The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-26
SUNDAY IN NEW ORLEANS

Yesterday about dull a Sabbath as we have
ever yet seen in this city. Even church-going
seemed to be at heavy discount; and in the after
noon the streets were quiet and almost totally de-
serted, everywhere being crowded with lakegoers
the late retreats swarmed, and the suburbs in spots
which we visited-there being items in town
were sufficiently lively and pleasant. So that the
.ity was like some pies we have eaten-fat and
tasteless in the middle, but good around the edges
In the afternoonNe visited the famous spot in the
classic and ancient Third, known the racket Cor
raquettee) ground. 1t is large common out back
of Claiborne Circle, in sight of the Ponchartrain
Railroad. AS there may be many of our readers
who don't know what racket is, we will tell them.
1t is something like tennis ball-a big field game,
in which the ball is picked up and thrown with two
sticks, having spoon-ke ends. There are two par
ties to the game: each party have their target, a
tall frame, foot and half wide, covered with
canvas, and their coors flying at the top. The tar
gets are about two squares apart, and whichever
party oftenest hits the tarket-t does count I'M
less the ball hits the canvas between clear of the
frame-wins the game.
Yesterday we found the game was the grand an
nual battle between the two negro parties which
have existed for the last thirty or forty years-the
Laville party, composed of the city negroes, and
the Bayou party, made up of the negroes living out
back of town, along the Bayou st. john etc. Or
dinarily, the game is free to any number either
side; but this time it match of eighty-three
picked men on each side, for wager of Sl50a side
and the flag and $40 to the first marking ball,
or hitting a target The Laville darkeys foated
blue colors, and all wore blue caps; the Bayou boys
colors and caps red. The scene was sufficient
ly lively when we reached the ground, just before
the game begun. One whole side of the field was
hanked by the refreshment booths of turbaned
wenches, with flags flying and all the general ex-
citement characteristic of race course: the prize
flags of the opposing parties Haunting from a stake
midway between the targets; the negroes, stripped,
belted, and eager for the fray, playing about with
their rackets, and spectators of all colors and de-
grees pouring upon the field in hundreds and even
thousands. there cOuld hoy bppn fhan
three thousand people on the field before the game
closed. We noticed considerable sporting spirit
and high party feeling among the friends and
hackers of the contending clubs.
At 5 O'Clock the fun commenced The red and
blue caps, hundred more, huddled up in
crowd, sticks in the air. The ball is thrown up
There is catter of the rackets-a mad rough-and-
tumble, in which the strongest niggers keep under
meath where the ball is-the partisans yell and fling
up their hatsthe fight and the clatter of the sticks
goes on root hog or die! Up goes the bal-but the
clashing sticks stop it-another scramble on the
ground--the ball flies dozen feet off-a dozen mig
gers fall over it i'll pile, and whilst they struggle
muscular little Bayou buck steals off with the
ball. But they chase him. Lavilles and Bayous
and, heavens, how he runs! After race of fifty or
hundred yards, he gets jump or so ahead draws
for iing-and but its no use! The Laville rack
cts stop his amid an opposing catter of the Bayou
rackets-and there is another terrible roofing with
the sticks on the ground. For ten or fifteen min
utes this fighting goes on before lucky athlete
gets the ball and gets far enough from the crowd to
give the ball good fling for base.
At last the ball flies to the other side of the field
Hear the yells. "Bayou!'' "Lavier' "Bayoup'
See the sweating darkes, shirtess and shoeess, 90
laundering after the ball. and just see how the white
people scatter before them The ball is on the
ground again, and fifty nggers fighting over it fer
Ger than ever. They roll and pile about, all over
the field, after the ball. before it gets another fling
Up it goes again. More yelling. After another
desperate battle it grazes the target Just see the
hats 60 up, and notice the general madness of the
field, when it only miss. Away they go
again. Now over yonder, roofing among the weeds
now in among the beer stands. 1t is none of their
lookout if the stands get upset, white people get
knocked down run over or cracked on the shins
Look at that black Hercules with half pair of
pants and nothing else Taking short cut to
head the ball, he bolts head foremost through
crowd of white men, scattering them in all direc-
TONS The white men don't like it much but they
know it's none of the nigger's lookout.
And so for over two hours the battle RACES, the
thousands of spectators surging about either fol-
lowing the ball or getting away from it, and at all
times impeding the niggers. After o'clock, when
it becomes so dark that the ball can't be followed,
the sticks are thrown up and the game ended. 1t
is drawn game neither party having made ball.
Such is ''racket." The game yesterday was
worth going ten miles to see. As it was not deci-
ded, the battle is to be refought next Sunday.
Racket is an old institution down town.