For quick wood shots, the left hand should hold the barrels some distance out towards the muzzle, the left arm being almost extended to its full length, while the right arm is bent up short, the right elbow stuck out in a nearly horizontal position to the cheek hugging the stock. At the same time stand firmly on the feet, and do not, as many older and supposedly better sometimes do, bend the knees just as you fire.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WHEN YOU FIRST BEGIN, YOU NEED YOUR FATHER'S ADVICE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT]

The squabble which has disgraced the close of the New York Interscholastic baseball season was as undignified as it was unnecessary, and it has surely brought no credit to the Harvard School or to any of its athletic authorities. Knowing, as it seems they all did, that Ehrich was absolutely and unequivocally disqualified from competing in sports held under the rules of the N.Y.I.S.A.A., he was nevertheless put in to catch in the most important game of the season.

Zizinia, the captain of the Harvard team, had been advised to subst.i.tute Dillenback if Ehrich was protested on the field, but for some unexplained reason, when De La Salle did protest him, he was nevertheless allowed to play. This was a bit of gross misjudgment, to say the least, and has resulted in Harvard losing the pennant, which might have been won with Dillenback behind the bat. By pursuing this course, Harvard School not only allowed an inferior team to represent the N.Y.I.S.B.B. League at Eastern Park on June 8th, thus doing an injustice to the entire a.s.sociation, but made itself liable to expulsion and disgrace, which will probably only be avoided because of the personal friendship of the League delegates for the Harvard representatives. As for the unsportsmanlike spirit of the whole performance, perhaps the less said about it the better.

The De La Salle nine is, no doubt, inferior both in fielding and batting qualities to the Harvard team, but I do not believe that the latter would have made a much better showing against the strong men from Garden City had they met them. These are baseball-players, and no mistake; and they worked just as hard all through the game with De La Salle as if they were not having a "merry-go-round," as their rooters constantly exclaimed. It certainly was a merry-go-round, and all the mirth was on the St. Paul side of the fence, for a poorer exhibition of baseball-playing has doubtless seldom been seen at Eastern Park than the game put up by the representatives of the New York a.s.sociation. The out-fielders could not judge the easiest of flies, and dropped almost every ball that they did manage to get their hands on, and the in-fielders were not much better. To any one who saw the game, or who was acquainted with the record of the St. Paul nine, it was not surprising that the Garden City players piled up thirty-five runs to their opponents' one, or that they made twenty-six base hits, with six home runs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Baker, Howard, Foster, Henderson, Goldsborough Robinson, Hill.

3d b. sub. 2d b. coach. r.f. sub. sub.

Hall, p. Lum, l.f. and capt. S. M. Starr, c. E. Starr, 1st b.

Mortimer, s.s. Flippen, c.f.

ST. PAUL'S, GARDEN CITY, BASEBALL NINE.

Winners of the Inter-City Championship, Eastern Park, Brooklyn, June 8, 1895.]

The St. Paul nine have played thirteen games this season, and have not suffered a single defeat. They have scored 179 runs to their opponents'

51; they have made 192 hits to their opponents' 69; and they have committed only 54 errors to their opponents' 84. Their batting and fielding averages reckon up as follows:

Batting. Fielding.

Hall, p. .407 .915 S. Starr, c. .371 .937 E. Starr, 1 b. .393 .948 Foster, 2 b. .375 .893 Baker, 3 b. .375 .714 Mortimer, s. s. .333 .709 Lum, l. f. .360 .923 Flippen, c. f. .339 .813 Goldsborough, r. f. .378 .900

It is evident from the above that St. Paul had a hard-hitting team, and I have no doubt the fielding averages--especially of Baker, Flippen, and Foster--would have been higher if the men had tried to make records rather than to accept every chance that came their way. Hall's pitching throughout the season has been up to a high standard, and his fielding has been excellent. In one game he had thirteen fielding chances, which he accepted without making an error. Foster, too, has done well, and has spoiled many an apparent base hit. Next year the managers of this nine should seek games with stronger teams than can be found in either the New York or the Long Island leagues. I should like to see them play Andover or Lawrenceville. The latter claim they cannot find opponents worthy of them outside the colleges. Perhaps Garden City can give them good practice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OAKLAND HIGH-SCHOOL ATHLETIC TEAM,

Champions of the Academic Athletic League of the Pacific Coast.]

The men shown in the picture of the Oakland High-School Athletic Team are Cheek, Jackson, Jenks, Gooch, Hoffman, Guppy, Russ, McConnell, Hanford, Rosborough, and Dawson. They won the championship of the A.A.L.

for the O.H.-S. at the last two field meetings--March 16th and May 4th--and most of them return to school next year. W. B. Jackson, the mile runner, enters the University of California this fall, and if that enterprising college sends a team to Mott Haven next spring, Jackson will be one of its members, and he will push the Eastern cracks in the mile run.

Connecticut H.-S.A.A. Games, Hartford, June 8, 1895.

Event. Winner. Performance.

100-yard dash Conner, L. 10-1/2 sec.

