Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-02
BASE BALL TO PUNCH'S EYES.
How the Mystified Briton Thinks the
Game Ranks with Cricket,


Wonder how GAN America" and Chicago"
like playing their great national game in a fog
on mud-swamp. What lot of left-handersl
Flne-built fellows, though, and natty dress.
Look at that broad-shouldered chap in spotless
-Bdng' BY Jove, ,chdt downerl He's not
spotless now, either; plasteredwith Surry slime
from neck to ankle. Doesn't seem to half like
it. What are they up to? Look to me like
lot OF tipsy fellows in a fog. Somebody sprawl
ing every half minute. Find it difficult to fol-
low the game, and as to the scoring-well, do
they score at all? Br-r-r! it is cold! Al ont?
Why, 1 hardly knew they were in. Score?
Nothing' And after all that scampering and
stumbling. Rum game this!
All. that's a good spank! First fair hit I've
seen. But what skyer. Caught? Why, of
course; dropped into fields hand as easily as
an egg into cup. What are they doing now?
All! there's swipe! Run, sir, r,nn! Why. he
never stirs? Foul hit? OH hang it ALL What
with misses. and fouls. and skyers, and STUN
bles, and other mysterious movements l can't
understand, they don't seem to score at all, 1t
may be all very scientific, but we ''don't get no
forrader." Yes, they do catch well, certainly
and throw straight, only nothing seems to come
of it.
Pitcher throws as if he were pelting frogs in
pool. As to Catcher, he looks a cross between
FdLstGt. fencer. and Thames diver. Game
ieseHIDleS u SIOrlneQ-anQ more dangerous
FOUNDERS, only nobody has made a "roander'
yet, as far as can see. Gr-r-rl it's cold, yes,
and SLOW" distinctly slow. Without the pro-
longed charm of cricket, the. swift short
excitement of football. but with all the tedium
of the one and all the matchmaking of the
other.
What. all over? Why. they've done nothing
yet. Oh, interval of ten inmates, eh? To take
breath and talk to the prince, l suppose Hope
h. r. H. enjoys it inside the pavilion. don't
outside
Out again? Well, let's hope they'll make it a
little more lively this time. Don't look as
splck-and-span as they did at first Too much
Oval mud about them. Why are they Arrays
tumbling over those india-rubber hot-water
cushions Ooh! bases are they?)-and dirtying
themselves so dreadfully? Part of the game?
Humph! Probable, but hardly explanatory.
Hooray! First genuine cheer of the afternoon.
Good hit, that; what, at cricket. we should call
'swipe to the boundary for-hOw many,
four or six is it? Eth! What? Game altogether
only five to two? Oh. dash it all, that's too
draggy. Worse than Section at the wickets.
Humph! Slow again. And, by Jove, half the
spectators have ''mizZed" like the rain Think
shall do likewise, for I'm cold as ice can't
see anything but muddle and mist. and don't
feel to care much for seeing anything more
Ell? Games at an end? Well. well-and who's
won? Don't know? Neither do I-nor care.
Smart fellows quick cats. and straight as
catapults. Should think they'd make splendid
'helds, rafting throws ill.," and superb
'catches"-at cricket. But their skill all seems
chucked away at this game. More scientific
than cricket" Bosh! Likely to be popular
in this country" Walker! Fancy grown-up
FOUNDERS. with few hits and scarcely any score,
superseding willow and stumps Don't under
stand the game! Well, no. l dare say not. and
up to now, somehow. don't seem to want to.