Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-03
game has failed to be as much ADMIRED here as

game has failed to be as much admired here as
in previous years We cannot shut our eyes to
this fact. OF course there have not been
the usual number of matches played
during the season. and there has not been
any special attraction to secure the
attention of the public, but there seems
to be such an indifference about the game that
very few people would miss 1t were il to drop
out of our lists of local sport here. This is to
be regretted for after all, the good old game
is one of the best outdoor sports that we have
to-day. However, dent contemplate that we
will lose it entirely; on the contrary, am in
clined to think that next year, if all goes well,
we will have an unusually good supply of
cricket. There are plenty of young players in
and about the city, but what is required is to
have some prominent visitors. The visit of q
good team of strangers does more to help
cricket to popularity than anything else.
However. don't expect to ever see cricket
playing engraft itself on the minds of our
citizens no more than expect to see baseball
popular in England. Our national game, as L
have often SAID, will not become a popular sport
OF the English, and it is just as certain that
cricket playing will never become popular here.
But there is one feature in the local cricket
club that ought TO prompt all of us to give the
club all the help possible. l refer to the fact
that every member of the cricket team pays his
own expenses both when playing at home and
when abroad. If this is not a patriotism of
sport worthy of admiration never knew what
was. The players are not wealthy-they are all
working for salaries at one kind of employment
or another-and it is only their sincere devotion
to the game that prompts them to make the
sacrifices for It. Surely this is proof enough for
us to give the players all the encouragement
possible.
TrOtting Prospects.
A few days ago THE DISPATCH published an
interview with a prominent authority on trot-
ting races who frequently visits this city In
f6aff fr,Nar -NH,, AI,a
is an intimate friend of mine, went on to say
that in short time there will be trotring race
meetings in America from years end to years
end. By this he meant that in winter there will
be meetings in California; in the spring there
will be meetings in the South, and in the summer
and fall we will have the regular meetings in
the East as at present. He also went on to say
that the South will soon have frst-class circuit
somethlng like our grand circuit, and he added
that trottlng races would eventually become
more popular than running races. Now all this
is very interesting, and there is reason to
think that there is considerable truth connected
with it. There never was a time when so much
money was invested in trotting horses as at
present, and that in itself means an increasing
popularity of the sport. We have often been
told that money makes the mare to 20, whether
she Will or no, and Just as sure extraordinary in
vestments will popularize trotting races How.
ever, to contend that trotting races will outstep
running races in popularity is very bold con-
tention. To a certain extent this may be true,
but don't admit the truth of 1t if we assume
that both sports are placed on an equal footing.
In places like New York, where there is such
big class of people oflesure running races will
always be popular and will flourish where the
best trotting races that ever took place would
be financial failures. 1t is this class of leisure
people, together with the constant, immense
floating population that more than anything
else keeps the running races popular. But
take running meeting to less fashionable, less
popular and less wealthy places than New
NnrE nd flro foc fIoT4
not be so popular. in my way of thinking then,
it seems that just as cities get larger and
wealthler so will running races become more
popular.
slnvin's Standard.
The other day read with considerable inter-
est an English account of the Slavin-Goode
glove contest. which took place at Astleys
Theater, Lordon. The account was interesting
because it was almost the first time there has
been chance to get an idea of Slavins abilities
as boxer and to some extent a fighter. The
extraordinary abilities of Slavin had been her
aided from one side of the globe to the other,
but few Of US knew exactly what he was like in
a istic encounter as compared with our talent.
1t was curiosity to learn this that made the
contest between the Australian and Bill Goode
of any importance at all. Well, the contest is
over, and of course Slavin won it, but we are
a complete knowleage T as o'' to what
Slavin can do. have already made my mind
up as to what he cannot do. He cannot defeat
a frst-class heavyweight pugilist. He settled
Goode in four and a half rounds but he was
six inches taller and about 81 pounds heavier
than Goode. Slavin is feet l inch in height !
and weighed about 2l0 pounds when he met
GOode. Great Scott; what a giant compared |
with Gonde. suppose the contrast between |
t lem when they entered the ring was SO great |
as to be amusing. This contrast, undoubtedly, |
took considerable interest out of the contest as
it was soon seen that as game and as clever as
Goode is he could not hold his own with the big |
man from Australia. However. one thing was |
beyond doubt and that was that |
Slav1n has much to learn before he can be con-
sidered good boxer Goode made a child of |
him as far as scientific display was concerned, |
but the big man simply stood and smiled; |
looked down on the little fellow reached clean |
over his guard and knocked him down. Promi- |
nent authorities state that any good heavy |
weight will defeat Slavin. How far this |
opinion is true l don't know, because have |
never seen Slavin, but 1 am con-
Vinced he is no boxer. Well, now, Slavin |
claims that he is superior to Peter jackson
and If this is true, jackson is not the man we |
have been led to believe he is But don't be- /
ieve Slavin. don't mean to say that he is |
telling willfu! falsehood, but l say he has /
eIther overestimation of himself or is under |
jackson. would like to see an en-
counter between a man like Jack Ashton and |
Slavin. am inclined to believe that Ashton |
would give the Australian all that he desired.
~ any Aose, PuShlS1 Do
ust as good trial horse as the Australian
would wish. 1t may be that these two men
nay meet if Slavin visits this country.
Quite Surprise.
The Britlshers are the only ones at present |
Who are keeping pugilistic matters lively They
ave several good contests billed and perhaps
he most significant is that between Smith and
ackson. A few days ago it was decided that
he ten-round contest between them take place
n London on the 18th inst. When that an
ouncement was cabled over here connected
With it was another statement which really
tartled me. The world was told that the bet
ing was to on Smith. This was strange,
nd il no mistake in figures was made in the
of the message, considerable ex-
lanation is needed to show us why
uch odds should be bet on Smith. If the odds
re just Smith must certainly have been fool
ng the people during the last few years, or
lSe Jackson is a complete failure. But it may |
e that somebody knows all about it. and if |
his is the case there need be no surprise if |
here is 10 to l on Smith.
The Home PugiIfsfs.
There is nothing of very great Importance
appening among the pugiIistic fraternity this
ide the Atlantic. Of course we all know of
be escapade of Sullivan and his boon compar-
1ns and its serious results. The occurrence
annot fail to have great influence toward |
laking pugillsm less popular than it is Re-
emily that branch of sport has been rapidly on