220-yard run Dyer, L. 23-4/5 "

440-yard run Foster, B.H.-S. 53-1/2 "

Half-mile run Ba.s.sett, N.B. 2 m. 7-1/5 "

Mile run Buckingham, B.H.-S. 5 " 8-1/5 "

Mile walk Butler, H. 7 " 17-3/5 "

120-yard hurdle Field, H.H.-S. 17-4/5 "

220-yard hurdle Field, H.H.-S. 26-1/2 "

Two-mile bicycle Baker, L. 5 " 18-2/5 "

Running high jump Sturtevant, H.H.-S. 5 ft. 5 in.

Running broad jump Conner, L. 20 " 7-1/4 "

Pole vault Sturtevant, H.H.-S. 9 " 8-1/2 "

Throwing the hammer Beck, H. 111 " 10 "[2]

Putting the shot Beck, H. 36 " 8-1/2 "[2]

Western Ma.s.sachusetts I.S.A.A. Games, Amherst, June 8, 1895.

Event. Winner. Performance.

100-yard dash Coit, H. 10-4/5 sec.

220-yard run Coit, H. 24-4/5 "

440-yard run Perkins, C. 57-2/5 "

Half-mile run Thayer, H. 2 m. 10-1/5 "

Mile run Thayer, H. 5 " 55 "

Mile walk 120-yard hurdle Phillips, M. 16-3/5 "

220-yard hurdle Phillips, M. 29-4/5 "

Two-mile bicycle Running high jump Chism, M. 5 ft. 4-3/4 in.

Running broad jump Gladwin, W. 19 " 3 "

Pole vault Scott, W. 10 " 1-1/2 "

Throwing the hammer Chism, M. 94 " 8 "[1]

Putting the shot Austin, M. 32 " 3 "[2]

Dual Games between Phillips Andover and Worcester Academies, Worcester, June 8, 1895.

Event. Winner. Performance.

100-yard dash Sargent, W.A. 11-1/5 sec.

220-yard run Barker, W. A. 23-2/5 "

440-yard run Fish, W.A. 53-2/5 "

Half-mile run Laing, P.A. 2 m. 7 "

Mile run Laing, P.A. 4 " 47-4/5 "

Mile walk Lockwood, W.A. 8 " 3 "

120-yard hurdle Holt, P.A. 18-3/5 "

220-yard hurdle Barker, W.A. 28 "

Two-mile bicycle Campbell, W.A. 5 " 48-4/5 "

Running high jump Edmonds, W.A. 5 ft. 5 in.

Running broad jump Williams, P.A. 19 " 2 "

Pole vault Johnson, W.A. 10 " 2-1/2 "

Throwing the hammer Holt, P.A. 104 " 3-1/2 "[1]

Putting the shot Holt, P.A. 33 " 6 "[2]

Abbreviations.--Connecticut H.-S.A.A.: L., Hotchkiss School, Lakeville; H., Hillhouse High-School, New Haven; H.H.-S., Hartford High-School; B.H.-S., Bridgeport High-School; H.C., Hartford Cla.s.sical School; N.B., New Britain High-School; B.M.T., Boardman Manual Training-School; B., Bulkeley School, New London. Western Ma.s.sachusetts I.S.A.A.: M., Monson; H., Holyoke; W., Westfield; C., Chicopee; A., Amherst. Dual Games: P.A., Phillip's Academy, Andover; W.A., Worcester Academy.

A mere glance at the reports of the three interscholastic meets held in New England a week ago Sat.u.r.day will demonstrate that scholastic sports, in spite of their prominence and excellence, are still in a suit of "go-as-you-please" state of perfection. For instance, half the a.s.sociations use a 16-lb. hammer and a 16-lb. shot, whereas the other half use 12-lb. weights. In some instances, such as at the Worcester-Andover dual games, the contestants put a 16-lb. shot, but threw a 12-lb. hammer. It is impossible to make a comparison of relative efficiency under such conditions. Why is it not just as easy for all the schools to use a 16-lb. hammer, and thus equalize things? Then they could not only compare their own records, but they could see in what relation they stand to college-men. The princ.i.p.al argument in favor of the 12-lb. shot and hammer is that school-boys are not strong enough to use the heavier weights. This does not seem to me to be a good argument, because fully half the a.s.sociations use the 16-lb. hammer and shot, and there are no reports of resultant evil effects. Besides, a school athlete who goes in for those events is usually a well-built and muscular boy, who, if he is going to college will probably continue to put the shot and throw the hammer. It is pure nonsense, therefore, for him to become accustomed to lighter weights, for it will be like beginning all over again for him when he enters college sports, and his cla.s.smate who started with a 16-lb. hammer will have a considerable advantage over him.

For some time I have wanted to speak of this matter and of kindred subjects, but as I have not s.p.a.ce enough to go into it fully this week, I shall only say a few more words to start those interested in it to thinking. The kindred subjects are the other events on the scholastic programmes. Why not have the card at school meetings identical with the inter-collegiate programme? We all know that there are too many events, anyhow, on both cards, and I am glad to hear that next year the colleges will eliminate the mile walk and the bicycle race. The schools cannot do better than follow this example, and those leagues which have throwing the baseball, standing high jump, standing broad jump, and other acrobatic feats on their lists will do well to start in on sweeping reforms. There is nothing athletic about throwing the baseball, especially, and it certainly is not a picturesque feature of any meeting.