Year: 1867

auu DeJGer perlOfm tlle uuGlcSJ0i LueIT pO- sitions, it materially assists in developing the points and beauties of the game.

 And again: The complaint is made that we use a hard ball. We do, and we do it, because, after little preparatory season. ing our hands can grasp it with greater firmness and certainty. on account of its small degree of elasticity, and because it is less affected by the inequalities of the ground. In both these respdcts it offers a favorable comparison. with the original fpalding2 base ball, which, ,Ns.re 1t kHoek.s ed into the air with. the least degree of twist, was habitually accustomed to as- sumo the appearance of revolving hens egg.

 We have endeayorcd to confine our re- marks as much as possible to simply de- fence of our modern game. We have omit ted to allude to the moro hideous features of game which tolerated the throwing of the ball at the player as he ran the bases. We leave imagination to picture the men, tai anguish with which tho pitcher and catcher must contemplate the getting of fifteen or twenty out in an inning, and the comfortable sensations which the base men and fiel llers must experience with the thermometer up to 100 degrees, and Q broiling sun pouring his rage upon their parched craniums for an hour and half at stretch. To enlarge upon these ad- vantages" which haye yielded to modern innovation" we leave to an abler pen than ours.

 But emitting all these special considera- tions, the difference in the popularity with which the two games have been received, affords good index of their respective value. About the time of our advent to this earth, the Mass. game departed an ex istence, which from hearsay, we judge at it's best stage to have been @ very sickly one. But the widespread and widespread ing popularity of the "innovated' game, and the fascination which it exercises over young and old, are of themselves sufi- cient contravention of your correspon- dents theory. The only deforming feature of our game is the dishonorable use of money in connection with it. And much more is it to he feared, lest dollars and cents will, in the demoralization of this game, accomplish result which the most reckless innovation" can never produce. And in conclusion, as succinctly as pos sible, we propose to essay an answer to the general question of your correspon- dent, and endeavor to show why the re- strictions which have been applied to the former diffusiveness of sports of the field and games in general, tend to make them more enjoyable both for spectator and player.

 l With reference to this, we first wish to make one assertion, viz:-thm achich mahes any ganee Jacinaling and enjoyadle IS Me er- citenent otteadingH H.

 Now, just in proportion as the ideas of mankind expand, and their tastes are de- veloped, higher standard of skill and greater concen tration of talent is requisite to produce that excitement And hence we assert that our innovated Base Ball is far more fascinating and agreeable to the cultivated taste of the present day than the old game, in which the diffusive" princi- ples of your correspondent were to great extent embodied, and wore insufficient to create the requisite excitement on account of the ''loose'' plays resulting from them. In corroboration of this, we have only to refer to the aforesaid languid existence and ignominious death of the Mass. game.

 And again-we deny that moderate or poor players are left out in the cold. A we'll organized Base Ball Club usually con- sists of several Mines, and whoever con- meets himself with that Base Ball Club as active member, is assigned position on that Nine to which his merits entitle him.

 Your correspondent sneeringly suggests as an illustration of our system of in1ova- tion, that billiards be played with one hand. In illustration of his diffusive" theory, we would suggest that the number of balls be increased to fifteen, and the pockets to ten! Would not the game lose all it's fascination on account of the facility with which shots could be made?

 We do not deny that excessive "inno- vation," as we'll as excessive diffusiye- ness, may ruin a game but we are of opinion that the present games of billiards and base ball happily avoid both these ex- tfemes. INNovAToR.

 The "Lookers On," who have hereto fore been discussing the old and new games of Base Ball, labored under the disadvan- tage, we should judge, of never having played either The young gentleman who contributes the foregoing article is unques- |tionably entitled to speak as an ''expsrt'' in the matter ED.

 THE ABOLITION OF SPECIAL LEG