New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-27
BASEBALL AT AUCKLAND.
INTEREST IN ATHLETIC GAMES IN NEW
ZEALAND.
COMPARING BASEBALL WITH oRrcKEr-AN AP.
pREcIAr1vE MAYOR.

PREcIATIvE MAYOR.
Auckland, New-zealand, Dec. 1o.-America's IA
Vorte national outdoor sport has, from all appear
ances, struck fruitful soil for its development in
tniS iaraway island. The Mayor Of the city of
AUCKLAND certainly gave strong evidence Of It when
az the close Of the game this afternoon, he offered
10 pay 600 month TO have some professional player
come 10 Auckland and teach bis constituents the
game But there was far moro than this incident
10 lead to the same conclusion.
me circumstances attending the first professional
game ever played here favorable for its per
hahent Introduction Cricket is virtually dead here
Ihey have no professionals, and the time required to
PRACTISE and play the game makes too great nroad
on people who have but few hours daily to spare
ron business Baseball Just meets the want OF
Interesting and healthfu outdoor SPORT whose ex-
cliement can be thoroughly enjoyed within couple
OF hours The Aucklanders evidently had this i'm
preston from what they had read OF tho game in
ADVANCE Of the coming Of the Chicago and AlAmerca
baseoal Clubs, and the qulckness Of to-day's game
despite the very large score confirmed it.
The game is not entirely a stranger here About
lour or five years ago Justice Ges, of the Supreme
court introduced It into the Auckland College and
school, but It lacked competent coaching in the various
points OF match game TO give It substantial foot
Ing and II never developed beyond the first rudl
menu. Interest in It had doubtless worn itself out
entreiy, until II was reawakened again By the big
tour OF Spaldng's baseball combination The enter
Prise that brought so large a number OF athletes
such an immense trip perhaps the first cause to
provoke admiration Attached TO 1t was an earnest
iceilng OF qualification that It would furnish much
needed interesting outdoor amusement during the
summer months In winter football is the fayorite
outdoor sport and is literally patronlzed but the close
OF the season makes long and wearisome gap In
athletics. The newspapers took up the subject OF
baseball with genuine spirit OF enthusiasm. Those
VINO hac especial charge Of sporting news devoted
themselves so thoroughly to It that they had very
iair knowledge of the game and how II was scored
by the time the Alameda arrived with the ball players
Mr. spalding's advance agent laid out field and
made up one or two friendly games that helped to
give the participants sufficiently clear idea Of what
to expect from the experts.
Their work has accomplished one thing that Is
likely to help the organization Of NewZealand Base
ball League in the iuture-and that Is the spirit of
rivalry. Wellington, the capital Of the colony,
situated about 500 miles south Of Auckland has
already three baseball clubs. Being deprived OF an
opportunity seeing the great American professionals
play, they have endeavored 10 Offset the advantage
Of their rival city by being the first in the field with
baseball team. The Aucklanders admit this, and
in revenge dwell upoh the soreness OF the yelling
ton people because the visiting clubs did not think
1t worth their while TO stop there. When II was known
that game would be played there was muon reioc-
ing, though the probability Of large attendance on
Monday with a steamer In port was very small.
The young American who had been looking after
Mr. spaldlng's interest here stepped in with bit
Of ingenious hustng that does him credit He called
on the Mayor, and BY dwelling on tho national I'M
portanoe attached 10 the trip in America tried to
Induce him to proclaim a halfholiday Monday.
His Worship was willing, but the large business
interests that we're concerned on steamer day com
PEELED him TO forbear making such an encroachment
~ ~ - Gf
consisted Of his declaring publicly that he would
attend the game In person. and close all the NUM-
eipal Offices during the afternoon This recognition
on tho part OF tho eltys chief magistrate exerted,
beyond doubt, strong influence In bringing out
larger attendance than there would otherwise have
been The price OF admission was one shilling,
two shlIlings being charged for the grand stand
Tho time for beginning the game was o'clock and
an ho before that the players left the wharf In car
riass, preceded by military band and drum major
mascot Tho streets along which tho procession
moved were lined with people, and the storekeepers
must have momenshriy suspended business The
grounds are about two miles from town and there was
a continuous procession Of PEDESTRIANS on their way
thither Many OF them carried nedglasscs under their
arms some Of them being Of tho kind usually used at
sea- They possibly intended to see tho balloon
ascension that was to DO made by the Yankee a@o-
naut on the ground but they certainly could have been
the BAH as lt was ssnt sailing far over the ground
limits several times during tho game There were
yery few people presont when the ball players ar
rIved but long before the game was over 2,7O0 had
passed through tho entrance About 500 people oc-
cupied seats on the grandstand. the others standing
outside the small rail fence that enclosed tho oaheu
The proportion OF ladies was large. Several hundred
neonle Viewed the game from hills adjacent 10 The
ground. ard even Mount Eden. about mile and hall
away had It's contingent to see tho game and balloon
ascension.
The ground on which tho game took place was an
inclosed portion OF n race track known as fo"erS
Paddock 1t was sufficiently large for all purposes
and covered with turf but the nfeld was very uneven
ma n.do q exceedingly difficult 10 scoop swift
erounders. very strong wind was blowing ana
sUaved the ball 10 aud fro IN way that kept the
aeIderS guessing as TO where It would drop AIto-
eeher the conditions were not favorable for perfect
game of ball and II did not prove one; ~ was sucn
a. crowd might slCy Sus nS with The S exception
OF In onesidedness II was lust 1s n,p 10 crIchet
6st would ae HiSfei IN long hits and ay catches
They ceralnly IN abundance % eo IT. YIN, H ~
enough of tho latter 70 make hem ~ bsiter sA and
several Of the homerup hits maae "raU d he out
out beyond tho circle OF spectators Mounn 'no Vuo
e a9sb i Arson and s men worked with the same
spirit that charactcrzes them when HI pP pay o a.,
we'll either at the bat or IN the Ilnen' hanlon
dcded his unaccustomed Positoa, %S Crane and he
seemed content to drop in slow ball during most Oh
There was very little enthusiasm anlohg pe Spec
tators as tho game went on Ihey Evro pe S0 t ,u
express their admiration in words plt wero n2v h IN
cined toward bolstorous demonstration ia Wn zen
pfef,er batted out hard liner 70 right hoM ~ In9
frst Inning for four bases an elderly Iea wnLSAetot
man back OF the reporters shoasa Hsderss ana the
ike were meted out whenever The OaIsaShs ssSmos
90 nlesse The psopie most OF ali was the base steanR
That was quito new TO them and unlike any ma h sva ~
cricket When player reached first oase shu LEVEL
OF with the purpose osteallng second 1 ha ns
from the pitcher 20 thebaseman, ana tho DI d I h
ronld slde quickly 10 the base In order 70 aon Deng
put out They almost forgot their reserve r ba
10 applaud but It never developed lhl9 J i,ht he
draw-out and Just audible expression OF ceye Sliding
Pc;e reosried among the exceptionally clever
The aerOnaa bartholomew, wh tn SI Of Il About
he sixth inning he began 10 initiate his Sm
drew away a largo number OF people ,drsrd Tho sea-
came The wind was blowing strong 9Wsru uaS re
and he finally decided not to 60 up - boot him and