Had it not been for the Civil War, Americans might still be playing Cricket !

Rio Bravo

First Sergeant
Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Location
Suffolk, U.K.
Cricket was America's first Organised Sport played in New York,Boston, Philadelphia, & elsewhere for much of the 18th & 19th Centuries. Philadelphia once had 100 Cricket Clubs, & New York hosted the game's 1st International Match...................and then the Civil War started in 1861; the North spread Baseball through it's ranks which then superceded Cricket in America's sporting affection:


Does anyone here still play Cricket or know of anyone else who does?
 
Guess it's a good way to cure your insominia, if nothing else at least when it's too warm for curling.
Borderruffian, you just about made me spit a sip of martini through my nose! That would have been a shameful waste of gin and it wouldn't have done my computer screen any good, either (not to mention my nose). Seriously, though, that curling remark is the funniest thing I've seen all day.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cricket was America's first Organised Sport played in New York,Boston, Philadelphia, & elsewhere for much of the 18th & 19th Centuries. Philadelphia once had 100 Cricket Clubs, & New York hosted the game's 1st International Match...................and then the Civil War started in 1861; the North spread Baseball through it's ranks which then superceded Cricket in America's sporting affection:


Does anyone here still play Cricket or know of anyone else who does?
I can't answer your direct question but I think this is an extremely interesting thread. I simply had no idea we had such a history of cricket in the USA. You don't suppose baseball and the entire Civil War could have been vast Yankee conspiracies to wipe out cricket...do you?
 
This is true, On the face of it Cricket can be a bit boring, especially the test matches but the 20/20 matches or one day internationals can be great to watch, I prefer to watch Indian cricket, those guys can bowl overarm at speeds of 95mph.
Waterloo - The Late Politician, Lord Mancroft,wrote this about the game of Cricket:
"....a game which the English,not being a spiritual people,have invented in order to give themselves some conception of Eternity "
 
Waterloo - The Late Politician, Lord Mancroft,wrote this about the game of Cricket:
"....a game which the English,not being a spiritual people,have invented in order to give themselves some conception of Eternity "
I wonder, is that the same Lord Mancroft who accused nurses at the Royal united hospital in Bath of being, "grubby, drunken and promiscuous'', he sounds like a right tit, I think he was an Eaton boy, what.. what...
 
didnt the British have a game called Rounders that was even more like baseball than Cricket?

A long time ago I read a book on the Civil War and baseball connection that covered all the different styles baseball was played in before the war. If you like baseball it was pretty interesting book. Baseball had at least 2 or 3 styles of play going around then. The New York City style had the diamond shape field and what best resembles today's game.

Union troops played the game as often as possible, even before major battles. Their officers liked the camaraderie it generated and would often join in on the games. Captured Union troops got the Reb guards hooked on the game. Near end of war in Texas the CF and LF came under fire from Reb raiding party and were captured. They could have at least let them finish the game!!!!
 
didnt the British have a game called Rounders that was even more like baseball than Cricket?

A long time ago I read a book on the Civil War and baseball connection that covered all the different styles baseball was played in before the war. If you like baseball it was pretty interesting book. Baseball had at least 2 or 3 styles of play going around then. The New York City style had the diamond shape field and what best resembles today's game.

Union troops played the game as often as possible, even before major battles. Their officers liked the camaraderie it generated and would often join in on the games. Captured Union troops got the Reb guards hooked on the game. Near end of war in Texas the CF and LF came under fire from Reb raiding party and were captured. They could have at least let them finish the game!!!!
JCM6395- " Didnt the British have a game called Rounders that was even more like baseball than Cricket........"
Yes you are absolutely right, it was first played by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table !!!
 
A little story .....

In 1982 I had not long arrived in Pittsburgh to work for 2 years (had only been there a few weeks). I received a call from this English ex-pat from Barclays Bank.

"I say old thing, we heard you were in town. We have our annual match against Gulf Oil next week. You are Australian so we assumed you played cricket. You do play don't you?"

"Yes."

"Splendid old chap. You will be our secret weapon."

So we arrived at this field on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. The USA flag, the Union Jack, the Australian flag all flying. A great day had by all!
 
A little story .....

In 1982 I had not long arrived in Pittsburgh to work for 2 years (had only been there a few weeks). I received a call from this English ex-pat from Barclays Bank.

"I say old thing, we heard you were in town. We have our annual match against Gulf Oil next week. You are Australian so we assumed you played cricket. You do play don't you?"

"Yes."

"Splendid old chap. You will be our secret weapon."

So we arrived at this field on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. The USA flag, the Union Jack, the Australian flag all flying. A great day had by all!
B****R ME - do people still really speak like that, they don't here in Kent !
 
JCM6395- " Didnt the British have a game called Rounders that was even more like baseball than Cricket........"
Yes you are absolutely right, it was first played by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table !!!
When I was at school, Rounders was a girls game, us boys had Rugby, its a bit like American Football but without all the girly protection.

Now awaiting some flak....
Rugby..A game for men.
Expired Image Removed

And American Football....lol
Expired Image Removed
 
Last edited:
Back
Top