CRICKET V. BASEBALL

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21992, 16 January 1937, Page 17

CRICKET V. BASEBALL

TO THE EDITOR 0* THE PRESS. Sir,—l am glad to' see Peter Trolove championing baseball, in preference to that over-rated game cricket. Mr Trolove is quite right in suggesting that baseball is "more excellent,' although he errs if anything on the side of under-statement. To my mind (speaking as a Canadian), there is no comparison at all between the two games. Cricket, like golf, seems to me to be quite a good pastime for elderly gentlemen' who are past more vigorous pursuits, but hardly an activity worthy of the dignity of being a national game. Baseball, on the other hand, furnishes contests delightful to watch, thrilling to play, and demanding speed, alertness, physical fitness, and a high degree of coordination. Furthermore, there are no intervals for meals. as» the whole affair is over within a couple of hours. This limitation. I am sure, will commend itself to Mr Trolove. since, quite rightly, he feels that rather too much time and attention are devoted to what, after all, are only games. ■ When I was a child we used to play in the school playground a game called "tip-and-run," which seems to bear a very close resemblance to cricket. True, the bats consisted of sawed-off broomhandles, and the "ball" was an elongated chip of wood. But "tip-and-run" is faster and more exciting than cricket, as there is no nonsense about not running once you have hit the ball; and. furthermore, you are only allowed a limited number of swipes at it.— Yours, etc., WM. L. ROBERTSON. Hokitika, January 14. 1937.