The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-25
BASE BALL POPULAR
OVER In ENGLAND
Brltishers Are Learning TO Play the
American Pastime.
GAME IS GAINING A FOOTHOLD
Professional Clubs Are Able to Pay
Expenses and They Play Under
National League tules--Difiicuit
oWean an Englishman from Cricket
but Base Ball Is Finding a Place in
English Sport.

A. q. Spalding, the well-known base
ball magnate, who has just returned
from a trip to England, says that he
was more than impressed with the in
terest that is now being taken in base
ball in Great Britain and for the first
time since it's introduction there it has
a promising outlook.
When the American game of base
ball was introduced in England it was
utterly impossible to make expenses,
and the clubs for years were carried on
at a loss. Now the game has a very
strong hold throughout the Midlands
and the North of England. The Derby
club, for the first time since it was
organized, has this year paid all it's
expenses and can now be considered
paying venture. This is indeed gratify-
ing to those who helped build up the
game in England.
While Mr. Spalding was in England,
the final game for the possession of
the championship cup was played, the
Derby club winning, thereby becom-
ing possesors of the trophy for 1897.
While they have their own associa-
tion in England, they play under the
rules of the National league, and fol-
low our regulations in every respect
minutely.
MANY YEARS AGO.
Mr.. Spalding states that, of course,
he was interested personally in the de-
velopment of base ball in England. His
first connection with the game in that
country dates back to 1874, when ne ar
ranged a trip for the Bostons and
Philadelphia Athletics. On this trip
base ball and cricket was played by
the team very successfully. in fact,
Mr.. Spalding even laughs now when he
tells about having played cricket while
the team was in England as base ball
players, and succeeded in beating some
very strong cricket teams While con-
siderable interest was manifested in
the game at that time moro out of
curiosity than anything else-the good
work then accomplished is now bearing
results.
The second invasion of England by
American ball players, occurred in 1889,
when Mr.. Spalding's Round the
World" teams played throughout Eng
land and created a deal of enthusiasm.
After this trip which was successful
in every particular, a team Of college
players visited England in the summer
of 1889 and played several important
games. After these trips, p number Of
prominent English gentlemen became
interested in the sport.
One of the most ardent admirers of
American base ball is Francis Ley, of
Derby, who has been interested in the
game since 1889. He has gone to con-
siderable expense in fitting up grounds
a II iS
today the head and front of base ball
in Great Britain. He has never lost
any of his interest or enthusiasm, and
he says the time will come when base
ball will be a paying institution if
properly handled and will be as popular
in England as it is in America. His
efforts have certainly been centralized
toward procuring a good team fOr the
Derby club, and he finally succeeded in
winning the championship cup, which
was presented by \. q. Spalding for
the championship of Great Britain and
has been competed for since 1889.
While in England, Mr.. Spalding met
DIR. w. II. Wray, of the Crystal Palace
club. DR.. Wray, who is an enthusiast
tic follower of the game, has made a
careful study of the rules and umpires
most of the games that are played
there, and is in every particular a
crank"
1t seems to be a hard thing to make
any other game than cricket popular in
England. Mr. Spalding, however is
firmly convinced of the merits of base
ball, and feels confident that it will
make for itself place among English
sports. To his way of thinking, after
having made a careful survey of the
field when abroad, the time Is not far
distant when an international base
ball match will be played between Eng
land and America. When that time ar
| rives, Mr. Spalding believes that base
| ball matches between these countries
will outrival any other international
contests ever held, be it athletics, yacht
races or cricket matches. In the sports
| just enumerated they attract but cer-
| tain classes, whereas, base ball ap-
| peals to the masses.
Mr.. Spalding was quite amused at the
way the newspapers handled the game
in England, although they do not give
it the same space we do here. They
| nevertheless pay some attention to 1t,
but in very crude way. The scores
are not printed in full, only by innings.
| They are, however, adapting many of
the slang phrases that are so popular
with the base ball cranks Of this coun-