Staten Island Cricket andTennis Club HISTORY OF THE STATEN ISLAND CRICKET AND TENNIS CLUB 1872 — 1917 y LIVINGSTON, STATEN ISLAND. y By R. ST. G. WALKER "H^C OLIM MEMINISSE JUVABIT" CopV ^ f1 JUL 13 1917 C ricke! at theikne ^ ; ■;■• V i-p; leased ■■ ' o Washiuinov!. si. rolled lawn looked Hk^ ri T)nt'b = iii.b dip its ti; cbeerinsj; d, to see '.Xixi^i>> ana cari\" nu ,i.?. .n !-i -! i- d the Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/historyofstateniOOwalk Slatcii IsLiml l^-ickrt aiitl Triiiiis Cliil) 1872 1917 ]\\ R. St. C. WAI.KI'.R The Old Grounds at Camp Washington, S. I. (Hy courtesy of Mr. F. B. Eyre.) The Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club — as it was known at the time of its inception — was founded on the 22nd of March, 1872. The Club leased as its Cricket and Baseball field the George Law property at Camp Washington, situated on the north shore of Staten Island, on the site now occupied by the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Co. as a terminal at St. George. A lovelier or more picturesque ground it would have been hard to find, for it extended to the very water's edge. From the Bay, where the Club grounds caught the eye of someone on every passing craft, the well-rolled lawn looked like a patch of emerald velvet, and it was often a cheering sight to Club ^Members and their friends, going or returning from abroad, to see the Club dip its flag to them, in welcome, or in farewell, as their steamer sailed in or out of the Harbor of New York. Among the founders and early members of the Club must be mentioned the names of Aymar Cater, Ashton Harvey, Wm. Krebs, Wm. Butler Duncan, Wm. Whitlock, ^lorris Duer, J. B. Duer, R. B. Whittemore, A. E. Outerbridge, Wm. H. Clark, W. M. Betts. George S. Scofield, M. G. Haughton, Maynard C. Eyre, Henry ]\I. Eyre, J. James Eyre, William M. Donald, Wm. H. Davidge, Duncan R. Norvell, Louis P. Ba}'ard, James M. Davis, George W. Dix, Joe Sprague, W. B. IMcKean. C. M. Dodge, Wilton Phipps, A. W. Peters, Nathaniel ^larsh, Dan'l Ap- pleton. Thomas A. AAse, John Cuthbertson, Robert E. Robinson, E. C. Bridgman, J. B. \\'hetham, J. Ridgway Moore, C. T. Jarvis, E. H. Moeran, George Moore, E. H. Outerbridge, Edward J. Shriver, H. E. Alexander, G. C. and Phil. i\llen. The Present Grounds at Livingston, S. I. (The Delafield Homestead.) The View from Deiafield Place. )C!.A470242 X^ The I'rosidenls of the Club since 1872 in the ordei" of their succession have been W ni. lUitler l^uncan. Wni. Krebs, (ieo. S. Scolield, Robl. 1^. Robinson. W. K. lewctl. lui!:i\MK' Lamb Richards, Jr., \\/ni. M. Donald and R. St. G. Walker. Those who ha\e nobly ser\ed us in the oflice of 'i^-easurer have been W. M. I5etts. W'ni. II. Davidge, b:. I. Shriver, A. W. .Morriss, R. K. Robinson, Wm. C. Rowland and II. Manley. In those days there were but few Cricket or Amateur Baseball Clubs in the neighborhood. Golf was almost unknown among- the people at larg'e, and the gen- eral interest in athletics, that has since grown to such great proportions, was in its infancy in this country. This Club, therefore, would seem to be one of the few or- ganizations still in active existence, that was among the pioneers in that really great movement — the introduction of Amateur sports — a movement that has meant so much to the men of this country and to their posterity, and has made, w^e think, for the betterment of the nation, both in body and soul. In 1885, the advent of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. to