Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-23
RAPID PROGRESS IN CROQUET.
PrOminent Devotees Of the Game.
soNE CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM OF PLAYING
THE TOURNAMENT.

SOME CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM OF PLAYING
THE TOURNAMENT.
From the New York Tribune.
''The game of croquet is not what 1t used to
De" said the professor. STOPPING TO extract q
pebble from its lodging place in front of "the
cage" with the point OF his pen-knife. al
don't mind confessing that 1t Is getting
even beyond my depth, and although
my stature may be mean, my devo-
ton to the subtleties of the game has passed
into proverb. Why, just look ut it," he con-
tinued, turning his mallet into the semblance
OF walking stick and comfortably balancing
himself on its head, when the New York club
had its grounds in Harlem it was satisfied with
four-inch wickets. We moved down 10 9Th
avenue and SSth street. These wickets have
been gradually squeezed in until it is much
as can do to get ball through em with my
hand, much less with stroke OF the MALE /.
Well, l suppose the younger generation has
keener eyes. There was time" here the pro-
lessor was compelled To gather himself up with
some confusion. "A ball ret hot from the mallet
OF the doctor running against his improviSed
stool aud upsetting ii without ceremony.
"E used TO tell you, he ran on, getting over
the boundary board, "that scientific croq net
was bound TO become very popular when it was
better understood. At that time the crOquet
league was composed of few clubs and their
meetings attracted no attention. Now We play
oyer hundred games To decide the champion
ship at Norwich, and what with the illustrated
and daily papers, Il INQUEST man like myself
cannot enter a tournament without getting
himself into a headline and getting ticLiti Gus
biographies OF himself in circulaton ms the
champion player OF the United States Then
II like myself he is in business, his friends
downtown greet him with why, Smith, l
didn't know anybody but boys and girls play ed
croQuet nowadays. l thought tennis had en-
tireiy driven II out, as though that windy,
same breath with the logic and nnesse OF crO-
quet. And what labor 1t is to explain TO a
novice that the old lawn game has no more in
common with the than marbles with bill.
lizards, and when you have tried TO show him
that brains are Indispensable in croquet, ten to
he meets that Smith is failing last, is gong in
lOr children S ganes,' and all that.
THE DOCTOR INvINCIBLE AT HOME.
"Yet, in spite OF the Improvements in the
game, it is astonishing how the old players
keep pace with them. There is DR.. Read ON
his own ground he is invinciDle. For three
years players have come from ALI parts oi the
country To carry off the Horsman malet. 1t
went To New Jersey once and thence to staten
lsltnu, out The doctor went tier IL successfully
ut the ilrSt opportunity, and Siuce then has de-
!eated prayer alter player these grounds,
anu 1t still remains with the New York club.
AT tournaments the doctor gets wOrsted, but at
nome lie holds his own always.
professor Jacobus, now Oh New Brunswick,
is great prize-Wlnner. In 1854, at Norwich,
he won the second place against General How
land; In 1855 the first place against Ford, aud
tnis year, win fifteen players, the second pace
against Ford. There Is considerable rivalry De-
tween Ford and Jacobus. In extra meeting
al Norwich tnls year Challenge series was
played in which Ford won four straight games
nom Jacobus. Another match, on the New
Jersey grounds, Resulted in favor of JacODus.
Tue SIX leading play ers i'll the Country, judged
Dy tue records OF 1856, are Ford, JacoDus, Phil
lips, Bush, Read anu Bryant. A series winch
would include only these players would prOLa-
bly, disturb the order in wnicn have named
tnem. The gaines would De worth seeing, and
L doubt IL amy one could name the winner be-
lore the match was hall over. 10 be decisive
each player snouId play at least series oI three
with every Otner. l understand that such
tournament is proposed at Martha's Vinegar
early next season.
"Inere aie SD many clubs now belonging to
the league That Il new system has been devised
ior paying Tue tOurnameLL gaines. Three
players VIII be allowed To enter lroIn each ciuO,
ana the net will De divided mo tlve divisions,
care being taken 10 put at least one superior
player III each ulVIsiOn. / he winners In each
CLASS will then play the first ami second
place ms plan. though open To many oujcc-
tiohs, Is Intended 10 Accommodate the lncreas-
Ing numUer Oh pilyer WHO gO To Norwich EACH
year."