The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1889-10-10
seemed to be glory enough.


Pedestrianism finds some measure
OF popular approval. But there is
nothing in it to suggest a national
game. English women walk distance
of five or ten miles without much
fatigue. American women, for the
most part, do not. Yet there is a
strong inclination to revive this form
of exercise in the country. Even
now the young woman who can do
FIVE miles or more .ith little fatigue
is not considered prodigy. She
occasionally iaakes excursions over
country roads or among the hills, and
rejoices in the freedom and sense of
physical power which this kind OF
exercise affords. The good walker,
are in the minority. Yet no one can
thoroughly know the country who
does not go on foot to make his OBJ.
servations.
As for bicycling, i, will always lacl,
some of the elements of national
game. There are few contests. The
amateurs take to the read and enjoy
speed hardly less than that made by
railway train. The pedestrian is
simply on wheels, and ID working
machinery with his legs. He oc.a-
sionally joins in races There are as
sociations of wheelmen, and the
machines have been brought to won-
derful perfection. But good ma :
chine costs nearly as much as a
phaeton. 1t is possible that this form
Of physical exercise and amusement
will have a much larger following
Good roads are essential in this respect
aud good roads in the Western States
are an excep ton. The bed road
places an embargo on the bicycle.
Horseback riding for a mere exercise
will always be popular with n small
minority. But the well trained
saddle horse with good equipment,
is an expensive outfit. The majority
can never afford this indulgence
The national game must, from its
cheapness, have the element of uni.
versatility. Ii must also include one
Of the best forms Of physical exercise.
For these and other reasons the game
Of base ball has taken the precedence
Of all other games. 1t has become
well nigh universal. 1t creates more
enshusiasm than any other popular
diversion. No other will draw from
three to five thousand people together
SO quickly as baseball. The game
has been reduced to a science. The
1O-year-old boy knows all about it.
The elders look on him with wonder
and surprise. The professional ball
players travel all over the Union. IL
is pity that the game is played for
stakes so often. But this is one of
the methods uf keeping up the enthu-
siasm. But in every hamlet and Will
age there are young men who are ex-
perts at the game. With an hour ur
two of leisure there will be an assem-
blage of ten or twenty Of them in an
open lot, and then the contest begins
Like all other games, there are some
excesses. The arm at the shoulder is
sometimes thrown out Of JOINT, the
f..ce is sometimes battered, finger Is
broken, and black eye becomes orna-
mental. These contests encourage u
form Of manly exercise. Swift run
ming, good pitching and batting bring
into exercise tho whole physlcrl sys.
tenn. There are probably more
athletes among the young men who
practice this form Of exercise than are
found in all the outside ranks With
out apparent concert to that. end. the
young of this country have ut last
nearly or quite established national
game