DEPARTMENT OF PARKS. 53 



Xiawn liennis. 



This invigorating and beautiful game is one of the most 

 popular sports of the park. It is indulged in by both ladies 

 and gentlemen, and even in the most scientific play, where the 

 ball is cut down close across the net from the bat, in many 

 instances the finest and most wary players are women. They 

 seem to possess a peculiar power for divining the direction of 

 shots. This splendid game is on the increase. One hundred 

 and thirty courts were in daily use last year on long meadow 

 and probably more will be used this year. The marking of 

 the courts with whiting, inasmuch as dew will fade them and 

 rain wash them out entirely, keeps three men busy most of 

 the time, and incurs expense. But it is money well expended. 



( roquet. 



This gentle game is another of the merry recreations of long- 

 meadow. It is played by young people and even more by 

 older persons. It possesses many scientific points, requires a 

 steady hand, a well trained use of the arm at long shots, an 

 accurate eye and considerable practice. Several of the parks 

 were constantly used whenever the weather would permit, 1>\ 

 the patrons of this game. 



/ ja.se rBall. 



Although the oldest and most generally indulged in by 

 youth, of all games, base-ball still, in many respects, stands at 

 the head of the list. It is very doubtful if it will ever be 

 superseded. There is so much motion in it, so much consum- 

 mate skill, so much art and science and long training, and so 

 much chance for feats of dexterity, in running, getting 

 under sk} T scrapers, trapping red hot daisy cutters at short 

 stop, throwing on a straight line at long distances, stealing 

 bases by sheer subtlety, and all like the movements of 

 clock work, that it will probably bear the same relation 

 to all other games, that chess does to checkers, domi- 