Staten Island, and the commercial encroachment at St. George, necessitated the Club looking for a new home. After much deliberation, it purchased the Delafield Homestead on Bard Avenue at Livingston, S. I., and which property, notwithstanding several inter- vening changes, and some few vicissitudes, it still occupies under lease from Mr. Richard Delaiield. who in 191. S bought back the old family Homestead. It is a fine old house, with every suitable accommodation within, and is situated on a large rectangular plot of nearly five acres, which is covered with very fine and beautiful turf, admirablv, suited to the needs of the Club. The Club House from Bard Avenue. 1887 Club Match — American versus English While ihi' C'lul) wris or^Tini/cd ;is a C"ric1a.s(.'l)all. ami on several (H'casions has won ihc ("hanii)li>nslii|) nf \hv Ainatcnr llaschall League ct its hi^lnrx ( kiI I , I'mhiIi.iII ( l\n,^li\, C 'nlk'i^iaU' and Association I. l.acrDsso, TxiaiinL;-. ( )ni>iis. Ilnwls, I'ii'ld I lucki'v and other ()Utd(jor sports lia\o lirrn jilaxcd and fostered 1)_\- the ('\u\). Even doll", that has since l)econic the most <.;encrall\ jjopiilai- ol all the sports, was played h\ the C'lnh dni-ini;- the earl\- 'H)'s, for a i)ari\ of its Menihers consisting of Gcor_y-e llnntei', (ieo. I"'.. Armstrong. W'm. II. I )a\idge, James I'ark. Edward IJeckctt. \\ . A. I lamilton. |ohn Scr\nigeoui". A. I''. I 'alerson, C. A. I'"ry. the writer. and sexeral others nsed to pla\ golf (|uite regularh' on the Fox I Hlls, where on an improvised course, without ])ulting greens, and with a few caretully planted tomato cans to ser\-e as cu])S, the\' inti"(Kluced the game to the ])eoi)le ol Staten Island. It is an interesting fact that to Miss Mary Ewing ()uterl)ridge helonged the credit of having hroiight the first set of the "New Game of Lawn Tennis" to Amer- ica. This set she imported from England, via Bermuda, in 1876. By permission of tlie 1 )irectors of this Cluh, the net was put u]) on the Club grounds and the new game ^'ery soon became extremely popular among the Members. Thus this Club was the first organization in the country to take up Lawn Tennis. A little later, after the game had become more generally known, the Club held upon its grounds the first open tournament ever played in this country. The Club is today perhaps the oldest Member of the U. S. Lawn Tennis Asso- ciation, of which Association our Mr. E. H. Outerbridge was the prime mover, and one of the original founders. Any history of the Club would be incomplete without a grateful tribute to the faithful services of old George Hayward and of William Herring, who for many years served, the Club as groundsmen, as well as to Walter Radford, who for the past eleven years has served the Club efficiently as professional and grounds- man. Our thanks too, are due to George VVestock and later to Albert Rayner, who for many years, had charge of the Club liouse. Of late years, and at the present time, the activities of the Club have been principally in the direction of Cricket, Lawn Tennis, ''Soccer Football," and the usual pursuits and diversions of a social organization. In the season just past (1916) the Club again won the Championship of the New York and New Jersey Cricket League. Under the able management of Messrs. Harry Manley, E. Kaufman and A. Warren Smith, the Club has for several years past been an important factor in the Amateur New York and New Jersey "Soccer" League, the championship of which it won in 1915-16. 