It has come to my attention, but means of glancing surreptitiously at the Penny Dreadfulls that the working class are wont to browse through, that there was a sporting event of some significance yesterday evening.

More pertinently, that said event was mired in some controversy, both for the participants as well as the spectators.

Your correspondent is rather indifferent when it comes to the sport of football, although news that the game last night involved teams from England and players from the Colonies sparked much interest amongst the sporting classes. I was unable to ascertain from the tabloid papers if any of the Separatists were involved last night, although doubtless that young Mr Washington will seek political benefit from the outcome.

I understand that the game resulted in a draw, with neither side winning, or indeed, losing. Such an outcome should be applauded for its sense of fair play and the reward of watching goodly endeavours without any of the tiresome bother of needing to support a specific team over another.

However, it transpires that spectators who chose to view the game in their local inn or tavern found their enjoyment of the game spoilt by difficulties with the Moving Picture Company.

By means of the marvellous Telectroscope, images from South Africa were transmitted almost instantaneously to establishments across the nation. Alas, it seemed that technical difficulties – which should be of no surprise considering the distance travelled – conspired to spoil the event for many viewers. The choice of a Mr Adrian Chiles, a person of uninspiring education to offer commentary on the evenings events was also felt to be an unfortunate experiment.

Various members of the Board of the Moving Picture Company, having read the slightly hysterical reactions in the Penny Dreadfulls over their breakfast, may have good cause to wonder if their position with the company can be held to be a secure one.

Your correspondent looks forward to future sporting events – of which he gathers there is now a tournament – to engender a more measured and sensible response from the media.

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One comment
  1. john b says:

    I contend that the reason for the nation’s ire was not that of technical difficulties, which surely even the man on the Clapham omnibus should be able to perceive, but that the Telectroscope’s proprietors decided to use the technical difficulties as an opportunity to proffer advertizements for penny pills, haberdashery, &c. The fine ladies and gentlemen of the English public believed that said Telectroscopists were interrupting their entertainment for commercial gain, rather than merely suffering from understandable woes…

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