Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
DnAwnouT aAMrs
Some Contests That Have Lasted for
Many Years.
From rt-Bits.

From T1t-Bits.
A cricket match which will last twenty
two years would try even the patience o!
the enthusiasts who throng our large crick
ct grounds every summer, but such game
Is being steadily fought out at Avondalt
Park. Galveston, between two rival elevens
every member Of which Is over sixty years
Of age. It was begun eight years ago, ane
on the 4th Of June every summer the two
teams meet and continue to play until q
single wicket falls, when stumps are I'M
mediately drawn until the following sum
mer. The possibility that death may claim
some OF the players before the match Il
over Is OF no account Tor the team Wnlcl
can place the greatest number OF survivors
in the field fourteen years hence Is to Dc
declared the victor.
Equally remarkable was the cricket match
Of two years duration which was brought
Each side consisted Of a hundred players
and as the game was being played IN ale
Of the building expenses of the local cnurcn
every batsman was required to put shli-
ling toward the fund before going to the
wicket, and when bowled he was at liberty
to go in again on payment of similar
amount. The financial result of this pro-
tracted contest was over 5000, sufficient te
liquidate the church debt.
A game of draughts has been played un-
der very peculiar circumstances between
two Cornish families for the last forty years
and is not finished yet. Whenever mem
Der of either house dies the relatives meet
at the deceaseds home as soon as the fun
eral rites are over, whereupon the two cid
est members continue the game until one Oh
the players loses a man. The positions OF
the draughtsmen on the board are then re-
corded and the game postponed until deatn
gives the signal for reopening the tussle
Altogether nine different players have sc
far been implicated in the game.
During the Franco-German war two lieu
tenants in the latter army were enjoying a
game of chess in the French farmhouse
near Thionville, when suddenly shell
came through the window and, passing be-
tween the two players, scattered the chess
men in all direction, but without doing
either of the officers any injury. SO mlrac-
ulous was their escape that they there and
then vowed to meet on November 1.-THE
date of the battle-annually at a well-known
restaurant in Berlin and play lengthy
game, each opponent to have only one move
every alternate year.
For twenty-eight years the game was
continued but four years ago only one OF
the officers put in an appearance on the day
appointed and, having waited for the rival
for some time. he called "stalemate! and
packing up the chessmen left the place,
knowing that his comrade was dead.
In the same way a game of chess has
been in progress between the chess club OF
Malvern. Texas, and that of Richeville, a
small town in the south CT France, for the
last ten years, and may be said to have
only just begun. Each club is allowed one
move, which is flashed by cable between
he two continents every alternate year on
Christmas day, and as both clubs are well
matched there is every prospect Of the
game being left for the next generation to
decide.
The most remarkable game on record,
however, has been in progress for over a
hundred years. In 1893 Count Francis of
Bourbon, who was noted for his skill at
chess made a wager with an aristocratic
rival that he would beat him at six games
running, one to be played on the anniver-
sary of the birthday every year. If he did
not live to carry out his boast his descend
ants would do 1t for him, the money to be
the reward Of the side which accomplished
the feat. Although the struggle has been
drawn out to such an unexpected length,
there is every prospect Of its being shortly
terminated, and the prize which has vastly
increased in value, won, for last year the
counts descendants suffered their fourth
consecutive defeat