all around him, and I believe he lost no respect from that course—they loved him better, but they did not respect him less. I believe that if they themselves associated more with the lower classes of society, the kingdom of England would be in a far safer, and society in a far sounder con­ dition. I wish I could put it to the minds of all to think so, because 1 think it is true.” It has been stated that Mr. Gladstone, whilst a boy at Eton, took a great delight in the game, and earned a place in the school second eleven. Be that as it may, however, it is certain that in after years he took but little interest in it. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York have both taken an active interest in the game, whilst it is well-known that Prince Christian Victor nearly secured his blue at Oxford. The late ex-King of Hanover became blind through a peculiar circumstance. He was attending a cricket-match at Windsor, in which an Eton boy made a long score. Prince George was carrying in his hand a long beaded purse with a gold acorn attached to it. In cheering the successful cricketer he swung the purse round, when the acorn struck him a blow in one eye, which ultimately resulted in total blindness.—F. S. A.-C.