St. George's Cricket Club

“ Seeing then that mankind will have "pleasure in the way they like it," of all the various expedients resorted to for that purpose, we know of no better mode of accomplishing both objects—namely, an agreeable and innocent recreation of mind and body at the same time, than by the noble game of Cricket; and happily for society, this seems to be the popular and prevailing opinion, thereby keeping men from worse occupations, and places where idlers "most do congregate." ”

“ Chairman, though I am in one sense a stranger, personally known as I have said, to few who now hear me, I am to you, and to the gentlemen here assembled, no stranger in feeling, for who with one spark of love in his bosom for our noble game, could be insensible to the deep and absorbing interest that pervaded the vast assembliea we have seen collected during the week, to witness and admire the prowess and the skill of American and English Cricketers. ”

“ After the Cricketers had partaken of the refreshments prepared for them, the ground was again cleared, and Carpenter and Hayward in simple dress arrayed, entered the arena with bat in hand, as the representatives of the All England Eleven. They promptly take their places at their respective wickets ready to defend them, but not before with cautious step, the ground is traversed o'er, lest ought unseen should lurk there to turn a ball, or interrupt the striker's speed in making a run. ”

“ Tho' in the course of nature I can no longer be an active cricketer, my interest in the game is not in the least abated, nor is my anxiety less than that of the youngest and most zealous of my brethren of the bat and ball, to see Cricket more generally established, better understood, and more regularly practised among us ”

“ But sooner or later all things in this world must have an end, and be no more; Grundy allowed one of Hallis's shooters to get by him unstopped, and the innings was over; Jackson carrying out his bat after scoring eight in a very spirited manner—a three to leg, a three drive, and two singles were his figures. The total score of the Eleven was 156, being 118 more than their opponents. We have already said that the fielding and bowling in this innings were worthy of all praise—but we should be wanting in discernment if we failed to see and to notice the triumphant success of Hallis, as a bowler. ”

“ Diver is a good bat. As a long stop, he is admitted to be without a superior; the manner in which he picks up those flying balls that bound, and jump, and richochet along the ground, like balls on the surface of water, hot from the cannon's mouth, can only be appreciated by those who have had to face and stand the shock and risk of modern bowling, particularly such shooters as come from the arm of a Jackson.
Monday, the third of October, was the day fixed for the match to be played in the neighborhood of New York City. The game commenced according to public announcement at 12 o'clock. ”

“ About the year 1786, cricket began to attract attention in England, but during the present century, it has grown so wonderfully in favor with all classes—with gentlemen and professional players, as they are known there, these terms including all sorts and conditions of men, of whatever degree they may be in society, who play the game—that now there is not a village or town, without one or more Cricket Clubs. ”

“ If we would wish, then, to see the frames of our young men robust, their limbs strong, their muscles well developed, their chests broad and sound, their countenances ruddy, and their spirit dauntless, we must encourage all sorts of healthful, innocent, out-door recreations. ”

“ George's the New York Club arose; hence, also, the formation of other clubs in all the principal towns in Canada, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and many other places throughout our country, North and West; hence, from the emulation among these clubs to excel each other, matches are continually made and played; and hence, also, the desire on the part of Young America, as it felt itself " growing with its growth, and strengthening with its strength," to meet their Brethren of the Bat and Ball of the Old country, in friendly rivalry in the New. ”

“ We have endeavored to give a full, true and impartial account of all that has transpired—an elaborate re-production of the whole affair, its beginning, progress, and end. It is a matter of history, denoting the spirit of the times, proper to be put on record for the benefit not only of the living, but of those who are to come after us. ”

“ It is not enough for us to think that these gentlemen, the "All England Eleven," the finest proficients of the game in the world, are here to-day and will be gone to-morrow, and to leave behind them no traces that they have been here. ”

“ There is, depend upon it, a humanizing, a civilizing influence in the game. How different is the conduct of those who assemble to witness a Cricket match, and any other popular pastime? I have been identified a great portion of my life with horses and horse-racing. If I have had one passion greater than another, it is my fondness for the sports of the turf. ”

“ From his great knowledge of the game, he possesses the power to defend his wicket as successfully as any of his brother players. He is a good fielder also, and great slip.
Carpenter is from Cambridge, good at all points: still a very young man, about 28 years of age, yet his brilliant batting has already made for him a high reputation. His 97 in a recent match in England, decided the game in favor of his side. In the field he is as active and playful as a young colt turned loose in his pasture; he throws the ball and catches it in a manner that denotes him to be the artist that he is. ”

“ He is notorious for the terrific celerity of his bowling. Human power, it is thought, cannot shoot a ball quicker than his right arm.
Caffyn is from Reigate, in the County of Surrey; he is an excellent bowler and fielder, and equaled by few as a batsman. Playing recently in one of the greatest matches ever played in England—a match between the rival counties of Surrey and Nottingham, at which there was an aggregate of runs unprecedented—I believe, in the annals of Cricket—Caffyn scored off his own bat in the first innings of the Surrey side, seventy-six ”

“ In short, the visit of our friends has done much to popularize the game, and to establish it here in the affections of the people as firmly as it is in England, making it the great game of the age in which we live. ”

“ Grundy, like Parr, is a Nottingham man, famous among Cricketers as a splendid bowler, and magnificent bat. He has made many displays of his skill, but, perhaps he has never made a grander display than he did at Lord's Ground, (London,) in July last, when playing on the side of eleven gentlemen and players of England against sixteen gentlemen of the University of Oxford, he defended his wicket for six hours, scoring 108, for which he was presented with a new bat, on returning to the pavilion.
Jackson is classed as a Nottingham man, and plays on that side—but he was born in Suffolk. ”

