The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-08-08
THE BIRTH OF CRICKET.


Cricketers and Our Little Tip Cat Whach-
Are Really Brothars.
According to the best authorities,
cricket is combination of hockey,
bat and ball, FOUNDERS and tip cat,
Mr.. Billiards. theory being that when
tip cat was played 200 years ago it
was known as ''cross wicket, and the
players consisted of eleven side, with
a notcher or scorer, and that when
the cat was hit away the strikers ran
as now. the runs counting toward
game. Afterward ball was substi-
tuted for the cat, and the name
"cross wicket" to 'cricket." In q pic
ture of a match played in 1743 the
game seems to have been in the tran
STORY state, the popping hole, rem
nant of FOUNDERS, being shown under
the hurdle wicket, and, in reality,
was the original of the popping crease.
The wicket then was Simply two up
right sticks with another piece Of
wood, or bail, on top of them. In the
picture the wicket keeper occupies the
same place as he does now in q cricket
match, and allowing for the then
shorter stumps, stands in the same po-
sition of lively watchfulness. The
batsman is handling a club bat, obvi-
ously compromise between q hockey
stick and tip cat bat The bowling
appears to consist in trundling the
ball along the ground, and from the
near position Of the scorer to the
wicket, and the manner in which the
felders stand, off hitting was un-
known at that time. There is only
one account existing of an eleven
aside match in that era, that Of Kent
VS.. All England in 1746, which, how
ever, goes to prove that in its chief de-
tails the game was contested under
much the same conditions as at present.
It is, however, an open question
whether the county of Surrey, Sus-
sex or Kent has the most right to be
considered the nursery of the national
game in England, though undoubted-
~ the Bat and Ball inn, about two
miles from Hambledon in Sussex, has
most claim to the title of being the
cradle of cricket. This old house
stands on a level expanse Of ground,
where two cross roads meet, and out
wardly-at least a few years back
as it did $50 years ago.
Between i775 and 1850 a middle
stump was introduced, when a newer
style of playing the game came into
vogue that is to say, in addition to
the third stump other changes were
taking place, notably in the bats or
clubs, which gradually became
straighter and wider in shape This
continued until 1910, by which time
the crickets bats altered in form to
what they are at present. Nearly
everything else, such as the bowling
distance, placing of the ielders, ap-
pointment of umpires, etc, were
gradually introduced as well, the only
difference being in the costumes Of
the players.
At the early part of the present CEN
tury the cricketer's dress consisted Of
breeches, silk stockings, lace up iron
tip shoes, fancy colored shirts and
jockey caps-at least that was the uni
form worn by the famous Hambledon
club, which at first helped to spread
such a luster over this deservedly
popular pastime. It is now over q
hundred years ago Q78V since the
historical match was played between
Hambledon and All England, in front
of the Bat and Ball inn we have al
ready referred to, at which it has been
alleged that the famous old player,
Willie Baldham, known far and wide
as Silver Billy, took part-though, &C.
cording to the best authorities, he could
not have been much moro than II
years old, but they began young In
those days, for boys of IL fought a
Waterloo. VictualleE9 0a-
zette.