The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-06-07
SUNDAY BALL PA YIblf.
Blue Coats Stand Guard
over Most Of the Avail
able Grounds.
BUT THE BEER PICNIC GOES on.
How the Anti Base Ball-on-Sunday
Laws Are Interpreted by
Justice Davis.


The police Of the Fifth precinct have
been in various ways notified, during the
past few weeks. that number OF young
men congregate every Sunday afternoon
on the Newark Bay shore and committed
the awful crime of playing ball. Ccnse-
quently every Sunday afternoon police
man has been detailed to keep an eye on
the ball tossers and stop their sport.
The ball ground in questionis in the
very heart of Curries woods. there bel ny
no habitatlon within mile The young
men who play there would like co know
why the police stop the playing, as they
disturb no one, and are as a rule orderly.
They work during the week, and have no
time to play except on Sunday, when
they seek q little recreation.
Is THIS MORE MORALS?
The young men would be satisfied to
stop playing ball, were 1t not tor the
other and more noisy festivities which
| they see going on around them. Every
Sunday pleasure clubs visit the woods,
aud have what they term a good time.
They bring accordeons. and dance to the
squeaky strains from the Instrument.
A keg or Two of beer always accom-
panies the party, and before nightfalf the
effect is plainly visible on men and
women alike. A fight usually winds up
the picnic Their shouting and singing
as they leave for home in the Greenville
cars, would waken the the seven sleepers.
The police do not seem to mind this,
however, in fact they take 1t as a sort Of
regular Sunday observance. They break
up the ball game, but do not modest the
pleasure club members
The young men who participate in the
ball games generally come from New
York or other nearby cities and not one
instance can be recalled where they be-
came drunk and created any disturbance.
The police have nothing to say further
than that it is against the law to play
bali on Sunday aud that they will see
that no one will play the game on that
day. Many citizens Of Greenville, how
ever. think that the boys should be allow
ed to play in the woods on Sundays and
that the police should stop the dancing
| and other festivities.
TAKING THE BALL PLAYERS SIDE.
A prominent citizen, who does not wish
co have his name mentioned, said:-"l do
not see what harm there is in playing
ball on Sunday. The players as rule,
are boys who have but little time to in-
dulge 10 the game during the week.
They cause no trouble, in fact few resi-
dents in Greenville know the young men
try to play ball in the woods. They have
never created disturbance and I do not
see why they should not be allowed to
play"
In West Bergen the same state OF az
fairs exist. The boys in that section have
also been stopped from playing ball on
the Culver avenue grounds These
grounds are also considerable distance
from any habitation and the young men
are stopped on moral grounds entirely.
Tne sin OF the game and not the disturb
ance has been the allegation of the COM
plants which have been laid before the
pol ice of the Fifth and Fourth precincts
A tr.li oarr has Me 1an 1T. LII -.
watch the players on the Culver avenue
grounds, aud consequently the Sunday
ball player is sad.
JUSTICE DAVIS OPINION.
These precautions to prevent Sunday
ball playing can hardly be squared with a
recent decision by Justice Davis. A Young
man was brought before him charged
with this otfense.
you are discharged. = said the Justice.
lyon have perfect right to play ball on
Sunday"
had conversation with Justice
Davis about this subject, and he ex-
pressed very liberal views.
Il do not see any HARM" said he, Tin
innocent pastimes which are enjoyed on
Sunday. Bali playing on Sunday do
not consider crime. There are many
young men whose condition requires
hard, unpleasant work to be performed
from daylight until dark on week DAYS
There is therefore but one day In seven
to take any pleasant relaxation.
II do not see the reason for prohibiting
ball playing on Sunday. OF course am
not in favor of rowdyism, and of course I
would not tolerate any Sunday ball play
ing where there was beer drinking and
profanity and general disorder. But /
certainly see an injustice in prohibiting
ball playing in empty lots where no harm
can possibly occur and where only inno-
| cent amusement and healthful exercises
are sought.
II think it would be good scheme to
have grounds where boys who had no
other time at their disposal for ball play
ing could go Sunday. Baseball Is
our national game aud if interest
was excited in the game and
every innocent attempt was not met by
police suppression, think perhaps Jersey
City might now have her own ball club"