The Washington times., 1902-05-04

Many good things in the bushes
world, in the world Of recreation an,
amusement. as well as many men hav,
been handicapped by a name.
This was especially true CT the gam,
OF croquet, when 1t came TO be recog.
nized as department in the field Of quict
sport. Everybody has at some time o,
other played the good old game of GRO
quet, and hammered the big, gaudily.
painted balls around scrubby lot with
a long-handled mallet, and incidentally
mas been tripped by the arches, which
especially on a dark night were more
readily found by the foot than they could
be located for a good shot I'm the broad
daylight.
New Name, Old Rules.
In recent years the game for the or
dinary man and maid, the old and the
young, has dropped out Of favor, and a
new order of things has come about.
With the adoption OF a virtually bew
game, retaining many Of the old princi-
pies but few of the ancient methods, a
new lot of players, people OF mature age
and thought took IL up and now Il is
as scientific sport as any we have.
Not SO strenuous as baseball or golf,
or even tennis. yet II is a game which
has many pleasures. and under the pres
ent order OF things it has much to rec
cmmend II.
First Of all, it gives older persons an
equal chance with the younger to be a
Mt ond
II gives enjoyment to all whether they
be htted physically or not to enter irto
competition, and become a champion
and all the world loves a champion. Be-
cause OF its very nature the sport does
not attract rougher, promiscuous ele-
ment which often has spoiled sports
which bade fair to be popular.
Now Called Rogue.
With all these things in mind the Ma
tional Croquet Association, at a meeting
held August. 1899. at Norwich, Conn.
decided to give the modern game with its
level courts. with timber or rubber bor-
ders or cushions; narrow arches and
solid rubber balls, and a new name, and
christened II Rogue" leaving of the
0rst and last letters OF the old name.
For the most part the rules that gov
erned the old game continued to be used
in "roque," modified in some points and
extended In others as the necessities
brought about by the more scientific treat
ment required.
Quiet But Interesting.
The new game has done axay with much
Of the contention and III feeling that
crept into the old game, because it is SO
much more deliberate and, Of necessity,
30 much more accurate. The methods
Of scoring. the fact that players are SO
we'll matched, and, above all else, are
% patient, has brought about COM
OF interest found in few other
sports. The players are genial and en-
Joy their sport thoroughly.
The fact that no special uniform or |
1ress is necessary has made it attractive \
10 many who have kept out of other |
sports because of the dislike for special |,
causing loss of time. spelling /
emper, and missing meals. In this game /
me may go after an hours recreation di- |
-ectly to his meal and feel none the worse /
or the slight interval between the exer- /
Use and the eating.
This city was among the earliest to
rave representation in the championship |
contests annually held by the National |
Rogue Association of America, and pro-
'ide1 winners for half dozen of its prizes
ID well as for the Southern championship, |
md the interest in the local game is
apidly increasing and at the periods when
match games are played the space for
pectators is always crowded TO the gate.
Championship Honors.
The entrants TO the national champion
hips annually held at Norwich, Conn,
he whole OF the third week of August
re chosen by the respective clubs hold
ng membership in the association, and
re divided ieto three classs, according
o their ability, and the national body
elects the players which are to try fer
he high honors. The players graduate
r win their way from the third to the
econd division, and these to the first.
The prize which goes with the honors
a gold medal, given by the national as
,ciation, and becomes permanent prop
-fy OF winner.
The George 8. Van Wickle gold badge |
held by the club whose representative |
ips Il. in contests outside Of the cham
onship event, and the winner has the
-jyilege OF wearing 1t until some one |
ins il from him. The winner may be |
,aIIenged by any club in the association |
ice in thirty days, and by the same club
Il loses once In ninety days. with ten
Iys' notice.
Present Champion Lives Here.
This city has the distinction Of having
e champion OF the United States, W. In
wahIy, who upon several former oc- I
sions won the honors at Norwich. Among \
e local players is another honor man, !
r. S. L. Duryea, who won the cham
onship in 1897, and held second place in r
ss. Mr.. W. ii. wahly won first place in
e second division In 1895 and 1887; won
e honors In 1895. and held second place
the third division In 1899, and now
Ids the championship Of 1901, with c. =
Cox, OF Massachusetts, holding second q
ace.
Mr.. c. G. Williams, the present holder =
the championship Of the South, is well n
own In local athletics. In addition to a.
Ing rogue expert. he is a clever bowl a,
and is a Sub" on the Carroll 1nsti- !,
e team. Mr.. Williams won the national +,
In 1899 and 1900
!. M. Bryant is another local player
o won second division honors in the | c
tonal games In 1895, and Paul n. Peck | n
the second division In 1899. c. C. :,
:. OF Massachusetts,, played Mr.. Wahly L