A popular song from 1868
Words and music by Walter Neville
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Denese Coulbeck:
Lyrics
- Hurrah for our game, our National game
There’s health in its every bound
A thrill of delight in its very name
A joy in its simplest sound
It lends new strength to our hardy race
And its pleasures are never tame
Then here’s to the bat, the ball, and the base
Hurrah for our National Game
Chorus:
Then hurrah for our National Game, hurrah
Here’s cheer for its well-earned fame
Success to it ever, hurrah, hurrah
Hurrah for our National Game
- The timid lament o’er such dangerous fun
And groan at “that terrible ball”
The lazy ones shrink from making “a run”
And cowards are fearing a fall
But give us the dash of a strong “home strike”
And we laugh such folly to shame
Take all other sports and do what you like
But leave us our National Game - The Gamester may boast of the pleasures of play
The Billiardist brag of his cue
The Horse jockey gabble of next racing day
The Yachtman discourse of the Blue
The patrons of Racket may feast on its joys
Whilst Cricket its lovers inflame
Croquet’s very well for young ladies and boys
But give us the National Game - Now toss for the innings, the bases are down
Outsiders go into the field
The scorer with tallies successes will crown
As each striker “the willow” doth wield
The Captains assign each player his place
The Umpire his rulings will name
To all their decisions submit with good grace
As required by our National Game - And thus ’tis in life, each one has a post
Assigned by the Captain of all
While the great Umpire “Conscience” is guiding the host
Take heed that we list to his call
May no “base play” be ours, may our record be bright
With no foul deed our “clean score” to shame
Let us play life’s game nobly, respecting the right
As we do in our National Game