Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-08
CITY AND DISTRICT
CRICKET AND BASE BALL.
The Points OF the English and American
Games COnsrasfed.

The Points of the English and American
Games COntrasfed.
CRICKET TOO SLOW FOR THE AVERAGE AMERI.
CAS-THE SCIENCE OF BOWLING AND BAT.
TrSG-A talk WITH MEMBER OF THE WASH
INGroS CRICKET CLUB.
Washington Cricket club was recently or
ganized for the purpose of giving those vino are
Interested in it an occasional opportunity for
enjoying the English national game, and the
FIRST contest took place last Saturday afternoon.
on Columbia heights. A number of well-known
Washingtonians VINO years ago were infatuated
with the game elsewhere, perhaps, and en-
joyed playing IL. are interested In the new club
and there is every prospect of its proving sue
cessful. These gentlemen have taken 1t up
both for pleasure and exercise. They feel that
In no other way can they secure the same
amount of healthy outdoor exercise COM
bined with pleasure on q cricket field.
"A SrAR reporter met Col. Cecil Clay the
other day, one of the active men Of the
new club and an old cricketer of repu-
tation, and asked him some questions
about the charms of the game of cricket. No
doubt there are a great many more people in
Washington who are well up In the game than
IL generally supposed, but IL is just certain
that a large number are as ignorant on the sub
1ect rs THE STAR reporter was and for their
benefit tue explanation cheerfully made Is re-
PRODUCED. Cricket Is strictly an English
game" said Col Clay, "and doubt If 1t would
ever enjoy the same popularity with Ameri-
cans as e. does in the old countrJ. Americans
are the same with their pleasures as with their
business. An American in taking a drink will
gulp down q glass of whisky, wash out the taste
with "a swallow of water. and be Off about some
thing else, with a hurried. We'll, so long. An
ErgliShman, on the other hand, sits down with
glass of brandy and soda, and will chat over
II for ten or fifteen minutes with q friend. As q
general thing Americans would not care
10 watch game of cricket because IL
takes taxi, too long to play It An Englishman
In his mouth, and See the sun set twice on the
same game, without realizing how tine time has
flown, so thoroughly IS he absorbed in watch
Ing the fine point; in the contest. A strong
point in favor of the English game Is that
one who has ever played IL loses his interest in
II. Wherever you find an old Englishman
WHO played cricket in his youth, just breach
the Subject OF cricket and the result will be
quart OF ale and "reminiscences for a half hour.
Old contests will be fought over, and he will
tell yOu with rejuvenated interest now they
used to play when he was boy The fe "
Americans who have given enough attention
10 the game TO thoroughly understand its fine
points appreciate 1t. and are always ready TO
take time for an afternoons game. II will
never take the place OF baseball with Amer
leans, 1 suppose The latter game Is shorter
and suits them better"
THE FINE POINTS OF CRICKET.
'.Are there as many fine points in cricket as
In base bail?'' asked the reporter.
Infinitely more, my boy There are the
same opportunities for brilliant fielding in the
one as Ia the other. The bowling and batting
however, in cricket afford many more shades Of
deliver the bali to the batter before il strikes
the gIOund, and the only control he has over il
In ioolins the batter Is the twist or curve he
may be able TO give 10 Ii in the air. The cricket
bowler can make the ball strike the ground in
front oil the batter, and therefore has the ground
70 assist him in giving direction to tine ball.
Base ball in this respect is like a game of bill
lizards without the elastic cushions. In such
an imaginary case the player could only con-
troll the ball With his cue i'm giving il direction
from the first object ball TO the other. With
the cushion 10 play on he can give 1t an infinite
Var nf Al O-stE
gives d similar advantage to the bowler that q
cushion does to the billiard player The pri-
vent his wicket from being Knocked down, and
the secondary to so hit the ball as to place
1t beyond the reach OF the heiders
with the batter at the other wicket. The bow
Ter endeavors TO SO deliver the ball as to prevent
wicket after passing him. When his WICKET I is
down the batter Is out The batter may be put
out on a ball caught on fly, bowled out by the
wicket keeper striking the wicket with the ball
In his hand while the batter has his feet or his
bat outside Of the limits allowed, either in en-
deayoring TO strike a bali in exchanging
wickets. The bowler aims at one time to make
the ball strike the ground in front of the batter
80 that he has TO step outside the GREASE" to
strike il. With the shoot he gives it, If missed
by the batter, IL may strike his wicket, or be
caught by the wicket keeper in time To stump
him out AT another time the bowler will twist
the ball that IL will strike In front of the bat
ter and curve behind him.
TRICKS OF BOWLING AND BATTING.
There is q great variety OF tricks of delivery
the bowler may resort to- continued COL Clay
land there are just as many available to the bat
ter. A quick eye and a ready hand are the great
requisites of q good batter. He is not COM
PEELED to strike q ball. He can drop his bat
and simply turn Its course from his wicket be-
hind him and bide his time until he gets a ball
that suits him. The best batter, or rather the
man with the quickest eye and hand TO pro-
tect his wicket, generally bats first. He may
not make many runs, but he is firing out the
nifty 10 those who follow him to do the heavy
hitting. There are two bowlers on an eleven
and they take turns In bowling. There are two
wickets, a batsman at each. Four six balls
man in succession. There are eleven men on a
side, a. of course you know. Each man has a
turn at the bat until ten men out, which
concludes an inning. The eleventh man is
nrst at the bat In the second inning. A regu-
lar game consists of two INNINGS for each
eleven, although only one inning is often
play ed, and less than eleven men may also con.
stitute a side. There Is no limit TO the length
OF "a game OF two innings, for good batter NAV
keep bowler at work for hours. All the fine
points are recorded in the score, so that every
man has an Oppor tunity to make a brilliant
record know i havn't explained the game
fully 10 you, but come out To the grounds some
afternoon when there is q game on and take a
hand and We will try to give you practical proof
OF the advantages OF cricket over base ball
A New Building.
THE HANDSOME NEW CARRIAGE REPOSITORY
ERECTED BY Mr.. YOUNG.
An enterprise that marks the growth of this
city is the handsome new building which Mr..
John N. Young has erected on c street, Just
back OF the National Hotel, for the accommo-
A. "a.