America’s National Game at Forts George

© HE engrossing interest of building a city where a few

months ago was no sign of human habitation does not
absorb the attention of Fort George citizens to the entire
exclusion of healthy competitive outdoor sports. A tennis
club is one of the institutions of the town, and rifle and trap
shooting are popular recreations, a number of the Fort
Georgians being excellent shots. But no sport can awaken
so general or so keen an interest as America’s national game,
and every summer evening some of the young men can be
seen on the diamond, trying to negotiate the puzzling shoots
and curves put across the plate by the local pitchers. At no
time does the interest become so keen as when the Fort
George Club meets that of some near or distant rival. Then
every citizen, irrespective of age or sex, deems it a point of
honor to get out and “root” for their own team, even though

they have not enough knowledge of the game to distinguish
the difference between an outfield fly and the catcher’s mask.

It was on such a game that the accompanying photo was
taken. The keen interest in the contest is testified to by the
number of spectators. Incidentally, the picture demonstrates
that Fort George is not so far removed from fashion’s
centres but that its women-folk succeed in keeping fairly
abreast of fashion’s latest modes.

The piles of lumber in the foreground had all gone into
buildings within a month after this picture was taken. The
illustration also gives an excellent idea of the level character
of the Fort George townsite, and of the work done in clear-
ing it of the light timber growth with which it was covered
two years ago. Some of this timber is to be seen in the
right background.

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