“ They will leave evidence behind them of having been among us by the marked improvement that will be immediately seen in our play, and by the happy results that consequently must follow, creating and diffusing far and near, a popular taste for healthy out-door muscular amusements.
Our people have hitherto been too much a hard-working people—taking too few holidays, devoting too little time to health-giving, joy-inspiring, open-air recreations. ”

“ In justice to these players, it should be borne in mind that many balls were hit away by them, which with ordinary fielding, were sure runs for one at least; while the singles might have scored for two, perhaps, in many instances, but for the extraordinary activity, and as it were, ubiquity in the field of the All England Eleven. Wherever a ball was sent, there was sure to be some one ready to pick it up and throw it in in a moment. ”

“ I allude to the beautiful moral lesson it is capable of teaching if the disposition be not wanting in ourselves to profit by it. Punctuality, energy, quickness of perception and execution, and good temper—these are the cardinal virtues this game is capable of teaching. ”

“ This exhibition of skill on the part of Lockyer, was again immediately recognized, and loudly applauded. H. Wright having just been put out, also, by a catch of Lockyer off Parr, we find two youths from the Philadelphia Club facing each other at the wicket, Morgan and Newhall. The latter is destined to hold a conspicuous place among American Cricketers. He is active, graceful, with a fine figure. He does not appear to be twenty years of age, yet he is already a fine bat, excellent long stop, and few superior to him in any position in the field. ”

“ From the earliest historical period, we find some kind of game played with a ball, a favorite and generally practised gymnastic exercise. Homer gives us an account of one in his "Odyssey." The young Spartans, Athenians, and Romans played ball, as their favorite and common recreation. With the students of France, Germany and Italy, during the middle ages, it continued a popular amusement, great skill being appreciated, and sometimes honored. ”

“ Let no disqualification in your own ranks ever appear for the want of a proper spirit within any of you, to constitute the right sort of man for a true cricketer. But should this at any time be the case, bear in mind, then, you have the benefit of an Elysian Field, for proper training. ”

“ It has always been conceded that the mind of man must occasionally be unbent by recreation, and our bodies strengthened by some kind of exercise or another; if possible, that kind of exercise of which it may be said, "Labor ipse voluptas." ”

“ The Oxford University Eleven, and the Cambridge University Eleven, and the Marylebone Club, of course they cannot contend against at such a disadvantage, but they sometimes give even to these strong Elevens, the odds of a Player or two, from their own ranks, whenever it is thought by so doing they can more-nearly equalize the sides, and consequently impart greater interest to the game. ”

“ As the pastime of cricket is surely destined to become more and more popular among us with every retunring season, the game we have reported will frequently be referred to as one of the events of the present day, the forerunner of better things of a like character, which are certainly destined to grow out of it. ”

“ Stephenson I believe is the youngest man of the party, yet he is a splendid bat, one of the best bowlers in England, and fast treading in the footsteps of Lockyer, as a wicket keeper. He is excellent in any department he may happen to fill. ”

“ The Mayor and Corporation of New York. The toast was received with six cheers, and the glee, "Mynheer Van Dunck," by the Glee Club. The President then called upon all present to fill their glasses to a class of people in which all were deeply interested. It was the desire of the club to give every encouragement to American Cricketers—young or old. In Philadelphia the boys had commenced at it, and in New York they were coming. He hoped to see the All-England Eleven here again next year, for their advent would foster cricketing among Americans. ”

“ After bowing to the vast assembly that so cordially greeted him, he gave an evidence of his skill-after scoring two singles—by a fine square leg to the uttermost boundary of the ground, the ball flying over the heads of the spectators, and hitting the fence. Gibbes was now put on to bowl in place of S. Wright, but nothing would do. Parr and Hayward remained in until the hour arrived, (5 o'clock,) which had been agreed upon for drawing the stumps, and adjourning the game to the following day. ”

“ The ground on which the wickets were to be pitched, had been properly prepared and made ready for the occasion. The spot was a portion of the Elysian Fields at Hoboken, the domains of E. A. Stevens, Esq., a name identified as long as we recollect, with all honorable sports and manly exercises in his vicinity.
The ferry boats to accommodate the vast crowds, made extra trips between the city and Hoboken. The consequence was, the great event of the day "came off"" in the presence of the largest array of spectators that had ever previously been congregated for such an object in this country. ”

“ We mean that peace and good will which, with much significance, Cumberland tells us in words to the following purport, bestows holidays and joyous feasts like the present, and increases the number of our friends, our social comforts and our pleasures, which alone make life a blessing! ”

“ Rochester, however, sent a delegate to New York during the visit of the Eleven, and although contrary to the judgment of St. George's Club, they gave their consent, and a match was arranged to be played after the Hamilton, and against twenty-two chosen from Canada and United States. Although the combined force contained many of the best players, it did not represent the strength of the two countries, and All England won in one innings and sixty-six runs ”

“ No arrival in this country from England could have produced greater excitement than these celebrated Cricketers have done, except a visit from Queen Victoria herself, for as justly as her Majesty is beloved at home, I am proud to say, as an American citizen, she is also beloved here, everywhere—her name never fails to awaken a thrill of admiration in every heart capable of reverencing "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just ”