The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-04

Esop's able OF the shepherd boy who
cons tantly cried woH just for the sake OF
seeing the men hurry from their labors to
protect the flock OF sheep and then would
laugh st them for their trouble, was for
chilly brought TO mind on Saturday last,
when The Brown Varsity nine defeated
the ialensians. For goodiy number
OF years II has been tho questionable cus-
tom at Yale for the students to decry the
condition of their athletes, TO spread
broadcast through the press Of the coun-
try the reported weakness OF their teams;
hut as these teams have practically speak
ing, invariably resulted in being among
The foremost in the intercollegiate world,
the public has at last come TO regard
such remarks az idle rumors.
This year the same lamentable tale OF
woe arose from the Yale campus and
blown by the four winds OF heaven, was
received by an unugllable public with
knowing look and a wink. But at last
the report was true; in the parlance of
the fable the wolf had come NJ time
when the cries of the shepherd boy were
of no avail, and Yale placed on the dia-
mond one OF the weakest teams she has
had In many year, despite her clamor-
ing for help.
Quimby, the captain, has been at his
wits end TO remedy the weakness of his
team. and as final ef9St he turned to
the old players in the university 10 rein
force the nine. Brinkey Thorne OF foot ball
fame, was induced TO don a baseball suit
for the glory OF the blue and white; so
was Jerroms and now / understand there
Is considerable talk OF calling upon Cap
tain Murphy OF the football team, but It
Is not at all likely that Murphy will be
seen upon the diamond this season, as he
is busy training the candidates for next
years football tam and has additional
worries In being the business manager OF
the Yale Daily News.
Judging from the showing made by
Yale on Lincoln field Saturday aft ternoon
ID seems to me that they are in sorry
plight, with very poor prospects OF MAX
ing ans kind OF a showing against their
old time rivals at Princeton, considering
that the greatest strength of the Tigers
Is in the box. The batting of the whole
team Is extremely poor ana without
Tyudeau's pitching they seem able To ac-
complish but little against a strong nine.
Second base was another weak spot
which has been considerably strengthened
by the substitution OF DE Saulles for
McCaudless. The former hss shown him.
self to be good batter-that 10, when
compared with the rest of the team ana
juding from what Captain Quinby says
he will in all prof ability remain there.
Ihornes work behind the bat c ffered
lnc CIHuSe 10 hluuS tHt pOsSlDllly VI
an Gll-round athlete adapting himself to
an unfamiliar game at short notice.
Thorne had never PLAYED on varsity
nine until week or so ago. when he went
in against Amherst. In fact, he has hard
ly played baseball at all since he caught
on his "prep" school team, and from his
good work on Saturday 1t seems to me
that IL viii only be but comparatively
short time before his athletic influence
and steady beadedness will make him far
more bic catcher thau Iwom bley.
The fact that the annual tournament of
-tha Harvard interscholastie lawn tennis
association opened at . o'clock Saturday
morning recalls to mind the oragnization
of the association back in 80 by Mr.. W.
>. Orcutt, 5, cretary Of the Harvard ten
mis- association. In the first tournament
held on jarvis Field May 2, 1891. ten
schools were entered and tie meet proved
so successful that during the following
winter similar associations were formed
ut Yala, Princeton and Columbia. This
year the University OF pennysivania hes
fallen into line and Ill also hold tourn-
ament later in the season.
or course IL IL understood that the
prime reasons for the colleges holdin az
these meets is not alone TO develop inter-
est in the sport hut TO bring TO their
ranks such men who showed good form
in the tournament when the time comes
for them to leave the preparatory school
for the university. Tnis plan has worked
admirably well thus far and rs a re ult
many of the prominent players in the in
tercoilegiate matches are the self same
school boys who, few years past, were
battling for the tennis honors IN the in
terscholastic field. In the Harvard as
sociation for instance, such men as Bob
Nrenn, Malcolm Chaoe, Clarence Budlong
aud 40 Mara Eaua hrnuu nh
The tournament OF 1892 attracted con-
siderable more attention than did that
of 'Si. During the intervening months
both the mem bership and entry list was
enlarged and nearly double the number OF
tennis players competed for the champion
ship. This tournament was the first held
under the regular constitution adopted in
1892 aud viii be well remem bcred here as
both Malcolm Chace and Clarence Bud
long Of Providence met In the finals and
played tn no test match OF the tourna-
ment which resulted In a victory for
Chace, who also carried home the cham
pionship banner.
Due TO a financial tax imposed upon
the association's members in 1913 the
tournament failed TO produce the custom
AIRY interest, but I'm '94 II revived again
with all of the old time life and vigor.
Last SEASONS events outclassed everything
before. The matches were more evenly
contested and rafting good set oil games
were played.
This year, for tho fest time since the
formation of the association, the winner
is not foregone conclusion. In n Bon
Wrenn was heralded as winner; in 1872
Malcolm Chace was ceded the champiop-
ship; in '93 Clarsnc Budlong, and In
'9i and '95 Leo Ware. The present sea-
son, however, finds no such prominent
men in the lists and there Is not the
slightest idea among the old timers who
will be the victor.
In the West one OF the most sportsman
like and enjoyable pastimes is the cours-
ing OF jack rabbits with gray hounds; a
sport which, properly speaking, may be
divided into two separate and distinct
branche', as the coursing in one instance
relates To The chase pure and simple,
while In the other II Is nothing more nor
less than a competition for points among
the dogs.
This sport ns practicod I'm the far West
is Ia many respects similar TO the fox
hunts OF Virginia, though. OF course ow-
ing 20 tho topography OF the country, the
horse does not have TO be q trained hun.
ter as Is tho case III the Virginia hunts.
As a general thing, the party starts out