Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-02
The YEAR N SPORTS
Increased Interest in ALI
Lines sof Athletics.
COSTLY TROPHIES WON
NOTABLE SEASON FOE TIE ANA
TEUR BALL PLAYERS.
Two Profitable Meetings Of the Wash
ington Jockey Club - Increase in
Golfers-Bowling and Basket Ball.


the history Of the city. With one or pos
stbly two exceptions there was not q
sport that did not make q most decided
movement forward. and in the cases OF
rogue and basket ball there were no ret
rogrades. Sporting organizations all re-
port increased membership and the at
tendance at the different games was I'M
precedented. In the matter of prizes a
dig advance was noted, many trophies be-
ing huns up that were exceptionally costly
and artistic in design. The general pros
perity of the country was possibly respon-
sible for the enthusiasm displayed and
from present Indications the coming year
VIII show still further advance in the
enthusiasm toward all games where skill
ana muscle are brought into play.
Base Ball.
Although professional base ball in WASH
ington made little, If any, advance. the
amateur contingent was very much In
evidence. The Washington base ball club
OF the American League finished last
III an organization comprising eight of the
strongest clubs in the country, a position
That rightfully belonged to the local team
on account of the many formidable handi-
caps that confronted it from the start The
lack or local backing, a situation that still
q o All, 1 the washington club. prevented
auli team being got together at the OPEN
ing OF the season. two players being loan
ed Dy outside organizations
Later on fuli contingent of good PLAYERS
the person of Patrick Donovan. who
handled the st. Louis National League team
the previous season, and in the lest
NOR OF the season splendid article Of
Tar advanced for the team to benefit its
position In the championship race hut
present indications make the outlook more
MOI hoperui tor next season. The old park in
season opened and the first game was
played ON the beautiful grounds at the
mead or 7th street, the old National T,eaoua
fark. The improvements were very expen-
siVe ana elaborate and 1t required unusual
hustl1ng to get the grounds ready for the
opening game. The attendance through
Out the season was very satisfactory and
on the season the Washington club had a
Tor team that Rugged the last position
from the opening to the closing contest.
In The amateur ranks the Sunday School
League was the foremost organization and
embraced all the best young players in the
District. Twelve clubs comprised the league,
and on accounts of this large number
OF teams grounds were secured at the head
OF I4th street, Mount Pleasant, and on the
| son two games were played daily, Sunday
and bad weather only breaking the regu-
lar1ty. and on both grounds the attendance
ran up into the thousands at each contest.
AFTER a splendid struggle the Fourth Pres
byterian team finished first and was award
ed the handsome cup donated by The Even
Ing Star Newspaper Company. The batting
honors of the Sunday School League went
to Ballinger Of the Gunton team.
The High School League came next in
Importance, comprising six teams. and
Central won out with clean score, four
victories and no defeats. The Technical
and RlSinpaq tied SQpond
place with two victories and two defeats.
In the Capital City League. the st..
Stephens boys were returned winners by q
good margin, while in the Royal Arcanum
League, the Kismets were the best at the
end of the season.
After the close of the season the Fourth
Presbyterian and Norris Peters teams
played for the local championship and each
won a game in double-header. The third
and deciding game was never played, leav-
ing the problem still unsettled.
The record of the Georgetown University
team was up to the average, sixteen vic
tories and nine defeats, as the blue and
gray players have always classed up high
in base ball. Two games from Princeton,
Harvard are the bright particular spots in
the Georgetown record Of last season.
Horse Racing.
After many years of waiting and per-
severance, the Washington Jockey Club ex-
pSElcilCCu Tue pleasure dt UOtH tHc SpTlHS
and fall meetings of seeing the attendance
large enough to pay all expenses and re-
turn a profit on the capital invested. The
spring meeting ran into several days Of
bad weather, but the racing was of such
high class that the big attendance con-
tinued throughout. In the fall the club
struck splendid luck in having good
weather, and on Thanksgiving day there
was not counter attraction in the city.
AS result the largest attendance in the
history of the club watched the races on
that day, consecutive estimate
placing the number of people present at
$4,000. Nearly 1900 tickets were sold and
hundreds went through the gates by pay
ing cash TO the ticket takers on account
of the supply Of pasteboards having given
out. The races were at all times interest
ing. at both the spring and fall meetings.
but as usual at the Benning track, form
was all out of condition and the book
makers kept a big majority of the dollars
wagered on the different events. A big i'm
provement was noted in the steeplechase
events and this class Of horse racing has
become very popular In washington. Many
timber toppers from the District. Mary
land and Virginia took part In the differ
emit steeplechases. which probably accounts
for the great local interest In competition
with outside jumpers the local product
more than held its own.
Golf.
To q person who has watched the adj
vance Of golf In the District of Columbia,
the Improvement noted In 1904 was both
a pleasure and surprise In seasons past
good golfers could be counted on the fin
gers OF both hands. but today this class
has tripled. In addition to the improvement
noted In play the different organizations
of the District report a big increase in
membership, and also in the number Of
persons who have taken up the great Scotch
game. The chief interest Of the past sea-
son conferred around the contest for the
handsome Evening Star cup, q trophy high
ly priced by the local golfers and which
finally has foundSa permanent resting place
in the coy home of the Columbia Golf
Club. In the SPRING series Of games for
the cup, Columbia and Chevy Chase had
both won gamess from the Washington club
and then Chevy Chase defeated Columbia
This left Chevy Chase one leg to the good
when the fall series started. Again both
teams won easy matches from the WASH
ingtons and Columbia made It all even by
defeating Chevy Chase. The tie was
played OF on the course Of the Washing
ton Golf Club at Rosslyn and Columbia de-
feated Chevy Chase In most interesting
contest by the score of IA to Z. This VIC
tory gave Columbia permanent possession
of the trophy. As an appropriate windup
Of the season and to show their apprecia-
ton of the splendid playing OF the team.
the members thereof were rendered a ban~