Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-26
CRICKET IS A LIVE ISSUE
Sportsman Denies that Local Inter-
est I'm the Game shows Signs
of Subsiding.

Considerable controversy has occurred this
fall as to the best method of arousing a
general interest in cricket. Several OF it's
adherents have abandoned hopes of making
the game popular pastlme They point
out that it's movement is too slow and there
is too little chance for individual play to
interest the American boy and that without
his aid the game is eventually doomed
One active partisan takes a more hopeful
view and writes as follows:
OMAHA, Nov 25.-To the Sporting Ed
itor of The Bee: / was glad to see in last
Sundays Bee that some one else besides
myself ventured to combat Mr. Lawries
statement that cricket is back number
This demonstrates at any rate that am not
the only champion of the game in Omaha.
II the Omaha Cricket club was made UP OF
enthusiasts of the simms caliber the game
would flourish with vengeance.
Hitherto / have confined my suggestions
to the feasibility of increasing the member
ship of the club, but there is another ques-
ton of vital Importance and that Is the
question of grounds. The Omaha Cricket
club has never yet had home which it
could call its own and it is a fact that If
cricket is to be put on firm and permanent
footing in the city the club must have
ground Of it's own. For some years the
grounds Of the club have been at Twentieth
and Emmett streets, on vacant lot owned
by Mr.. Kountze, and which, through the
kindness of that gentleman, has been at the
disposal of the club at a very nominal
charge; indeed, il am not mistaken, it has
cost the club nothing for several years.
Surely this state of affairs is not satisfactory
to the members as a permanent thing. The
ground is an open piece of land and the
ri In tphin hoe hoo faJ a.
has no protection whatever and consequently
Is constantly being damaged by mlschevous
boys, who have free access to 1t on all oc-
casions.
IF the club arranges match with
foreign club there is nothing to prevent
the general public from walking all over
the ground, and, for that matter, procuring
a seat in the club house from which to
watch the game, all free Of charge. This
state of affairs cheapens the game in the
eyes Of the general public and when a game
becomes cheap it loses its prestige and
popularity very soon In plain words, the
club needs a ground of it's own with a good
fence around it and the sooner it gets 1t
the better.
1T is safe to say that the present financial
state of the club will not admit of its pur-
chasing or even leasing piece Of ground
Sulleu 10 us Wallis. Inc prospect, therefore,
OF procuring a ground just now does not
seem very bright OF course nothing can
be done without money and the present in
come of the club is barely sufficient to buy
material and pay any little incidental ex-
penses which crop up. 1t therefore seems to
me as IL the subscription of the club should
be raised to $40 per annum. This step may
cause few to drop out, but only those
who are of no assistance to the club, for
surely cricketer who is worthy of the
name will give $40 year for the pleasure
he gets out of the game. If the club can
raise the number Of it's members to 100 this
coming year and the committee appropriates
half the subscriptions received for ground
fund there would be $500 starter and
the entertainment committee could also help
the fund along this winter with half the pro-
ceeds of the entertainments given by it.
1t may not be practicable to procure new
ground for next season, but by creating a
fund and getting some money together it will
be only matter of short time before
the club can get piece of land suitable to
it's requirements. This matter should be
looked after at once. CRICKETER."