Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium, Jessie Hubbell Bancroft [best books to read for knowledge txt] 📗

the center. The official rules specify a weight of not less than 12 ounces nor more than 16 ounces. Rings cost from $1 to $1.25 each.

INDOOR BASEBALL.—Indoor baseballs are specially constructed for indoor play, being much larger and more elastic than those for outdoor play. This ball is generally composed of a core of packed leather strips, around which is placed curled horsehair tied on with string. The cover is of leather, preferably horsehide, somewhat softer in quality than that used on the outdoor baseball. The dimensions of the ball vary from 15 to 17 inches in circumference, or about 5 inches in diameter. The weight is from 8 to 8-3/4 ounces. The official ball specified by the National Indoor Baseball Association of the United States is not less than 16-3/4 nor more than 17-1/4 inches in circumference; made of yielding substance; not less than 8 nor more than 8-3/4 ounces in weight; and is required to be covered with white skin. The color of the ball naturally assists in indoor play where lights vary. Most of these balls have red stitching on the seams, which makes them even plainer to be seen. Good balls cost from eighty cents to $1.25 each.

LA CROSSE BALL.—The official ball for the game of La Crosse is made of sponge rubber, sometimes leather covered (white). It is very slightly smaller in size than a baseball, and about the same weight. The Intercollegiate La Crosse Association of the United States specifies a ball weighing about 5-3/4 ounces, with circumference of 8 inches. The National Amateur La Crosse Union of Canada specifies a weight of from 4-1/2 to 5 ounces, and circumference of not less than 7-3/4 nor more than 8 inches. The best balls cost sixty-five cents each.

MEDICINE BALL.—Medicine balls are leather covered and of greater weight than any others used in the gymnasium. These balls were devised to give exercise of a vigorous character, particularly for the abdominal and other trunk muscles, and afford some of the most hygienic exercise to be had in the gymnasium. Medicine balls vary considerably in size and weight. The usual balls measure from 10 to 16 inches in diameter, and weigh from 4 to 12 pounds. They cost from $4.50 to $15, those with laced leather covers being more expensive than those with sewn covers.

OAT SACKS.—Oat sacks as here described were devised by Dr. R. A. Clark and Mr. A. M. Chesley, to be used in place of medicine balls for adult players. In addition they may be used for many bean-bag games. Oat sacks are made of heavy (10 oz.) duck. They are circular in shape, 14 inches in diameter when finished. Two circles of this size are stitched around the edge, except for an opening where the oats are inserted. The bag is then turned and stitched a second time. They are then filled with four pounds of oats each.

PLAYGROUND BALL.—For the game of Playground Ball there is used a ball that in size is between a baseball and indoor baseball. Usually balls of from 12 to 14 inches in circumference (of this type of construction) are called playground balls, and those from 15 to 17 inches, indoor baseballs. Because of their size, these balls cannot be batted as far as the usual baseball, and this and their softer texture make them especially useful for limited areas. This same type of soft ball may be had in the smaller size of the regulation baseball. The construction is the same as for indoor baseballs—a wound ball covered with soft white leather, the whole being firm, but more elastic and yielding than a baseball.

The National Amateur Playground Ball Association of the United States specifies a ball not less than 12 inches nor more than 14 inches in circumference, not less than 8 ounces nor more than 8-3/4 ounces in weight, made of yielding substance covered with a white skin.

Good playground balls of any of the sizes here mentioned cost $1 each.

POLO BALLS.—Polo or Roller Polo (on roller skates) is played with a very hard rubber-covered ball, painted bright red and about the size of a baseball—9 inches in circumference. Cost, from ten cents to $1 each.

Equestrian Polo is played with a wooden ball, usually of willow, having no other covering than white paint. The Polo Association of America specifies such a ball 3-1/8 inches in diameter and not to exceed 5 ounces in weight. The English rules (Hurlingham) call for a slightly larger and heavier ball, 3-1/4 inches in diameter and 5-1/2 ounces in weight—material not specified. Willow balls cost $2 per dozen; others, $1.25 per dozen.

