Page:A "Bawl" for American Cricket.djvu/13

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INTRODUCTORY.
7

in the year 1845. All of these clubs disbanded and cricket slumbered till 1853, when the Philadelphia Club organized. Camden had been the scene of the Union and Junior Club's matches, and it was again selected as the best site for the new ground.

The names of Englishmen were numerous upon the rolls of this club, and their professional Tom Seinor was the typical fast round arm bowler of the period. He trained the elevens to meet the St. George and New York Clubs, and was regarded with awe and wonder by the young American cricketer. The boy or even the man, who could block the cannon balls of the mighty Yorkshireman was the hero of the hour. The idea of hitting his terrefic balls scarcely entered the heads of the boys. Only Englishmen were supposed to be able to score against such speedy bowling.

The Germantown boys who had organized their club in 1854, played only one or two local teams during its first season, chief of which was against the Delphian Circumferaneous, whose enthusiasm for cricket was often evinced before breakfast. A year later when practice had improved their play, they challenged the Philadelphian's, who they had heretofore considered too powerful, but they paid the highest compliment to Tom Seinor, by barring him; for even in those early days they had a keen eye to the advantages of victory. But they were not afraid, old Bradshaw with his high buttoned vest and stiff high hat, nor of dear old Mrs. Bradshaw, with her kind words and her "coop of tay".

From a cricketing standpoint, the English of that day regarded the American almost with contempt; sixteen, eighteen and often twenty-two, if the latter