River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-08
LADIES AS ATHLETES.
Club for Outdoor sports.
New NOFl, Herald

/
The absence of sunlight was not miss
ed much at the New Brighton cricket
grounds, for from o'clock until s in
the evening there was such dazzling
array of faces and beautiful costumes
that only a chronic fault-finder could
have asked for anything to add to the
| brillianey of the scene. The occasion
vas the opening fete of the Staten
J. and Ladies' Club for Outdoor Sports.
| At the beginning of its third season this
club called together its members and
their friends to appropriately chronicle
and inaugurate the arrival of the season
| for gentle exercise in the open air.
| From the flagstaff on the cricket ground
| hoated the red and yellow pennant of
| the club. Under Il large marquee tent
were arranged seats for languid spec
| tators, and a large part of the ground
was prepared for such games as ladies
play. No less than eight courts for
lawn tennis occupied the space nearest
to the spectators, while beyond were
numerous croquet sets and dozen
| targets for archery. The pretty toys
used in the game of graces were placed
conveniently for those that might want
to use them; but few seemed to have
cultivated this sport SO familiar to
their grandmothers, but known to this
generation principally through portraits
of those same grandmothers represent
ed as pitchforking the decorated fving
rings upon ancestral lawns of rare mag
niticence. The graces and the games
that cultivate them alone were discard
ed for those other inventions that under
the gnise of sport develop likewise bone
and sinew and gentle conversation.
The members of the club were early on
the ground, dressed not only tastefully
but what appropriate reference to their
purpose in coming The club uniform
of white flannel, with badge and cap in
red and yellow, was worn blythe ladies
us well as the gentlemen The dresses
were loose wasted, short skirted, SEN
sible garments, and being relieved by
the bright brunette colors of the club
seemed most becoming to all styles of
beauty, especially after game or two
of tennis had enabled the wearers to
throw off the touch of chill that was
swept over the field by the easterly
wind that came across the water BY
O'Clock all the guests had arrived.
Coming by carriage and afoOt, or by the
afternoon boats from New York, no less
than three hundred persons had gath
cred to encourage and envy the fair
athletes Some of the visitors, while
not quite prepared to draw the bow and
pierce the gold at sixty yards, were
nevertheless ready to join II side for
'bean bags" and the air was soon filled
Il pl Of
riment as the nervous fingers clutched
the elusive bean bags. Over it all from
time to time was heard the music of
the band of the Sd artillery, imported
for the occasion from Fort Hamilton.
A lively and attractive scene was Wis
ible here for an hour or two. At the
foot of the grounds, which are directly
above the shore of the island, the waters
of the bay were dashed by steadily
rising wind, and against the darkening
background of the distant city and the
dull, leaden tone of the distant sky the
white uniforms of the graceful partici-
pants in the sports stood out like pic
ture Tea was served in the clubhouse
at the upper end of the grounds, and
dancing was on the programme for the
later hour to which the exercises were
extended. Thus successfully inaugur-
ated the club will continue its games on
regular days throughout the season.
The grounds have been on ladies
days" favorite afternoon resort for
Staten Islands society, who have found
in the definite purpose of meeting an
attractive element to combine with so
cial intercourse