The Thwack of Willow on Leather

[poliphilo]

The cricket season is underway- and England are playing New Zealand at Lords. One of our players got a century on debut- something that has only been achieved at Lords three times before in the history of the game- ain't that wonderful?

Yes- I know- most of you are raising your eyebrows. But here's something I've never understood. The whole English speaking world plays cricket- with the exception of you North Americans. You play base-ball- a related, but less complicated sport. Why? Is it because you opted out of the Empire at an early stage? Maybe. But that only explains the cricketlessness of the USA; it doesn't explain Canada. So what's going on? Does anybody out there know?

Comments

[archyena.livejournal.com]

As for the United States, it's probably a result of the Revolution. That's why we used the words "hotel," "restaurant," "cafe," etc. generally before they became common usage in England. It's also why tea wouldn't become popular until the arrival of iced tea but why coffee has been a hit since Boston. There was a Francophile craze immediately post-Revolution that was reinvigorated with the Louisiana Purchase that led to the aforementioned name changes. It's also useful to recall that despite being among the earliest English colonies, the 13 original ones never benefitted from anything even approaching the British civil and foreign service bureaucracies that dominated the later colonies. It's actually an odd bit of history.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. I don't know much early American history.

The follow-up question is why Baseball? We Brits play a very similar game called Rounders, but it has never been developed seriously. It remains a kids' game. There's no professional Rounders League.

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

i think a big part of the appeal of baseball in america is that it was "invented" here, much like basketball. most countries have their own native sports.

the reason most of the english speaking world plays cricket is that most of the english speaking world was colonized by the british (which also explains why they speak english). but america was colonized much earlier and for much less time. look at countries where america has a presence today and you'll find baseball leagues to be popular: japan, korea, cuba, the dominican republic, etc.

and also, cricket is for sissies.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I considered feigning outrage at that and then I thought, hell no, I'm proud to be a sissy.

[archyena.livejournal.com]

Rounders, however, was not invented until 1823. The game "base-ball" is seen in an English woodcut in Pretty Little Pocket Book published in 1760. It seems that it became the common name for a whole class of "bat and ball" folk games. Rounders would actually develop out of this early baseball. In 1845 modern baseball is invented by Alexander Cartwright when he pens a set of rules for the Manhattan Knickerbockers. These so-called "Knickerbocker Rules" become extemely popular and create a common foundation for the modern game. After 1845 the evolution of baseball is fairly well documented. It was not originally a professional sport but a middle and upper-working class leisure activity that was considered at once healthy and socially appropriate entertainment.

Why baseball? Evolution. As for the popularity of cricket in Britain, that has to do with Admiral Nelson and his single-handed sinking of the French flagship at Trafalgar with a single thwack of his cricket bat. The rest is history.

On a personal note, I have played cricket at the invitation of some of the Indian students here. For history buffs, there is a second joke in the earlier statement on Nelson, I wonder how many see it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Fascinating.

Cricket also has 18th century roots. I believe it was first recorded as being played by Sussex shepherds. (Where did I get that from?- surely I didn't just pluck it out of the air.) I guess the two games grew up side by side.

I spotted the joke. Nice one....