New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-17
RAPLD PROGkESS ~ CROQUET.
PROMINENT Dsvor les OF THE GAME.

SOME CHANGES IN THE oY-rEM Of PLAYING HE
TOURNAMENT.
"rhe game Of croluet is not what 1t used T." De.
said the Professor. stopping to extract pepo'e
tx.,, ,.s Irdgng place in from ut tho Gag" with
ain. mint of ms peu-Nnfe. dont mnl confess
ing tnat it j. getting even beyond nv "eOth' ana
although my statue nay be mean. my devotion to
the sub,ietiss of tho gtne has pas ed into u
nrov.rb Why. inst look AZ it," he continued,
tnrniLg his m llet INTO the senblance OF = wtlHing
stick an cnmfortabv balancing himself on IT'S
head when the New York Club had It's grounds
in Harlem il " ~ satisfied with f0ur-lnch wickets
We moved down TO Fifth-ave. aui E.ghtv-eI9hth-
st. Thess wicNetS have been gra tn Ally slneezsl III
until 1t Is ~ inu IN do 10 get bail thronSh
'em with nv tnd. much es+ with a stroke Oh tue
mIllet. We'll, slnpose the younger generation mas
keener eyes. There lime" here the Pro-
les,or WI. compeel to gather himself 10 win
some confu ion. bal rti-hot from tue IN ,Iet OF
the Doctor run linz against his iuprovised stoOl
aud np>etting it without ceremony.
Il n--d 10 tell yon.' he To on, getting over the
boundary bpari shat scientific croquet was
bound TO become very popular when It was better
unler-topl. AT That inc tie Croquet League was
conoo,el of a few clubs an thelr meetings
attracted 40 attention. Now we play over a
hundred game, to decide the champiOn'nlp NJ
Norwich. aud what with tue illustrated ana daily
papers modest man Ike myself cannot eh'er
to without getting himself into headline
and getting hcttIous biographies OF himself III
circulation A the champion player of the United
States. Then If like self he Is in business. ms
frienls downtown greet him with Why, SMITH
[ didn't know anybody but boys anu glrls
played croqlet nowadays. | thought tenuls h'd
entirely driven it ont as though that wi"uy'
bouncing exercise could be nentione in the same
of T. II
what labor it 10 explain 70 novice that the Ola
lawn has no more in common with the ne"
than marbles with billiards. and when you have
tried 10 show him that brains are indispensable IN
crnQuet. ten TO one he " Ii 70 away and tell the
next person he meets that Smith Is iai.lns
last, Is gon IN FOR chllirens Iames anu jill Un1'
IHK DOC OK GNvINCIBLE AT HOME.
Yet, in 40 e. of the improvements IN me ga
it Is astonishing how the Old players keep pace
With them. There IS Doctor Read, on MS o"h
ground he Is invinciDle. For three years players
have come from all parts of the country TO carry
off the Horsnan MA let. IL went TO New-Jersey
once and thence TO Staten island. but the Doctor
went after II successfully at tnc nrst opportunity,
al since then mas defeated player asel p%Syu
these grOdnls and il still remains WIN the new
| York Club. At tournaments tao Doctor geUs
worsted. bat at home he holds bis own always
y Pro essOr JacoOus. now OF New WICK y d
| great prze-winuer. IN 1851. az Norwich. he won
tue second place against General h'witnu III
| 1850 the hrst place against ford, and bhis yea
with teen PLAYERS tue second place against roru:
| There IS considerable rivalry between Ford anu
Jacobus Ia an extra meeting az Norwich ms
yea challenge series was played IN whlcn roru
won iour straigIt games from Jacobus Announcer
match. on the New-Jersey groun IS. resulted ia
| favor Ut Jacobu+ Tue SIX leading players IN tns
country judged bv the records OF 1856. are Ford.
Jacobus, Phillips. Bush. Read anu Bryant series
| winch would include only these players woulG
| probably DISTURB the order In which have named
! them The games would be worth seeing, ani
doubt II any coaid name the winner before .ne
match was half over. To decisive each player
should play at least a series of three with every
| other | understand that such tournam.n no "
proposed at Marthas Vineyard early next Season ths
"Tbers are 40 many clubs now belonging 20 s cue
Leasas that system has r SocD psysrs viii
| playing the tournament games. hIso III ~. SELL
will be divided into five divisions care oe'as ;on
TO put at least superior player ln esoL ST. Tor the
The winners in each class Will then ptay o a. ~
arst and second place This plsn. thoagh open 70
many objections is Intended to accomn =. e. -
increasing number of players who 70 u MOI i'A
each year."