The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-26 00:00:00

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF TEM
CRICKET CLUB.

The annual meeting of the above club was held a
Mr. J. Dutton's, Belt Hotel. There was a good attend
auce. Mr. E. Firmstone war voted to the chair and h
called upon the Secretary to read the followin
report
In furnishing a report of the procee3ing3 of the pas
yva: the committee feel desirous, in the that place, to
express their warns thanks to the Bight Hon. the Earl of
Stamford and Warrington, the president of the club,
who has, for some time past, kindly allowed to onr
members the use of the Cricket Field at Amblecote,
where the various pastimes are carried on; they also
envosranh.o hialivecykaiurdelyplgetayseeud
themwis wish t o
theirth ansku p
p thoseort during
to announce that although several of their old members
gen t ltehge
kaye left the neighbourhood, new ones have joined and
the number is the same as last year.
Last Autumn the bowling green was levelled and re-
laid. and additional pleasure has been thereby afforded
to those members for this game. No matches have
ouwever, been played with other clubs.
The attendance for cricket has been exceedingly good
throughout the season; 39 matches have been played
with other clubs, in which Stourbridge has beau very
successful, as is shown by the following return ;-
22 matches were won
11 lost

5 it drawn in favour of,
and one against, Stourbridge.
Lawn tennis has not been so well patronised as in the
preceding season, yet the attendar.ce for this game has
Deem fairly good. No matches have been played in this
game, nor in quoits, which latter game has, we regret to
say, somewhat fallen off.
our foctball members proved themselves masterly
exponents of toe game last season, as out of 19 matches
played, they won 11, lost only 1, and had 7 drawn,
inJstly in their favour. A number of matches
with other clubs have been arranged for the ensuing
season.
Vile members of the Cricket Club in connection with
King Edward's School have, as usual, been allowed to
play on a portion of the ground du.ing the past year,
and have also had the use of the square given them for
several matches against other school clubs.
A resolution was passed by the committee to the effect
that any member, woo has paid his subscription for the
current year, making 50 runs sir upwards in a single
innings in any match entered on the card, be pieientel
with a bat; that toe member who has the highest aver-
age number of runs during the season, be also presented
with a bat, providel that he has played in 12 =tithes ;
ako that the bowler mho shows the beat analysis, have a
like presentation made him, if, as in the case of the
average batsman, he hay bowled in 12 matches. The
recipients of bats for 50 runs or upwards are Messrs. E.
Oakes and J. Edge; _the bat for the highest batting
average has been gained by Sir, A. J. Otter, while Mr. J
w. Parkes has been awarded that for the best bowling
Undoubtedly the great feature of the past season was
the holding of Athletic Sports on Monday, September
lfith. This meeting was the first ever undertaken in
eounection with this club, and the committee feel great
pleasure in stating that it has proved a decided success.
the entries, numbering 217, included some of the best
men in ihe district, and the Sports was, as might be
expected, of the first order. At the crinchiaion, the
prizes were given away by Mrs. H. 0. Firmstone, to
whom the committee beg to express their warmest
thanks for her kindness in making the presentations.
John Edge has been employed during the season to
1 iok alter the field, and attend to the wants of the mem-
bers, and has performed his duties in a satisfactory
manner. He has also playo,l in a number of oicket
watches, in which he displayed good form all round
In a financial point of view the club was never in a
better position than at.the present time, and all that is
required to increase its prosperity and add to its popu-
larity, is the combined effort' of the member them
selves, £5O has been placed in the Old Bank as a
reserve fund for the AthletiekSports next year, a sub-
stantial balance remains -iu the heeds of the Treasurer
for providing for the various games, whilst the stock
and material on hand is valued at about Zia.
In conclusion your committee beg to state that they
have devoted a great deal of time in catering for and
providing amusement to suit the tastes of the various
menbers, and that they have always sanctioned any
reasonable expense being incurred to carry out their
wishes and to bring each undertaking to a successful and
satisfaetory issue. New officers will this evening he
appointed to carry on the affairs of the club for another
year, and it is the earnest hope of your committee that
whatever gentlemen may be elected, they will use their
best endeavours to maintain and improve the condition
of the club, and meet the wishes of the members in a
generous and liberal spirit.
' The report was adopted.
' The officers for the ensuing year were elected, and a
vote ot thank‘ to the Chairman closed the proceedings.