The New York herald., 1868-05-03
THE CRICKET SEASON.


THE CRICKET SEASON.
| The Preparations of the New York and st.
Georges and willow Clubs-The New
Grounds-Matches in Prospect-The Visit Of
the All England Eleven.
While the owners OF racing studs are anXi0usly
preparing for the forthcoming at Jerome Park
and ''prancing two year olds being put through
their paces not to speak OF perspiring jockeys re-
ducing their weight and rotting tracks being put in
order the crcketers Of the Empire City are, like the
baseball players of that k, also up and doing and
preparing for their summer season OF muscular con-
test on the merry green sward. Critics may say
what they will, but the "muscuar Christianity
school Of the day, the principles of which were in
augurated by Charles Kingsley, and which has been
gradually gaining ground of late years all over the
world Is decidedly Constitution" in this liberal
nineteenth century. Men nowadays cultivate their
muscles and healthy properties ardently as their
mental qualities and like the Puritan Of old march
ing to battle with his sword in hand and his Bible
In the other the muscular Christian Of the day is one
WHO'S capable ofany "deed Of daring do" equally IT.
in fact to guide the counsels of his country, man
fororn hope or lead an army into the field. Cricket
is q game which not only requires hrm muscle,
but the exercise Of sound judgment as well. good
player must be sharpeyed, prompt Of action, fleet
footed strong armed and gifted with powers Of en-
durance. Skill and proficiency in the same, OF
course "tell'' In the long run; but luck often be-
falls the unprofcient and where two players such
first class bat and first class bowler, are other
wise equally matched, then the one with the coolest
the other The game OF cricket has of late years
been not SO largely patronized in New York as was
once the Before the war cricket used to be the
'naona game" but since then Its Kindred rival base
ball has endeavored to consgn the Oldest sport to %
earnest cricSeters left IL Gotham and these Working
against such obstacles as popular prejudice and the
lukewarmness Of some adherents, have succeeded at
length in restoring the game to something OF Its for
mer supremacy. Last year some capital matches
were played, and this year the prospect is even more
The st. Georges Club, which in its infancy did
much for cricket and In Its later years has fought SO
manfully against the encrOachments Of base ball,
viii this year come out in stronger cOlOrs than
In past seasons The club now musters over three
hundred members, and Its finances are equally -four
tshlng from the fact that Its corps is composed prl-
cpally Of those who possess the magic tallsman To
| the gold caverns Of "the street." The Red Cross
place. The Elysan Fields will know them no more,
Tor they have bought new ground and built Them
senr d aDartars @ rana 90 the 81
Georges Cricket Club is located on Bergen HILL cor
ner Of Grand avenue and Charles street, and not far
from Hudson City, being within twenty-five
minutes drive on the horse from the Jersey City
| ferry. The club committee have purchased nine
acres altogether OF land acres OF which have
been enclosed and prepared as a cricket ground aud
the sum Of $35,000 mas been expended in building
| house, pavilion, dressing boxes and such like
requirements to render the new arena Of the
| ''picked eleven' in every way tit for its
purposes. In fact the st. Georges ground hopes to
rival its prototype, the far famed Lords' cricket
ground at Primrose Hill in London; and as 1t Is on
perfect level and from the fact that great deal Of
care and pains nave been bestowed on it, probably
| may hope In time to equal the ''trusy Commons"
| II not The Lords " OF the old country. The officers
Of the club for the present year are f0lows:-A.
H. Gbbes, one Of the best and staunchest players OF
the corps, president; Aymar Cater, vice president;
G. N. Vanderlp treasurer and J. Scott, secretary
Tne ground committee is composed OF the following
gentlemen:-W. g. Mumf0rd the late efficient secre
iary Of the club; g. vinten r. S. Hill, Arthur Ken
| dal and Henry Torrance In consequence Of the
heavy rains we have had for the last few weeks and
the prospect OF further watery distribution, the
season win not probably open until late in the
with the utmost vigor. Matches have been arranged
| between the st. Georges and Young America Club
| Of Philadelphia the Philadelphia G. c., the German
town G. g., the Boston Club and the Willow Club of
Brooklyn, and 1t Is hoped ALSO If past feuds for.
to secure the ST. Georges compete with the ether
great cricket club OF the city Of Manhattan, to w.t.
viii run the Red Cross Knights pretty hard this year
In the race for cricket honors. Every past season
the New York Cricket CLUB has been continually
ty," to adopt the phraseOlOgy Of Chadband, and in
men, muscle, reputation, force and finances, is now
nearly II not quite on par with the st: Georges
Club-thanks to Mr.. Herbert Beech, the indefatiga-
BILE president, who has worked equally as hard as
OF the Gotham Club have been carefully selected
capital ground chosen, and the most harmonious and
York Cricket Club will play this year on the
old ground they selected last year, at the foot OF
turesque Weehawken Heights This field has been zen
well attended to since the club first occupied it, and
this year will be In capital order 1t Is level and
promises every attribute to make q good play
ing ground and will only require to be rolled
| and watered, when the fine weather sets in, to
make 1t MT The New York Club numbers some
of the best cricketers of the State among its
members, and with the trusty Byron and brawny
armed Lee 10 bat and bowl and tse other efficient
aids OF the eleven will show strong force and fight
pucky fight against all comers, even against the
redoubtabe st Georges under the auspices @ Of Their
commence play should the clerk of the weather prove
propltious on the goth inst, and have arranged
matches with most of the Boston and Philadelphia
| clubs besides the Newark and other surroundings.
In the fall the New Workers will proceed ON play.
| ing tour to Boston with their first and second
eeveps and 1t Is to be hoped that victory will follow
Tie Willow Club Of BROOKLYN, the remaining club
o. the city, to speak, It is only just
water in the sister capital also has fair promise or
sport for the season. This nearly the Oldest OF the
cricket clubs has declined Of late merely from the fact
Of its members not being pushing enough to allow 1t
| to keep its place with its compeers. The willows
vengeance, and do not intend to wear the weeping
willow any longer, but on the contrary Will be open
to fight all comers," In the language Of the hstic
| ring.
In conclusion 1t may be added that there is con-
siderable hope that the All England Eleven will pay
another visit to this country from over the "bg
pond" The st. Georges Cricket Club and Phladei-
phans have been In active correspondence with Lilly
white and Griffith on the subject; and judging by
the which attended the former visit OF the
All Enganders, there Is no reason to doubt that
they viii II the cricket OF 1868 will
be bright one indeed in the annals OF the game;
and the London club will probably arrive towards
the fall the close OF the season viii be brighter
| than its commencement. Let each club and each
crckeer do its and his best this year; the faes
| propitous, and In the language Of Boz 'Barks il
willing.r
PUGiLISM
The Cha hampionsilp Of England.