Discovering Chestnut Hill: Host of the Philadelphia International Cricket Festival

Posted 4/27/16

PCC cricket players from the 1920s. by Andrea Niepold, Chestnut Hill Historical Society It may come as a surprise to many Hillers that our own Philadelphia Cricket Club not only originated as, but …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Discovering Chestnut Hill: Host of the Philadelphia International Cricket Festival

Posted
A match at PCC during the 2014 Philadelphia International Cricket Festival. PCC cricket players from the 1920s.

by Andrea Niepold, Chestnut Hill Historical Society

It may come as a surprise to many Hillers that our own Philadelphia Cricket Club not only originated as, but remains, an actual cricket club. And that this weekend, it will be one of five local clubs to host what is arguably the most important cricket event in the United States: the Philadelphia International Cricket Festival.

The Philadelphia Cricket Club was founded in 1854 by William Rotch Wister and other scions of prominent Philadelphia families who had played the game as members of other, short-lived clubs. Its original home was a field in Camden, made available with the proviso that it would be vacated promptly if needed. The club adopted the black, red and gold colors of an English club, I Zingari – the Gypsies – who, like the PCC, had no permanent home of its own. The club later shared the Nicetown grounds of the Germantown Cricket Club.

In 1883, Henry Howard Houston offered the club land in his St Martin’s development. The grand opening of the new grounds in 1884 was celebrated with a match against the Orpheus Club, won by PCC, followed by dinner and an after-dinner concert at Houston’s Wissahickon Inn. The original clubhouse, donated by Houston and designed by the Hewitt brothers, was built in 1885.

The 1880s ushered in a golden age of Philadelphia cricket that lasted into the early 20th century. Thousands of spectators traveled on special trains to attend matches in Chestnut Hill and other local grounds. PCC played against English teams here and in England and contributed players to “Gentlemen of Philadelphia” teams, made up of players from various clubs in the area that traveled to England and hosted English teams here.

Interest in cricket declined after World War I, and the game was discontinued at PCC in 1922, with the great lawn entirely converted to tennis courts. It was revived in 1997 under the leadership of a new tennis coach who recruited a small group of tennis players and their sons to form the nucleus of a new team. Within a few years, the team had grown to 30 players, half-American and half from Britain or Commonwealth countries. PCC cricket is played from April to mid-May and again from mid-September till the end of October.

The Philadelphia International Cricket Festival, a charity event to promote cricket in the region, features over 200 players representing many nationalities. Matches will be held this Thursday through Sunday at the Philadelphia Cricket Club and other clubs in the area, culminating in the Festival Trophy Cup match at Germantown Cricket Club on Sunday. Open to the public, these events are an opportunity to become acquainted with the game that is second only to soccer in worldwide popularity.

Find more information about the 2016 Annual Philadelphia International Cricket Festival – April 28 through May 1 – at cricketfestival.com

discovering-chestnut-hill