The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-08-24
RuLss ron CnoonKr -As we hnye |

in our county number of admirers
and players Of the game Of croquct.
the following from writer in one Of
the monthly magazines will be Of inter-
est to them: He states that the Eng
lish croquet clubs held conference In
January, 1870, at which code of laws
was adopted which are characterized
by simplicity, good sense, and straight
forwardness. The rules have since
been revised by the votes of the clubs
represented in the conference, and
seem worthy Of universal adoption.
He has been guided by thcm for three
seasons, and likes them better and
better. The principle points are as
follows:
I. No "Booby. Rule 1T h 9
strikers ball when placed on the start
ing spot and struck, Is at once In play
and can roquet another or be roquetcd
whether IL made the firtt hoop or not"
2. The Turn" A player, when his
turn comes, may roquet each ball
once. and may do this again after each
point made"
3. No Tight Croquet In taking cro-
guct the striker is not allowed 10 place
his foot upon the ball" There has been
u gradual abandonment of Eight" or
foot" croquct, and growing opinion
that the loose" or roquet.croquet Is
fair and more scientific. At first, the
foot was obliged to be on the ball. Then
in the treatises of Mayne Reid and the
Newport Club, the loose croquet was
allowed 10 the rover only. Afterward
(Bradley's rules) the method was op-
tional. Now, we have the scientific
stroke rs the only one admissible. All
the rules about the flinching and the
rover are now unnecessary.
4. Croqust Imperative after Roquct. -
"A player who roquets u ball must
take croqnet, and in so doing must
move both balls" This sets ut rest ali
questions about declining"
| 8. Bal in Hand after Roqlei. When
II ball strikes another il instantly be.
comes ''in hand" aud must be taken
up and placed beside the roqueted
ball in order to take croquet. "Nc
point or roquct can be made by n ball
in hand" For example, If the red
ball in commencing its turn hits the
blue aud rolls on through a wicket. the
wicket is not made. because the bal
was in hand from the moment it struck
the blue. Again. il the red should b,
the same blow hit first the blue and
then the yellow, he could croquet only
the blue, but would have the privilege
OF striking at the yellow afterward, and
croqueting IL il hit. You may, there
fore. stop ball which has roquctcd
another without the risk of its Owner
saying: "lf you had not stopped my
ball II would have made the wicket"
g. Wrong Playing. When n ball /,
played out of turn, or the wrong bal
used. or foul stroke made, the gener
al principle is that the points So mad,
are lost, and the remainder of the turn
is forfeited, and the adversary may
elect whether the balls shall he replac
ed or remain where they lie. But, i
the adversary plays on without claim
ing the penalty. the false play hold,
good. Specific rules are given for the
various cases under this rule.
There are number of little specia
rules in the game rs usually played
which destroy the symmetry of tn,
game. 1t is mistaken idea that com
plication Of rules makes it more in.
| luts IN rItoWu bN tUe
of all such contrivances rs the crossed
hoops in the centre, little bells on IN,
wickets, etc. No croquet player VIII,
understands the game thoroughly. anc
can play the split shot" the follow
and the "hold-back," needs any sucl
aids to give interest to the game.
The following are some of the usa
ges referred TO which are omitte,
from the English code: ~ "Takin,
"two shots" or mallct's length" AS
reward for running two wickets at the
some blow. The two wickets are, like
virtue. their own reward. q. spot
ting" ball which has struck the turn
ing stake. II should play from whcr,
it lies, like any other ball. t3) Til,
idea that hall must move six inches
to constitutes stroke. Who can meas
ure the distance traversed by n rollin,
ball If it is moved at all it is u stroke