Page:Out-door Games Cricket and Golf (1901).djvu/197

162 Morris, Bob Ferguson, and David Strath were better or worse than Taylor, Herd, and Park. A genius at any game is not, and cannot be available for purposes of comparison, for he is sui generis; and I am inclined to think that Vardon, Roberts, and Grace must be placed on three equal pedestals as geniuses at golf, billiards, and cricket. But in considering the question as to the top players outside those on whom is stamped genius, there is not very much to choose. At any rate, I have heard men of undoubted fairness and every qualification to judge, admit they cannot say. If there is any merit in mashies, bullet-headed drivers, and brasseys and bulgers, it must be remembered that the old players had not the advantage of using these, and some of the greater length of drive that is undoubtedly possessed by modern players must be put down to the credit of the club, and not of the player. It would be absolutely impossible to play a good game with the feather balls which are exhibited as curiosities in some club rooms, as it would be at cricket to play a good innings with Robinson's bat, of colossal weight in the blade and very thin handle, which you may see at Lords. But the very old players had to