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Ball play. | |||
The place for playing ball is within a level plain, or in a smooth place in a hollow, about which the land rises gradually so as to afford the spectators a fair opportunity of witnessing the scene, tell stories, clubs, logs &c are removed, and the middle ground is [unclear] & a stake struck there about 100 yards from this, on one side, two stakes are stuck, two or three feet apart. So, the same distance on the other side, two other stakes are set a similar manner. The stakes on one side belong to one party and those on the other to their antagonists: and around the whole a line is drawn or [?marked?] to notify spectators how far they may approach. The parties having met at the middle ground, and {unclear] the property but to the judges: the player who has the ball and was to throw it first, commenced an address to all the players of both parties. His object was to divert their attention, and in a moment when they were not expecting it, he tossed the ball in the air, saying, "The game is twelve." Instantly all started for the ball, and the one who caught it between the end of his ball sticks, ran for the stakes of his party, 100 yards from the middle ground, and if he could carry the ball through between those stakes it counted one in the game: therefore the object of his antagonists was to prevent his getting the ball through the stakes while those of his own party exerted every power in his defense. Now the entire strength and agility of each individual, and the whole, were called into action, and not unfrequently, arms and legs were broken or dislocated. But when one succeeded in getting the ball through his stakes he returned in triumph to the middle ground, and immediately tossed the ball & if possible caught it again himself, and ran with it; though this he could seldom do. When either party succeeded in carrying twelve balls through the poles, it gained the victory. The ball sticks are made of hickory, three or four feet long bent at the farther end thus [drawing of stick], and the bow at the end wove with raw deer skins, same as the snow shoes of the Northern Indians. | |||
Revision as of 05:26, 27 February 2021
113
Ball play.
The place for playing ball is within a level plain, or in a smooth place in a hollow, about which the land rises gradually so as to afford the spectators a fair opportunity of witnessing the scene, tell stories, clubs, logs &c are removed, and the middle ground is [unclear] & a stake struck there about 100 yards from this, on one side, two stakes are stuck, two or three feet apart. So, the same distance on the other side, two other stakes are set a similar manner. The stakes on one side belong to one party and those on the other to their antagonists: and around the whole a line is drawn or [?marked?] to notify spectators how far they may approach. The parties having met at the middle ground, and {unclear] the property but to the judges: the player who has the ball and was to throw it first, commenced an address to all the players of both parties. His object was to divert their attention, and in a moment when they were not expecting it, he tossed the ball in the air, saying, "The game is twelve." Instantly all started for the ball, and the one who caught it between the end of his ball sticks, ran for the stakes of his party, 100 yards from the middle ground, and if he could carry the ball through between those stakes it counted one in the game: therefore the object of his antagonists was to prevent his getting the ball through the stakes while those of his own party exerted every power in his defense. Now the entire strength and agility of each individual, and the whole, were called into action, and not unfrequently, arms and legs were broken or dislocated. But when one succeeded in getting the ball through his stakes he returned in triumph to the middle ground, and immediately tossed the ball & if possible caught it again himself, and ran with it; though this he could seldom do. When either party succeeded in carrying twelve balls through the poles, it gained the victory. The ball sticks are made of hickory, three or four feet long bent at the farther end thus [drawing of stick], and the bow at the end wove with raw deer skins, same as the snow shoes of the Northern Indians.