The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-08-29
CRICKET.
Gentlemen We Players-Dr. Grace's
Jubilee

Three years ago the whole, cricket
world was talking of the wonderful
reJuvenescence of DR.. w. G.. Grace,
who had then completed his 100
Centuries" and every one rushed in
to contribute to something like a
national testimonial to the greatest
cricketer of all time. The three
summers which have passed since
then have dealt kindly with DR..
Grace. The champion, as he is
familiarly called, is still the cricketer
of the day, and it was his 50th
birthday and his 34th appearance in
Gentlemen v. Players at Lords that
the thousands went to the M. @. @.
ground on Monday to celebrate.
Only the other day" w. g." almost
beat Essex off his own bat and by
his skill with the ball; aud his form
generally has been very good. Every
one familiar with cricket must have
DR.. Grace's great achievements at
his fingers ends; how he played in
Gentlemen v. Players at the age of
16, how he almost broke the hearts
of the big fast bowlers in the
seventies, how he has thrice achieved
the feat of getting two zoos in the
same match, and how he has more
than once taken all ten wickets in
one innings. 1t may almost be said
that in DR.. w. G. Grace's career for
the last quarter Of century or more
is to be found the history of the
game. And yet on his 50th birth
day, not out of compliment, but
simply he was Indispensable, he was
playing for the 34th year in success
sion in the Gentlemen's team at
Lords. In order to appropriately
celebrate the jubilee of DR. Grace
the M. G. G. committee decided to
defer their big test match until his
birthday, and so Loyalty were the
Marylebone Club supported by the
counties that no other frst-class
fixture in any part of England was
arranged for the first three days of
this week. Everything was favor
able for the match; the weather was
worthy Of July, and the wicket hard
and true, and the elevens, if open to
some criticism in the selection, were
full of fine talent 1t was therefore
not surprising to find the crowd run
to 10000, for the public paying for
admission alone was politically re-
turned at 17,423. This record was,
OF course, exclusive Of members
and the pavilion was very crowded
and others with the privilege Of ad-
mission to Lords. There is nothing
Of the social picnic element about a
Gentlemen vs.. Players crowd at
Lords; everybody is earnest in at
tention to the game, and on MONDAY
the huge company was enthusiastic
in its reception Of the great crick-
eter, though somewhat disappointed
that the luck OF the toss prevented
them from seeing him at the wicket
The cricket day was absorbed by
the batting of the Players, who had
not completed their innings at half
past 6, when, with a wicket to fall,
they we're 1923 runs on.
The Gentlemen are to be con-
graduated upon their fine perform
ance at Lords on Tuesday, when on
wicket made favorable to the
bowlers by the rain early in the
morning they ran to within 80 of
the big score which the Players had
made against them while the pitch
was fast and true, and, what is more,
they made their runs at a much
quicker rate under the severe handi-
cap. With the turf soft ON the sur
face and hard underneath the bali
kicked badly, and no one with any
cricket knowledge would have been
surprised had the Gentlemen follow
ed on. But DR.. w. G. Grace, if for
tunate enough to be missed when he
had only made single, played we'll