The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-18
Our National Game - The Great Match
. in Brooklyn.

Our National Game - The Great Match
From the Herald
On the Capitoline grounds in Bedford, one of
the pleasantest suburbs of suburban BROOKLYN
was played on Monday an 0lympian game of
baseball for the championship of America.
The contestants were the Athletic Club of Phila-
delphia and the Atlantic Club of BROOKLYN.
Before the contest the latter we're the cham
pions. and now that the honorable strife is over
they remain the champions still, for they beat
their adyersaries by tWenty-seven to seventeen
runs.
Every country from immemorial time has had
lts national game, tending to develop the phvsi-
cal qualities-the strength, the muscle, and the
agIlty-of lis youth. Greece had ITS Olympic
games at which wrestling, cbariotraong and
the stm ulating contests of throwing the disc
the QUOT OF modern days-fomed the leading
features. The more barbarous gadiltorial con.
tiicts of Rome divided tine interest OF the show
loving public with the less bloody rivalry of the
arena where strength coped with strength, mus
Gle with muscle, and nerve with nerve. In the
medieval ages France and England reioiced ia
the sham battles OF the tournament. In later days
racket and tennis supplanted the chiyalric and
seml-DarDarous tournament in both countries
In France they were very popular IN the ante
revolutionary times. At the present day France
can hardly be said to have any game so tho
roughly national as is either cricket, racket, or
hand-ba in England, or bull-6ghting in Spain,
or as are the athletic sports of Germany, which
we see reproduced In this country by the varl-
GUS Turner societies.
The national game of America is now Dar en-
cettence, base ball. We can imagine how readily
the English game of cricket was transformed
INTO this active game, which is so much more
suitable 10 the habits and temperament of our
people. Cricket although highly scientific
game-is slow and serious pastIme comp pared
with Its American prototype. It requires more
skill perhaps to play it well, and closer study for
Ia pr m IN NM fanH 4. hnfn bod
laoies and all, comprehen6s the game of base
ball, which is a matter of quickness of eye,
rapid play OF muscle, swttDess OF feet, and ever
changing position, that carry the interest of the
spectator as well as the player directly into the
fortunes Of the game. Hence, our national game
| chimes exactly with our national characteristics.
Ihe phleematlc element OF the Angl0,Saxon
| family may be fairly represented in the English
| game of cricket, during which the original
| Anglo-Saxon can dawdle-of and smoke his
democratic pipe or aristocracuc cigar at inter-
| walls; buL the new branch OF the family in
| America, with young, vigorous blood swelling
| its veins, wants constant lite and motion in its
| sports. Hence the English game has almost
| fallen into decay among us, while the American
| game is every day attracting the interest which
but short time ago attached almost exclusively
to the RAGE course, or, among certain classes, to
the prize ring. -. 100.
we might regard the m atch PLAYED in Brook
lyn on Monday as tue elimination OF success
for our national game. In the first place it was
test OF the quality of two of the best clubs in
spectacle and orderly gathering that ever assem-
bled in the same numbers to witness contest
where diverse interests leach, of course, sup
| ported by their mutual friends-were repre-
sented. Twenty thousand people were present.,
and there was not the slightest breach OF deco
rum observed during the four hours in which
the issue of the game was being decided. The
large force of police on the ground, finding
their occupation as conservators of the peace
altogether gone, sat on the green sward, and
watched the game with as much pleasure as the
rest.
Ladies' waved their handkerchIefs and gentle
men shouted Justify now and then; but the Phla
delpha Club received as much congratulaton
as the Brooklyn BOYS when they made a good
run and successful inning. The utmost cour-
tesy was extended TO the strangers, who were
probably struck with the contrast between the
good order prevailing on this occasion and the
confusion, crowding, and interruption which
prevented the completion OF the match a shor
time since, when the Atlantics visited Philadel
phia to try their mettle with the Athletics.
All the manly sports which serve to develop
the muscle of our young men should be en-
couraged. They help to make better materia
for the future of our young country; materia
for "sound minds in'sound bodies" upon thu
principle of the ancient philosophers, and W,
know of no game more calculated to effect thi
end than our national game OF base ball.