The Red Cloud chief., 1889-07-12
MEXICAN FOOTBALL
sfIoo6t0~ - 5isyea Zee Mexico asel0rO {
Spanish Z o0ues

Nj tOOI.6AlI
srlsSAtu" - sisysa 10. Msxieo ss<lors -
spanish Z e"qae.s.
II may be a satisfaction TO the lovers
of football to know that it has q better
historical right to be called .-Our Ma
tiOnal game" than has baseball The
ancient Mexicans native American)
had a game Of ball resembling modern
Ot-ball. and We are told that il Vas
their favori:e game at the time OF the
Spanish conquest They used q large.
solid rubber ball. played in parties
with equal numbers or each side. and
struck the ball with any part OF the
body. bu: in most saillfui playing with
the hip. Each party tried to drive the
other 20 the wall. and it is not difficult
to imagine squirming heaps Of Indian
legs and arms. such rs may be eel in
modern "scrimmage for the ball"
They had large buildings especially
for the game, which are referred to by
the ancient chroniclers az ~"te2nis
courts" although the resemblance OF
the game to tennis is no very marked
Herrera gives a description of this
game as een by the Spaniards in the
City of Mexico before the destruction
Of the halls of Montezuma," Of which
the following is a translation. taken
from stephens Travels in Yucatan:'
The King took much delight in see
ing sport t ball. which the Spaniards
have since prohibited because Of the
mischief that often happened It it
and was called BY them tlaehtli- being
like our tennis. The ball was made Of
the gum Of q tree which grows in hot
countries. which. having holes made in
it. distills great white drops. that Don
harden. and. being worked and nodded
together. turn as black as pitch. The
balls made thereof. though hard and
heavy to the hand. did bound and dy
~ well as our footballs, there being no
need to blow them; nor did they use
party that is to hit to the wall. the
others to make good " strike it
over. They struck it with any part OF
their body. as it happened. or as they
could most conveniently, and some
times he lost that touched it with any
other part than the hip. which was
looked upon amongst them as the
greatest dexterity: and to this effect.
that the ball might rebound the better.
they fastened a piece of stiff leather on
their hips. They might strike it every
time it rebouuded. which it would do
several times. q after another, in 70
much that it looked as if it had been
alive. Thew played in parties. so many
on a side. for a load Of nantes.
or what the gamesters could afford.
At so many scores. They also
played for gold and feaiher-vork.
and sometimes played themselves
away. as has been said before The
place where they played was a ground
roOm long, nerrow. and high. but
wider above than below, and higher
on the sides than at the ends. and they
kept it very well plastered and smooth,
both the walls and the door. On the
outside walls they fixed certain stones.
like those of a mill. with q hole quite
through the middle. just as big as the
ball. and he that could strike it through
there won the game; and in token Of it
being an extraordinary success which
rarely happened. he had a right TO the
cloaks of all the lockers on. by ancient
custom and law among -gaUesters; and
it was very pleasant to see. that as soon
as ever the ball was in the hole the
stander<by took to their heels. run
ming away with ell their might 20 save
their clOaks. laughing and romping.
others securing after them to seoul
their clOaks for the winner.
As to the fate of this ancient game
there is the old story. 1t was prohio-
tied By the Spaniards because of the
mischief that often happened at it,
because. in truth. the people were at
tached to It. and it was the policy OF
the Spaniards to wean' them from all
their old customs: Yet the policy that
substituted bull-6ghting for tlach:li
may well be Questioned.-N- L. Even
ing Post