ABSTRACT
‘Cricket, a sturdy plant indigenous to England; let us prove that it can be successfully transplanted to American soil,’ announced Robert Waller in 1843 as he gave a banquet toast following a match between his Philadelphia Union Club and the St George’s Club of New York. The dissolution of both clubs had a felicitous effect on Philadelphia cricket, for in 1854 Rotch Wister organized the Philadelphia Cricket Club. He encouraged English residents to join with native Philadelphians to promote and to preserve cricket. The activities of the Young America, Germantown, and Philadelphia cricket clubs heightened the interest in cricket among Philadelphians. Just as Philadelphia cricket entered the national spotlight, the Civil War broke out, curtailing its enthusiasm and disrupting its growth. The extent of the American role in the establishment of cricket in Philadelphia was uncovered by the socio-economic analysis of the clubs’ memberships.