15 1908 Statcii Island C. C. vs. Richmond Co. Country Chih The Soccer Team. 1910-1911 16 1915 Staten Island C. C. vs. Mr. A. E. Fordon's XI. The "Staten Island Ladies Club for Outdoor Sports" was organized in 1877, as an auxiliary of this Club, the Membership in which was open at that time only to those ladies whose immediate family were Members of the Cricket Club. ]\Irs. Robert Emmett I'J.obinson was the first President of the Club, and was succeeded in office by Miss Ivrebs, Mrs. John G. iJale, Mrs. Alexander D. Shaw, !Mrs. Wm. H. Davidge, Mrs. W. Iv. Jewett, Mrs. G. Heineken, Mrs. Norman S. AA'alker, Jr., Airs. A. N. Lawrence, Mrs. Otis L. Williams, ]\frs. H. R. A'anVechten and Airs. ^\^illiam Bryan. The first open Tennis tournament for Ladies ever held in America was given under the auspices of this Club, and for several years the Championship in Ladies' Singles was held by a Alember of the Club, Aiiss Adeline K. Robinson. The name of the Club \\as subsequently changed to the "Staten Island Ladies' Club," under which name it still does us the honor to maintain its Clubhouse and play at oiu' groimds, and under which name it is favorably known wherever Lawn Tennis is played. 17 1899 Veterans of New York vs. Veterans of Philadelphia. (Playerl at Prospect Park.) 1907 Mr. R. St. G. Walker's Veteran XI vs. Mr. George Ashbridge's Philadelphia Veteran XL 18 \'i>v a nuinhiT n\ w:\v^. more especially heiween ISS.t .-md I'tOO, we used to g;o (|uile rei^ularh' lo riiila(lel])liia lo pla\ our Annual ( Viekei Malelies with our friends of the ( lerniantow n. Meiaon, I'liiladelpliia and llrliniml (Vickel Chihs. These were the L;real malehes nt' ihe yviw lo ns, and lo whiidi wh' alwa_\s looki'd [nv ward willi ihe keenest enllur^iasni. Thos.' o| ns who played will ne\-er, w f think. forget the pleasure ol' those three or four day toui-s, and the delightful hosi)ilality of our Pliiladelphia friends. Candor compels us to admit that they generally beat us, though sometimes we turned the tables on them. b^)r lack of s])ace we must reluelanlly i-elrain from mentioning the names of the Philadelphia Cricketers, sjjlendid sportsmen and gentlemen, that come to our minds, for the list would start with the Xewhalls, and would lill a xolume. Cricket in Xew York has always l)een an exotic, and in the opinion of the writer, is ever likely to so remain. A Cricketer, like a poet, is l)orn, not made. In addition to a natural love and aptitude for the game, it would seem that he needs in his blood the traditions of generations of cricketers behind him. The game is not very popular in America, primarily because it takes too dong to learn, and secondly, because it takes too long to play. A game that sometimes requires two days or more to play, or, in the case of a one day's match, is drawn, after six hours ])lay. on account of lack of time to finish, does not appeal to the young American. Then too, it is not sufficiently exciting to suit the national taste. The result, like that of a closely contested baseball game, is not continuously in doubt. But because it is an exotic, and — except in the good old town of Phila- delphia where Cricket is indigenous — is a rather fragile flower, it is none the less dear to those who love it. While in Cricket, as in all other games, there is a keen desire to \vin, the spirit of Cricket is that "the game's the thing" and that the mere result is more or less an episode. Win if you can, but win fairly, and lose a hun- dred matches rather than resort to a technical or unsportsmanlike trick to achieve your victory. And it is not only the game itself, but its associations, and its mem- ories, and the life-long friendships made on the Cricket Field, that endear it to the hearts of its votaries. 