The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-11
The National lsame.


The people Of every nation who have any
desire for physical development and perfec-
ton have some outdoor game peculiar to them
selves; some game which, while it develops
the body, partakes in a marked degree of the
mental characteristics of those engaged in it.
The games Of base ball, cricket, hurting and
La Crosse are the most prominent games at
ball looked upon as national institutions, and
each of these will be found to possess points
which agree with what might be termed the
idiosyncraces of the people to which they be-
long.
Base ball, now universally admitted to be
the national game of America, requires for its
mixed with plentiful supply of risk it re-
quires the nerves and muscles to be ever ready
and the faculties in active operation, to appre-
ciate in an instant the entire situation and
grasp at any opportunity for profit that may
be offered.
Cricket, the national game of England, may
justly be considered a more staid game than
base ball. 1t partakes of the Englishman's
steady, wary, cool, calculating and oftentimes
tricky disposition. There is not as much vim
required for cricket as is required for base
ball, as may be seen from the fact that good
cricketers may be found who have passed
the age of forty, while first nine base ball
players of forty years Of age are very few.
Hurting, the national game of Ireland, is
rough, noisy sport, partaking in certain de-
gree Of some of the traditional accomplishments
Of Donneybrook fair, such as wounded heads
and barked shins and yet an amount of skill
and science must DO observed to carry the ball
safely to the goal.
La Crosse, the game Of the civilized North
American Indians, is somewhat similar to
hurting, but is played with much lighter and
less dangerous implements. Hurting requires
heavy crooked wooden implement in the
hands Of each player, while La Crosse requires
light yet tough implement of cane and net.
work. The same wild excitement character
ICES both hurting and La Crosse. This wild
ness increases the confusion and is itself
augmented by the confusion which ever
attends . spirited contest at either;
but when one party in contest succeeds in
driving the ball beyond the goal the excite
ment and interest instantly droop Just such
are the Compartments Of both the Irish people
and the Canadian Indians-soon aroused and
sent up to the boiling point and almost as soon
back again to the level. The Implements used
show the difference in tactics Of the Irishman
and Indian; for while the former endeavors
to hit hard the latter gives lighter and more
springy blow and repeats the dose with
amazing swiftness.
With this concordancy between bodily and
mental activity appreciated and admitted ii is
not to be wondered at that cricket has failed
to strike root in this country. Repeated eff
forts have been made to cultivate IL; but it's
non agreement with the American go-ahead-
ativeness has held it back, while the game Of
base ball, fully agreeing with the American
activity, has sprung up, has been successfully
planted in all parts of the country, has met
with popular favor and has stalked away from
its Anglican cousin.
The advent of the All England Eleven Of
cricketers some years ago IN this country
created a slight fever in favor Of their game !;
but base ball was then quite young and could
offer no strenuous opposition to cricket. As
season after season passed by, however,
the men and boys of America abandoned the
older game and joined the ranks in favor OF
the more vivacious one, until now cricket has
few participants or admirers except among the
English portion of American residents. An
other and very strong eleven of cricketers
from England are at present travelling through
this country giving exhibitions in the prnci-
pal cities, and yet have not succeeded in Gre
ating any excitement other than such as arises
/ from curiosity, which soon dies out.
! In marked contrast to rs last mentioned