Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-08-31

spolitan Dlstf let Csicke ct league In 1890 tha
game has entered upon q new era.
This league is comprised of 10 clubs, all
within radius 81 90 miles Of New York.
e is divided into two sections. There is
also second eleven section. The presi-
dent OF the league for the first two years
of It's existence was the famous divine,
the Rev. W. S. Rainsford. In 1892 Henry
Marten, the well known cricketer, was
president In 1893 David "a. Munro ac-
cepted the position, which he again holds
this year
The psnnant given to the champion club
nt the end of each season has been captur-
ed BY several Of the clubs in turn Last
year the New Jersey Athletic club won it,
and the Jerseymen may again capture it
this season, as they have a very strong
team
One Of the best cricketers in the Metro
politan district is NJ. r. Cobb Of the n
J. A. G. He is, in fact, regarded as the
best all round cricEeter in New ork. For
four successive years he has carried off the
best batting average in the league, and in
three out of four has he obtained the palm
for the best figures in the boWlers' cbl.
umn. He is an Englishman, having played
cricket first in Kent, is quiet and unosten-
tatious and well liked among his club
mates. @4s <=f .>
Other well known names among metro
politan crickctkcs are IL. MacNutt, j. l..
Pool, j. Rose, the wicket keeper; G. Ellis,
the fastest bowler in the district, and r.
II. Kelly, who has till this season played
in Chicago, where ke was known as the
premier bowler of the west. Staten Island
is stronghold of cricket near New York,
the Staten Island Cricket club being to
the New York district what the German
town Cricket club is to Philadelphia.
In Boston the game has found many
votaries, and now there are numerous
clubs scattered around the Hub. In New
England cricket has advanced rapidly
through the formation of state and other
leagues. Boston has strong club and is
captained this year by Arthur Merritt,
we'll known as an all round sportsman.
He halls from Yorkshire, that home of
cricketers. The All Massachusetts match
recently played in Staten Island against
All New York showed what a powerful
aggregation OF cricketers the New Eng
landers can put in the field when ncces-
sary.
Cricket has obtained firm standing in
the American colleges. There in an in
tercollegiate league which plays cham
pionship series every year. This year
Harvard won the championship honors by
defeating Haverford college in a we'll
fought game on May 26.
The University of Pennsylvania has
very good cricket club. In 1891 it cap
tured the Intercollegiate pennant and was
again declared champion the next season,
there being a tie all round.
In the west cricket is enjoying vast
and increasing interest. Chicago has some
very good clubs and turns out good
many first class men. Among other clubs
may be 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 fine club.
The Y. M. c. A. last year opened a. new
ground and has since played many en-
joyable games there.
California has many clubs, and the Cal
ifornia Cricket association has this yea
received boom owing to the holding of
the Midwinter fair at San Francisco. The
Pacific Cricket club of San Francisco was
formed in 1890, with Charles B. Hill, one
of California's pioneer cricketers, as it's
secretary. S. M Crossield, ex-captain Of
the Lancashire (England) club and best
all round man in that team, has bought a
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 impulsive rush and excitement
and often that element of danger which
baseball and football have and without
which no game seems to win the Ameri-
can regard. 1t is likewise purely anna
teur pastilne and has become known as
the gentleman's game, and this alone will
hinder it's popularity among the masses.
When the clubs learn to rely for recruits
upon native born Americans, as they do
in Philadelphia, instead of looking for
new blood among Englishmen and Irish
men, the game will gain a frmer 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.