New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-12
THE BASEBALL PLAYERS NIIIONAL
CONTENTION
From Our Special Correspondent

'''A VS. PHILADELPHIA Dee IL, 1867.
When | was schOolboy, only few years
ogo il was the fashion for boys to assemble at noon on
the ground for game Of ball Occasionally an hour
on saturday afternoon was added TO the regular midday
recess BY common consent, two boys equally matched,
became the leaders One OF these took wooden pad
die" spit one side Of i, and Wnrng ~ Io tns ar
and all the boys crowded round to which side was
uP Now the choosing began. ,Ea td Iseaa
take James," and SO from the best players
to the worst until all were r eHoS9h we1 tbe pad
die" spinning IN the air like top All eyes were strane1
to see the paddle strike the ground. Wet Wei: VIII
exclaimed dozen voices and all hands rushed TO theif
places "I catch behind you'll give pail, anu the 0ler
bows viii stand round In front Of the striker saI the
done WITHIN 1--WE minutes No advertising, no chaleng-
ing costume, excursions, no waste Oh uS " w.
ting gambling, no drinking, drunkenness nSllng oI
nonsense This was play-genuine, hearty, heathiul
boys play The folly aud crime OF ripper years never On
tered into those youthful sports. Newspapers more Gu
terprising than wise, did not herald these games, WIN
the and callengers OF the champions anu INC
innings displayed and infinitely set down ..,
But we have ceased TO be boys our time ana suehgn
are exercised grayer games ana on more
resus than were these the playground OF the county
schOohOuse. Others, however, nave learned Mat So
have forgotten and In the years OF manhood play tue
games of boyhood demoralzed by practices happily UNI
known 10 the innocence Of schoOldays NOW pats ana
balls grounds and clubrooms costumes ana lralnels
matches and excursions, meetings and VehuOns any
patented, purchased erected devised, hlde
and organized nc waste OF time, money anu suchs.l
earlier and pufer times NOuIu nave pech pto-
nounced downright wckedness Here then, IN keePlnf
with the change Of and things, We have National
Convention" OF ball-payers held in the ChesnutsV'
Theater with president, Vcepresldents and secretaries
delegates from State societies. and delegates from
nryate cnbs:" Committees on Credentials, order,
Nominations" Rules" Judiciary" &c, all sitting
and delbcrating grave and wise, and pure as
no grayer wiser and no purer. FIRST rues ol Vue
are discussed; then additional clubs are admitted INTO
the Associations aud thirdly, and selhshy and cowar1'
n resolved that No club composed OF persons OF Color
or having its membership persons OF color sha DC au
mitfed into the National Association" Great applause
unon the President, with more feeling t thah
dignity, declared, one having much au n ~
itV that II these demonstrations were Iepe1c.u;
would order the galleries to be cleared
There are present l57 delegates from Massachusetts
neotieut New-York. New-Jersey PennhyiNhh i,"na
ware Maryland District Of Columbia, ONO, lnu' "a
Inos Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, O.eho ~ T.
Omaha representing 4sl Clubs These deleRas, ay
SAT five mortal hours from TO p N, IA Sos ~
waiting for presentation and dscusslOu "a 49, ana
the Secretary Treasurer, Committees on GRAVITY
cases OF difference between Clu9ssL @he idea that
that impressed the spectator Win INC ,he tate 81
upOn the result OF these deliberations nn6 20 ocloct
natIona Ala o'clock the Convention t ovenIn,
this evening in Athletic Hall The orusI ~ o,or,itcc
the debate Of the report OF inc why certain
which settled the momentous lueseos,, -aI cuhs las
games advertised TO be played Detme. IN snndrv otIs
summer did not take place; also VINO mo ana
games that did take place. Inc a. roIn,ninosit,,
he Taport of the Committee On the impeachment Oh
The sessions OF the Convention will be continued to-
morrow. -, AHA aveniny reversed the
daaIs,or ~ hc Judiciary Committee that all games De
tween the iInon Club OF M0Tris0nla ana the Mutun
Club OF New-YOrk were null ana you, uusn s9 " ne
lion ~ the nreyous question, debate occurred on wy
n,ion ~ a new code OF rules which had been repOreu
20 ybc Conventou pending which motion to ahJohlH
prevailed.