The New York herald., 1867-03-31
c RI c K { T..


Fine Season Anticipated d-Our MetropelIsan
Cricket Clubs.
Or late years cricket has mot been nourshng institu
on In this country, the base ball excitement having
prevented from gaining the popularity 70 which it,
merits s noble recreation entitle IT. We never had
many clubs in this city and its suburbs but Of late years
the number has sadly diminished With . resident
population Of English people numbering over thirty
thousand enough Of the admirers Of the game cannot
be found, apparently to support half dozen cluba In
fact within circuit OF thirty miles around the metropo.
lie Of America there ten cricket clubs in exist
enoe.
The leading club of New York and OF the United
States is the noted St George Club This organization
has been in existence for nearly thirty years. and II
not only numbers over two hundred members. among
whom included many Of the most wealthy and innu-
ential Of English merchants. but IL now owns pro-
perty Bergen Hill which season or two win zee
transformed into the finest cricket ground in the coun
try Had the club invested the twenty thousand dollars
this property them for the obct some twenty
years ago they would not only now have had fne
ground easy Of from the city. but would have
been the OF real estate valued at hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars This ground is located on
the hill back Of Hoboken, and can be reached by
the horse cars from tho Hoboken ferry in
twenty minutes. .s i win not ,o be in thorough
viii play on y this year In the following year the st.
Georges Club propose to bring out the All England
Eleven TO play series OF games through the country
Meanwhile all the excitement will consist OF their con-
tests with such Of city clubs as think themselves
able TO cope with them With any chance OF success the
eleven apparently able to win trophy from the re-
nowned dragon Payers.n
The time was when the strength Of the New York Club
and the rivalry between them and the st. Georss led
TO quite an interesting series Of matches each
but these contests suddenly terminated in 1855 and
then the a'a have lad the Wit
position. The New York Club at one time mustered
nne eleven but in their efforts 10 strengthen the club
the esprit du corps Of the club TO almost lead to its
taking quite third rats position But OF the best
contested games seen at Hoboken have been those in
which the New York eleven took active part. The
loss OF their old ground at Fox Hill, Hoboken, had
damaging effect on the interests Of The club from which
they have not since recovered. OF late they have
had two days week the St Georges ground Elysian
Fields; but where the club win play or whether they
will play at ALL this year. we cannot say.
The Manhattan Club is now quite Hourishing New
York club. They have their own field and club house
located At the foot Of Ninth street. Hoboken quite con-
venent to the CITY, Their victories the ice this
IN contests with the Satellites, Of Brooklyn were note
worthy.
basis likely to make II more permanent institution
than some OF the elder clubs, effort having been
made to introduce the young American element into it,
Hitherto our cket clubs have mainly depended upon
old players for their strength enormously regarding
perience at the bat more valuable as an element Of
success than activity and skill in fielding. Much of the
OF the St. George Club in match games Of late
years has been mainly the result OF practice the field
ing department; not that fielding is the feature Of
cricket but that games lost with good bowling
and batting without good fielding, than there with
poor batting and bowling and with good fielding.
In Brooklyn there are but two clubs in successful
operation although there crcketers enough there
form dozen but In that city, elsewhere, there is
sad lack Of enthusiasm in regard 10 the game. Tho
Satellite Club have good ground In the Eastern dis
rict, and the Willows the occupants OF the only
cricket field In the Western district The former promise
TO play number Of matches this year, the latter club
principally playing among themselves
There arc two clubs In Newark and one IN Paterson.
Now jersey. Trenton, too, boasts Of a club.
In Philadelphia the noted young America Club takes
the lead, and the Philadelphia Olympian, Germantown
and Chippewa clubs rank next
good seasons play Is anticipated among these
several organizations, but IL will be years before
cricket viii flourish here a. It did ten years ago.