19 ~%*>«s*^a3^#^«*i»'w^^»*^'?%i#^^**'"''"" " 1886 Club Match. American vs. English. (The first Club Match played on our present grounds at Livingston.) 1916 Thirty Year Anniversary Club Match. American vs. English. 20 TIu' iwii aniu'xrd plioh )^i-;i|)Ii^ slmw Cricket groups lakt'ii in ISSfiand ]^)\f). Tlu'x rcprcscni ilu' \ninial "" AnuM-ican" versus " I'.n^iisli" ( Vit-kii MaU'li. and wvvc taken (Ml tlio sanu' s])(ii, 1)\ ilu' same i)lii)t()!^"ra])lHT, Mi". I. Alnisiacdl of Suilcii IshmcL It is a nocnliav trilintc to the i^'am.' and its Imld npon its dc'\-olees, that nine of the men who pkaxed in ISSo came toi^'clhet" to i)k'iy M) years later in I'-'K), viz., Messrs. I'.. II. Onterhi-idoe. W'm. II. Davidi^e. Xorman S. Walker, R. St. (}. Walker, J. Lawrence Pool, Rei.iinald K. I'onner, Cirlile lioyd. \'. Beverley Eyre and Wm. Williams. On May oO. \^)17. a s4rand Cricket Match was ])la\-ed at the Chd) Grounds l"or the henetil of the Ih'itish Red Cross, hetween the Malifax Cup XT, captained ])y Mr. J. S. r>ret/:. and the "Xext XI of .\11 Xew York," captained by ^Ir. F. F. Kelly. We were honored on that occasion 1)\- the presence of H. B. ^\. Consul General Clive Bayley and Airs. Bavley, Mr. C. vS. LeT'oer Trench, Chairman of the British Red Cross Committee, as well as by that of nearly 1,500 of our good and tried friends, the staunch patrons of Cricket in Xew York. The presence and the ])la3-ino- of the pipers of the New York Scottish Hig-h- landers, of which command our Member Walter Scott is Colonel, added greatly to the zest and enjoyment of the occasion. It is a pleasure to record that owing to the efforts of the Chairman, Mr. Bretz, the Treasurer, Mr. George Shaw, to other Members of the Committee, repre- senting every Cricket Club in New^ York and X'^ew Jersey, and to the patriotic sup- port of the lovers of the game, a sum in excess of $2,200 was realized for the ben- efit of the British Red Cross. It is safe to sa\^ that never before in the history of New York Cricket, has a sum anywhere approaching this amount been realized from a Cricket ]\Iatch in this communitv. 21 1916 The Soccer Team. The British Red Cross Match. Halifax Cui, XI vs. Next All New York XL Alav 30, 1917. Allhoui^li in iIk' nann\' of tilings \vc ar*.' ciniipi'lK'd !(• omit tlu' nanu's of many ol tuir xaluod associau-s, ilu' lolldwin;; Cdinr in us, at this linic, as l)(.'in<,' amoui^ tlinsi' not ItitluTto nu-nt ioiu'd, \\h'> in niu' lirhl nr another, hax'c helped in the lile and nphuiUhn;^ ot" the ( 'hi!) in thr pa^l : - (,". \. Anahlc, I'".ul;\mk' I >. Alexander, I iei 1. i. llen/ii^er, II.W. |. I Uu'knall, M . A. lanke, l'"ied. T., W. II., and l.aird lai^k. ( lia.s. W . I'.aiaies, l'".(l\\ard W. Ih-own, James llrowti, Siejilien 11. Hi-dwh, (i. T. and \'.. II. I'xinner, ('lea\'er Ihajwn, David l>in,<;liani, l\. I', (i. lUicklin, riiarle> Iknion, Will.ird .S. Ihaiwii, ('. .\. lilytli and his sons. Win. r>r\an, C'lias. W . I 'x i\\ la'ii^;. A. II. |)iii\-, (i. Ilnnler ih-own, C. I). Ih-aekenridi^e, S. \\ llarrw W. .\l. (Vowe, kechnond C'onxns^ham, L. A. Camacho, |. -Maxwell C'arrere. .\nson L. Carroll, | ilin 1\. C'hadwiek, \Vm. Constable, Jr., I I. W. C"o/./.ens, Ci. II. Downin- II. T. I )ninl)ell. \i. J). Crowell, V. VV. Corse, W. L. her.osi. .