The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-08-08
BASE BALL IN ENGLAND.
Londen Punch Chooses to Wax Mildly Sa
tiricaI Over Our National Game.

Here is what London Punch has to
say about base BALI Wonder how
..All-American and Chicago like
playing their great national game in a
fog on mud-swamp? What a lot OF
left-handers! Fine-built fellows,
though, and natty dress. Look at that
broad d-shouldered chap in spotless-
Bang! BY Jove what a downer! He's
not spotless now, either; plastered
with 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 fog. Somebody
sprawling every half minute. Find it
difficult to follow the game, and as to
the scoring-well. do they score at all!
Br-r-r! it is cold! All out? Why, !
hardly knew they were in. Score?
Nothing? And after all that scamper-
ing and stumbling. Rum game this!
All! that's good spank! First fair
hit I've seen. But what a skyer!
Caught? Why, of course; dropped in
to fields hands as easily as an egg
into cup. What are they doing now ?
All! there's a swipe! Run, sir, run!
Why, he never stirs! Foul hit? Oh!
hang it all! What with misses and
fouls, and skyers, and stumbles and
other mysterious movements | can't
understand, they don't seem to score
at all! 1t may be all very scientific,
but we s'don't get no forrader.h Yes,
they do catch well, certainly, and
they throw straight, only nothing
seems to come of it.
alo,, l. In
frogs in a pool. AS to catcher, he
looks cross between Falstaff. fencel
and Thames diver. Game resembles
glorifed-and more dangerous
FOUNDERS, only nobody has made a
'rounderh yet, as far as | can see.
Br-r-r! it's cold; yes. and slow-distinct-
ly slow. Without the prolonged charm
of cricket, or the swift, short excite
ment of football, but with all the tedium
of the one and all the mud tumbling Of
the other.
What? All over? Why, they've
done nothing yet. Oh! interval of ten
minutes, Ell? To take breath and talk
to the prince, | 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 spik-and-span as they
did at first. Too much Oval mud
about them. Why are they always
tumbling over those India rubber hot
water cushions-oh! bases are they?-
and dirtying themselves so dreadfully?
Part of the game? Humph! Probably,
but hardly explanatory. Hooray!
tirSt nhaa, Of ha of
Good hit, that; what. at cricket, we
should call '.swipe to the boundary" J"
for-how many. four to six, is it? Eh!
What? Game altogether only five to
two? Oh! dash it all, that's too draggy.
Worse than Scotton at the wickets.
Humph! Slow again. And, by Jove,
half the spectators have "mizzled." !"
like the rain. Think | shall do like
wise, for I'm cold as ice, can't see any
thing but muddle and mist, and don't
feel to care much for seeing anything
more. Eth? Games at an end? Well, !,
well-and who's won? Don't knows?
Neither do Nor care. Smart fell
lows, quick as cats, and straight
as catapults. Should think they'd
make splendid "felds," rattling
"throws in" and snperb ''catches"
cricket. But their skill all seems
chucked away at this game. More
scientific than cricket?r Bosh! Like
ly to be popular in this country?"
Walker! Fancy a grown-up FOUNDERS,
with a few hits and scarcely any score,
superseding willow and stumps! Don't
understand this game? Well, no, l
dare say not, and up to now, somehow,
| don't seem to want to.