Water Polo is played with a ball of white rubber, inflated through a key afterward used to screw shut the opening. The official American rules for Water Polo call for a white rubber ball of not less than 7 nor more than 8 inches in diameter. Cost, $2 each.

PUSHBALL.—The game of Pushball is played with the largest ball ever constructed for any game. The ball measures 6 feet in diameter, and consists of an inflated rubber bladder inserted in a leather cover. Cost, $200 each.

RUGBY BALL.—See Football.

SOCCER BALL.—See Football.

SQUASH BALL.—For the game of Squash, a hollow rubber ball is used similar to a tennis ball, and about the same size. It measures 8 inches in circumference, and is covered with felt, black, red, or white; some have an overspun cover knitted on the ball in green or white. Cost, $6 per dozen. Enameled rubber squash balls in black or gray may be had at twenty cents each.

TENNIS BALL.—Tennis balls are of rubber, hollow, and are covered with white felt. The official specifications call for a ball measuring not less than 2-1/2 nor more than 2-9/16 inches in diameter, of weight not less than 1-15/16 nor more than 2 ounces. Tennis balls cost about $4 per dozen.

VOLLEY BALL.—Volley balls are quite similar to basket balls, but slightly smaller and lighter. They are suitable for games in which the ball is batted with the open hand or fist and where it is to be kept continuously in the air, such as the game of Volley Ball. The ball consists of a rubber bladder inclosed in a laced leather cover of white. The official specifications call for a ball not less than 25 nor more than 27 inches in circumference, of weight not less than 9 ounces nor more than 12 ounces. Volley balls cost from $2.50 to $4 each.

MARKING GROUNDS

Where boundary lines are important in a game and need to be seen from a distance, as in many ball games, they should be plainly marked. On a gymnasium floor black paint for permanent diagrams is the best. For out of doors white linen tape may be had, with wooden staples and pins for fastening to the ground, costing from $3.50 to $6 per set for a court the size of a tennis diagram. A liquid mark may be made of whitewash, and a dry mark by mixing two parts of sand with one of whiting. Marble dust or slaked lime also make good dry marks. Roller markers for placing either wet or dry marks in lines of even width may be had at from $1 to $5 each.

BEAN BAG AND OAT SACK GAMES BAG PILE

10 to 100 players.

Gymnasium; playground; schoolroom.

Bean bags; oat sacks.

The players are divided into two or more equal parties which line up in ranks. Near the front end of each rank is a pile of from ten to fifteen bean bags or oat sacks, which are to be passed down the line. At a signal the first player in each rank takes a bag and passes it down the line, sending the others in succession as rapidly as possible. The last player in the line when he receives the bean bag lays it on the floor in front of him; and as each bean bag reaches him, he piles it on the first one, making a stack. Only the first bag must touch the floor. The stack must be able to stand without assistance, and the player who stacks the bags must have no help in his task. Should the bags fall over at any time, the player who stacked them must pick them up and pile them over again. The line scores one which first succeeds in getting all of its bags stacked. The last player, the one who stacked the bags, then carries them up to the front of the line and becomes the first passer for the next round of the game.

The line wins which first scores five or ten, as may be decided beforehand. The play should be very rapid.

BEAN BAG AND BASKET RELAY

10 to 60 players.

Schoolroom.

Each player is provided with a bean bag. A waste-paper basket or a box is placed on the floor near the blackboard in front of each aisle. In line horizontally with the forward edge of each front desk, a chalk line is drawn on the floor at the end of each aisle, which serves as a throwing line, from which players throw their bean bags into the baskets.

The game is a competition of skill rather than of speed. At a signal from the teacher, the first pupil in each row stands, places his toe even with the throwing line, and tosses his bean bag toward the basket. If the bag goes into the basket, it scores five. Should it lodge on the edge of the basket, it scores three. Should it fall outside, there is no score.

As soon as these first players have thrown they return to their seats and the second row across the room steps forward and throws. This is continued until each player has thrown, and the line wins which has the highest score. There should be one score keeper for the entire game, who should draw a diagram on the board in which to write the score.

BEAN BAG BOARD