The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-22

and intelligent advertisers.
American Outdoor sports-Opening OF
tho Spring Season.
Winter no longer fingers in the lap of
spring. The sunshine is bright and golden,
the air soft and pleasant and warm weather
has come at last Now the theatres are too
close and sultry, lecturers are bore, books
are stupid, all the amusements Of winter are no
longer attractive, and everybody feels an ire
sistible longing for out Of doors. We publish
this morning, as appropriate to the opening of
the season, an elaborate review of our national
games and sports. Races and racers, trots
and trotters, yachts and yachtmen, boats and
oarsmen, base ball and base ball clubs,
cricket and cricketers, croquet and the CO.
quotes who have naturalized the game, arch
cry and archers, are all fully treated in this
careful and interesting summary. It is evil
dent, from the preparations and the matches
to come off, that this season is to be the most
attractive that we have ever had in this coun-
try. The great game of war is happily over
and the irrepressible energy and activity of
the national character will turn heartily and
cordially to these peaceful amusements. 1t
has been said that Americans work too much;
but every year the popular interest
in outdoor sports increases, and we dis
cover that Americans can play as well and as
hard as they work. Already we quite rival the
English in this respect, and in course of time
we shall certainly surpass them in sporting as
we do in every kind of labor. From present
indications this season will place us a long way
ahead in yachting, in racing and in boating.
The New York Yacht Club is quite ready for
action. The club is we'll Differed and COM
posed of members who love the sport and are
not afraid to venture out of sight of land The
old mill-pond races are now completely ig-
nored, and ocean regattas are the popular sub
jects of discussion. The programme of the
club for this year embraces regatta, re-
view, squadron cruise and several ocean
matches. The regatta will be unusually ex-
citing and interesting The review will be for
the benefit of the ladies, who will be conveyed
to and from the feet iq steamers and VIII be
refreshed by magnificent collation. and sail
on board the yachts. The squadron will prob
ably 60 to Boston during the cruise, and it is
expected that steamer will be chartered for
the accommodation of those members who do
not own yachts. The club has not forgotten
that 1t still has possession Of the cham
pion cup won by the America, and Eng
lish yachtmen are also beginning TO remem-
bcr the loss Of this trophy, and are becom-
ing ambitious to regain it. We hope that
an international regatta may be arranged by
autumn and that British yachts may come into
our waters to compete for the supremacy.
But If the yachtmen of England are too slow
about this matter it Is probable that we may
send feet Of Americas across the ocean in
1867 to win several more cups for our Club.
The Paris Exposition will be held in that year;
thousands Of Americans will 90 to Europe to
attend it, and 1t Is likely that those who belong
to the Club will 60 In their own yachts, which
are much more comfortable than any steamer
This will be decidedly more sensible and more
characteristic Of the Americans than to send
over the Seventh regiment in glass case to
provoke the ridicule Of the Partisan wits. We
consider contest between the yachts Of the
| two countries as certain, and it is simply
| question as to whether we shall 60 to England
or wait for the English to come here. In
boating we have boldly taken the initiative.
Hamill, our champion oarsman, has started to
row Kelley, the champion of England, upon
English waters, and the general opinion seems
| to be that Hamill will win. If he have a fair
race and clear course it will DO almost use
less for Kelley to try to keep up with him.
L NH oh kaxv L..
ball and cricket, and the enthusiasm which has
welcomed the Introduction Of croquet and
archery among our national games, are de-
scribed in the review to which we have re-
fcrred our readers Base ball is essentially an
American game, and although not perhaps so
scientific II is much more exciting than cricket,
which has, however, many American practi-
TONERS. Croquet Is sort Of out of door bill
lizards or bagatelle, and will be quite generally
adopted by the ladies. Archery has been popu-
lar since the days of Robin Hood, and was
probably invented by Adam himself; but Il
has hitherto found very few experts in this
country, where the rife and pistol are pre-
ferred; but during the present season il will
be in full feather at all the watering places.
But in none OF these sports are the masses of
the people so thoroughly interested as in those
Of the turf A few years ago trotting horses
we're altogether in vogue. The good old racing
times, when thousands aocked 10 this city from
all parts Of the country TO see the performances
of such clippers as Eclipse, seemed to have
passed forever But now we have a genuine
revival Of racing. We have our New Jersey
Derby and our EPSON and our Oaks A Jockey
Club is in process Of formation, and a splendid
new racecourse is TO be opened at Bathgate,
near Fordham, in September. The Paterson