Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-16
BRIDGE WHIST.
sSuppIanted the Popular Old Game I'm
England.

sSuppIanted the Popular Old Game In
England.
w, L. Alden, the author and London cor
RESPONDENT of the New York Times, writes
to that paper as follows regarding the
prevalence of bridge whist in England:
1.-THE incoming of bridge, like flood
or pehaps it would be better to say like
a pestilence-has had the inevitable result
of giving us q large collection of hand
books of the game. OF these perhaps the
best is Bridge Whist by c. ]. Melrose.
l object strongly to the term bridge
whist but it is not of Mr.. Melroses in
vention. Bridge is not whist, any more
than it is a dozen other games, and 1t Is
bad enough to usurp the rightful place of
whist without adding insult to injury. The
extent to which bridge has supplanted
whist is appalling, and the faithful can
only hope that the reign of bridge VIII be
temporary. Still, that was the way in
which we consoled ourselves when that
other nuisance, the influenza, first ap-
peared. But the influenza is still with us,
and shows no signs of leaving US for good
In the clubs and everywhere else bridge
is now played to the complete exclusion of
whist, and the man who cannot play bridge
is as lonely as formerly the man felt who
could not play whist
thing except that Englishmen find whist
too slow and scientific. and wish for
game which is essentially one of chance.
To the philosophic mind the popularity of
bridge marks a stage of decadence. People
who a year ago were reverent and consci-
entious whist players now openly bias
pheme that sacred game and say that it is
too scientific'and too hidebound with rules
and conventions. Therefore they abandon
it and worship the strange god of the
heather who invented bridge. If this pref
erence for bridge persists 1t will be
dark day for England. The man who can
hy,f6 % 10 oy,fi mob 10
Of sinking to the depths Of preferring the
Italian lottery to any other game. Britain
may not be declining to the extent that
the Oshkosh Bird Of Freedom insists that
she is, but the future Of the nation that
first took to cigarettes and then embraced
bridge looks dark to those who have stud
led the decline and fall off Of all nations"
Base Ball Notes.
President James A. Hart of the Chicago
National League club was feeling in
kindly mood yesterday, and announced that
he would release Dolan, provided he was
reimbursed the $500 he paid for him.
President Ban Johnson of the American
Base Ball League yesterday announced
that Cantillion and Haskell have signed
contracts as American League umpires. It
is expected that Sheridan and Mannassa
will complete the force.
Louis Criger, catcher of the ST. Louis
base ball team, states that he signed
contract on last Monday to catch for the
Boston American League team, the con-
sideration being $500 and certain ex-
penses adding 500 more.
Center Fielder Billy Hamilton yesterday
signed Boston National League contract.
Joseph Gavin, treasurer of the Grand
Opera House. Indianapolis. has been Sc
lected by President Somers as business
manager of the Boston club of the Ameri-
can League. He will start east next Mon
day and win attend the meeting at PhiIa-
delphia.
President johnson officially announced
the Milwaukee team yesterday as follows:
Catchers, Leahy, Maloney and Conner:
pitchers, Sparks. Reidy. Garvin. Darling,
Husting and Rector; nrst base, Anderson;
second base, Gilbert: shortstop, Conroy;
third base, Burke. The outfeld, Mailman,
Duffy and Waldron.
seem to think they can awaken interest In