1940: Cricket

Cricket has long been considered the national sporting event of the British Empire, but it is now taking a firm hold in the United States. Even though the war curtailed the big-time international competition, followers of cricket in America indicated their growing interest in their game by staging games between British and American players. There was a match between a team of British-Americans and British-West Indians, won by the former team. So successful was this match that the British Purchasing Commission organized a team to play against a picked eleven from among members of the New York and Metropolitan District Cricket Association, and this match was won by the New Yorkers.

Americans showed their interest in the game to their Canadian neighbors when the Philadelphia General Electric Cricket Club sent a team on a brief tour of Canada. The G. E. team won premier honors in the United States, winning both the U.S.C.A. Cup and the New York and Metropolitan Association title. The Brooklyn Cricket Club was runner-up for the title event. R. A. Wiles, of Brooklyn, scored the only 'century' of the year, and George Lewis, of Philadelphia, captured 30 wickets at an average cost of 6.90. Paterson won in the annual series of the New Jersey State Cricket League, scoring nine games, losing two and drawing one.