, 1870-10-02
nASE BALL.

Ba.c l.all has ce:se.l. ut 1east for the
.l.yers to lie IN amusement, mud haHpassed
.a:o profession Like acting, it began
:si'h cmateurs, whose object was 1nutual
:ecrcation. but ends with professionals,
4Io>e ai1a IL profit, OF, perhaps, fame. 1t is
possible thai, in other periods Of fathleticism,
3, for instance, when the Olympic and
s:ther games attHined snch celebrity in
Gzeecc, or when, during the Ago Of Chiv-
airy, so-called, the tournaments were as
ius,.ortanta social feature as our modern
conventions, some motives Of interest and
roft underlsy the appearance Of nero
amusement. It does not follow, because a
Tow devote years OF their lives to playing
aasa hall, and Httniu precision and skill in
the game as admiraihe, in its way, aa that Of
Gotiscl1alk on the piano. or Blondin on
the rope, and because stock companies
r:ith considerable capital are formed,
which pay good salaries anu modezate divi-
dends in the business, that, therefore, la 9
1'all has ceased to be a means of physical
crlture to the n,ass of the youth Of the
country As, according to Pope,
..Une 100. in verse makes many mora in prose- ~
70 one professional base ball player makes
Ii thousand amateurs For evory joint
stock or incorporated club that succeeds
in achieving a reputation that makes
It's business financial SUCCESS,
splitting open the fingers aud knocking OF
the thumbs Of its players in doing 80, a
thousand will attain the moro sensible aud
profitable result OF q few hours vigorous
exercise each dag for year or 50, suffdci-
cnt, If taken with moderation and judgment,
to strengthen permanently the constitu-
tiona, prolong, by years, the lives, and add
isnmensurahly to the enjoyment Of life Of
eyery member engaged. Few would wish
their children to be riders in travelling
circus, hut hrss-class horsemanship ahonld
le studied by as many as have the means
md opportunity to strive for it.
The Forest City., Atlantics, a1utuals
White Stockings, or Red Stockings, are vel
enough in themselves, as means Of n1uuse
.pent hut in their tendency to encourage
The systematic mud studious effort by OF
t:inary players to develop high degreo o
.'l,yRical toaGhue>s, viso1, agility, mud skill
lies their chief usefulness. These club
stimulate to emulation hut il il the un
knowo clubs that must he looked to to i'm
prove the average standard Of health an'
,iGor among the American people,
We do not nndezrate the evils Of ILL uag
!. ed and excessive athletic anuSetncnis, II
erroneous and sometimes unsafe to snF
lose that vital health improves in the sam
: ratio with muscular strength, and sti
, more often it may happen that 1nsrti
, ,lgor does not increase in tho same ratio &
| health. It's certain that tho majority {
I PERSONS engaged in intellectual occup;
':ons do not and physical exercise, exceI
: within worry moderate limits, to l
: .lyurable to mental activity. II lawyt
/ t:r Clergyman, in fair health, accustomed
h IT total Of two os fhrco hours Of physical ii,
u rcise per day, suddenly increases il to d,
!. '.eur, hy adding n adai!y round at base ball I
!. 7~,~ling. he is very likaly to find it depsea
3 iag to his mental Efforts, and, It he keeI
1t Up the same mental labor as formerly,
j. may oven prove debiiitating in healtl
Ic though it will certainly strengthen him
d muscle.
= A hlacksu,ith's lal,sr htsenE,hcus Ii
q arms, bnt would destroy the tlelicacy
> touch aud nerve Of an artist. So IN exec
II sire muscular Development may withlrs
is q part of the nourishment required for 1
= vital organs, While physical labor of al
:. tind vithdraws the blood from the lsA
l - ! \, II tt+sYt