\rilnir Dnliois, \\ Coonk'v, .\. K. I )a\ids()n, 1). Delehanty, E. F. Darrell, .Xorman and W. II. Donald. Chauneey h'ldridi^e, F. 1^. Eldridge, K. P. Emmons, Will. I'^uersham, lulward Fesser, Eberhard Faber, George H. and L. B. Frieze, F, S. Cannon and his sons, W. J. Gordon, \\' E. Glyn, D. J. and E. W. Gould, J. R. Gr\nies. Theo. Greppo, the Henderson brothers, Archie Gracie, David Hay, the 1 leineken brothers, Otto and \'incent Hockmeyer, J. E. G, Higgens, M. R. Hafifen- den, Oscar I lackman, George Irvine, J. P. Ilsley, J. C. Jenkins, the Jevvett brothers, the Johnstone brothers, T. H. Job, Austin P. Kelley, Horace R. Kelly, Fred. Knight, Sidney deKay, E. Kaufman and his sons, E. B. King-, C. H. Ludington, Jr., W. W. Lowry, E. Burton Lyon, J. A. Morton, George Martin, David A. Munro, Clinton Miller, J. T. Molineux, H. B. Montgomery, HenryMartin, E. and W. P. Norton, E. L. O' Bryan, Chas. S. Phillips, H. V. N. Philip, W. W. Price, the Parmeles, J. B. Pearson, Edgar Palmer, the Pendletons, Geo. E. Ouaile, W. A. Ross and his sons, Beverley Robinson, E. S. Rimer, Rufus K. Robinson, W. D. Robinson, A. P. Ripley, Dane E. Rianhard, Thos. M., H. W. and W. L. Rianhard, W. H. Rutty, Edmond Reeks, W. F. Robertson, J. H. Tiernan, S. G. Schermerhorn, F. O. Spedden, Charles T. Stout. F. H. Tabor. Eugene Treadwell, J. G. Timolat, Fred'k Toppin, H. G. A'anA'echten. E. F. Schefer, Geo. M. Sidenberg, L. B. Sanderson, R. L. Stafford, John D. A'anBuren, A. A'an Laar, Oscar V'on-Bernuth, Grosvenor Wright, George Withers, H. AA\ AA^aterworth, Wm. R. White, Erastus Wiman and his sons, William Witherspoon, T. L. Wells, Gordon A. Willis. Waldron Williams, Horace Waldo, Jr., R. At. Stuart- Wortley, C. W. Sparks, W. J. Sparks, H. Sindall, T. Ashley Sparks, and the families of the Walshers, AVemples, Willcox's, Miller Jones's, McCreery's, GarrettSj Gostenhofers, Trenches, Kings, Kobbes and Irvings. 23 "^V l"c\v of Our I'rieiKlb." Taken on the occasion of the British Red Cross Match, May 30, 1917. Not a few of the old friends whom we have named in these pages have played their last innings, and have gone to the Great Beyond. Their memory is held in af- fectionate remembrance by those of us who still survive, and who cherish the happy recollection of those associations of by-gone days, a recollection that has been strengthened and hallowed by the spirit of the Club's motto "Lude ludum insignia secundaria" which we take to mean — Play the game — prizes, rewards, honors, vea victories, are secondary, even insignificant things. To-day this same spirit, we believe, possesses the Members, past and present, of the old Cricket Club, save that at this hour Victory is the goal, and the only goal, for which we are striving. Victory over our enemies, and victory for God, for peace, and for the righteous democracy of the world. And we hope and believe that every Member, past and present, each in his own way, be it conspicuously, or be it in the humblest manner, is to-day "doing his bit" to aid in the achievement of that glo- rious end. Note: — As most of the Club photographs were destroyed in the fire, those here reproduced are from the private collection of the writer, taken at various times during the period of his Mei'jrbership in the Club. (Copyrighted by R. St. G. Walker, 64 Beaver St., New York.) 24 PRESS OF ELLIOT i CO.. 13 STONE ST., LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 029 708 353 3 |