James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1886

C R I C K E T I NA M E R I C A . 4 9 T h etwo most successful clubs in 1885 were the Y o u n gAmericaand the University of Pennsylvania , both of which won every engagement in which they participated , the former winning nine matches , and the latter five . The record of the former is splendid , as it met all the strongest clubs of the country , and in some instances was compelled to earn its victories by the hardestk i n dof w o r k. Three of the great drawbacks to the advancement of the game are , First- the popular craze for base -ball , the national game of America ; Second-the greatdistances which must frequently be travelled to get to matches ; Third- the seeming impossibility of membersgiving the time to the game. In regard to the first drawback, every little hamlet throughout the country has its base- ball club ; and we believe it to be no exaggeration , that every day during the season witnesses the playing of from 500 to 800 games. Asfor the second , it is not an unusual thing for a club to travel several hundred miles to play its game; for instance , when an Eastern club plays in Chicago they must cover over 800 miles before they can reach the ground. This will explain the third draw- back itself , as manyof the mencomposing the teams are either professional or business men, who cannot spare manydays during the season for the game. Whatmight have been a fourth drawback has been in a measure overcome by the establishment of two schools -one , St. Paul's ." at Concord, N e wHamp- shire ; and the other, " St. Austin's," at Staten Island, N e wY o r k. A tthese institutions base-ball is ignored , and cricket is the only recognised game, the result being that each year there are sent out boys who have been educated in cricket , and who carry their fondness for it to their homes in different parts of the country . This will in time, undoubtedly , result in the formation of newclubs , or, at least , the strengthening of the old ones . Thecolleges , also , are taking up cricket , and there are now elevens at Columbia, N e w York; Harvard, Mass.; Yale, Conn.; Princetown , N e wJersey ; Haverford , Pa.; and University of Pennsylvania . These have found amongst themselves an Inter-- Collegiate Association , playing games each season . This Association is the result of the love of the game acquired while boys at school at St. Paul's , Concord. Anotherfeature of the spread of cricket in the United States is the formation of junior elevens , which has been adopted by the principal clubs , for the purpose of organizing a reserve fund from which future players m a y be drawn. A review of the whole field warrants us in saying that cricket is growing in favour ; and, without doubt, future reports will show a still greater interest taken in the game.