The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-07
politan blskict Cricket League in 1890 the

game has entered upon now era.
This league is comprised Of 10 clubs, all
within n radius Of 80 miles Of New York.
1t is divided into two sections. There is
also SECOND eleven section. The prcsi-
dent of tho league for tho first two years
of It's existence was tho famous divine,
tho Rev. w. S. Rainsford. In 1899 Henry
Martcn, tho well known criokotcr, was
president. In 1893 David A Munro nc
copied tho position, which no again holds
this year
The pcnnant givcn to tho champion club
at the end of each season has been captur-
cd by several of tho clubs in turn. Last
year the New Jersey Athletic club won it,
and tho Jcrscymcn may again capture it
this season, rs they have very strong
team.
One of tho best crickctcrs in the Metro
politan district is NJ. r.. Cobb of the n.
j. A. G. He is, in fact, regarded rs tho
best all round crickotor in New York For
four successive years no has carried off the
best batting average in tho league, and in
three out of four has he obtained tho palm
for tho best figures in tho bowlcrs' col
umn. He is an Englishman having played
cricket first in Kent, is quiet and unostcn-
tatious and we'll liked among his club
mates.
Other well known names among metro.
politan crickctcrs are Fl. MacNutt, j. l..
Pool, j. Rose, the wicket keeper; @. Ellis,
the fastest bowler in tho district, and Il.
+. Kelly, who has till this season played
in Chicago, where ho was known us tho
premier bowler of tho west. Staten Island
is n stronghold of cricket near New York,
the Station Island Cricket club being to
the New York district what the German
town Cricket club is to Philadelphia.
In Boston tho gamo has found many
votaricS, and now there arc numerous
clubs scattered around the Hub. In New
England cricket has advanced rapidly
through the formation Of state and other
leagues Boston has n strong club and is
captaincd this year by Arthur Merritt,
well known as an all round sportsman.
He halls from Yorkshire, that homo of
crickctcrs. The All Massachusetts match
recently played in Staten Island against
All New York showed what n powerful
aggregation of crickctcrs tho New Eng
landcrs can put i'll tho field when ncccs-
sary.
Cricket has obtained n firm standing in
the American colleges. There in an in
tcrcollcgiatc league which plays cham
pionship series every year. This year
Harvard won the championship honors by
defeating Havcrford college in well
fought game on May 26.
Tho University of Pennsylvania has a
very good cricket club. In 1891 it cap
turcd the intercollegiate pcnnant and was
again declared champion the next season,
there being Il tic all round.
In tho west cricket is cnioyinr "A vast
ana increasing interest. Chicago has some
very good clubs and turns out good
many first class men. Among other clubs
may bc mentioned the Chicago Athletic,
the Albions, the Wanderers and the Pull
mans. Minnesota is another stronghold
of the sport, the struggle between the twin
cities of Minneapolis and st. Paul being
as keen in this game as it is in other
sports. In Omaha there is II fine club.
The Y. NJ. G. y. last year opened new
ground and has since played many en-
joyablc games there
California has many clubs, and tho Cal
ifornia Cricket association has this year
received II boom owing to the holding of
the Midwinter fair mt San Francisco. The
Pacific Cricket club of San Francisco was
formed in 1880, with Charles b. Hill, one
of California's pioneer crickctcrs, as its
secretary. :. NJ. Crossficld, OK captain of
the Lancashire (England) club and best
all round man in that team, has bought n
ranch in Santa Clara county and is this
year playing for San Jose.
Cricket can never supplant baseball in
the hearts of the American people. 1t has
not that impulsivc rush and excitement
and often that element of danger which
baseball and football have and withon.
which no game seems to win the Amcri-
can regard. 1t is likewise IA purely anna
tour pastimc and has become known as
the gcntlcman's game, and this alone will
hinder its popularity among the masses.
When tho clubs learn to rely for recruits
upon native born Americans, as they do
in Philadelphia, instead of looking for
new blood among Englishmon and Irish
men, the game will gain Il lrmcr hold
upon the hearts Of Americans. This fact
together with the magnificent grounds
owned by the Philadelphia clubs, is the
reason of the sports greater popularity in
the Quaker City than elsewhere.
LEO ETHERINGTON.