The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-06
Athletic Sports.

| The readers Of the Times must have noticed
the extraordinary Increase Of attention lately
on the part Of The public to base ball and
cricket playing. For score of years back
persons anxious to see game Of cricket could
DC gratiticd at Harlem, or at Hoboken, on al
most any fair Summer day, but the players
were gene, ally Engiishmen, and the few Yam
KEGS who went in came cut with bstered
hands and defeat. Yankees protested that
when they fairly attempted share of the iion-
c,s OF the field, they stood no chance; that the
old crieketers by fair means or foul, always
| conspired to seize the victory; even that they
hired professional players to conduct the game
Tor them when the odds were on Jonathan's
side, and so it came at last to be believed that
no man who did not drop his HIS could possi-
bly, win hcnors at bowling or wicket-keep-
ing.
Meanwhile, base ball was one of the games
we read Of and remembered as in pretty near
~ the category Of the hlind-man's bull, goal
and tag, that so delighted us when we were
quite young gentlemen. On some grand holi-
day, certain grownup bold boys would go
down into secluded suburban valley. as far as
possible out Of sight Of the multitude that
would be sure to make merry over the awk-
ward pitching and the outrageous misses to
catch, and have grand time. But the young
folks were kept too busy to think of playing
ball as business, and the old folks frown ed
upon all such wastes OF time
Bot the newspaper have been talking up the
value OF bodies preaching for years past that
human flesh was very ia,r article when well
kept-indeec that is was the only pickle that
would keep souls from spelling above ground.
Certain Germans-Turners-by their exploits
have kept before the public. too the excellence
of muscle, and gloriIied the employment Of ply
sical exercise. This preaching and these tx
amples, are at last telling on our people, and
now every fair afternoon all the heights in the
neighborhood of New York and Brooklyn are
crowded with men and women, old and young
to see these ball-players. The flag of some
club is always flying, and two lads seldom meet
in the street with ten minutes to spare that
they are not practising throw and catch. The
talk of all the urchins, is of bats. and runs, and
umpires. The old people are pretty nearly as
much injected as the young. The Oldest deacon
in one Of our straightest churches was around a
few days since with an invitation to JON and
Old Peoples Club, which is to play every Sat
urday afternoon.
We hail the fashion with delight. 1t prom
lses, ocSides us hoslS ol other Soou worhs, 10
kill out the costly dissipatng target excur-
sions. We predict that it will spread from
the city to the country, and revive there,
where it was dying out, a love of the noble
game that it will bring pale faces and sal
low compilations into contempt; that it will
make sad times for the doctors, and insure to
our well beloved country a generation Of stall
warl men, who will save her independence, not
withstanding that she is htched to her old
mother by cable through which London
Lord Mayor can receive and return his con-
gratulations with the Honorable Mayor Of New
York all within weck-Neic York Times.