Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-08-27
$3.50 |. a sIf.aK kdt, I.eA-.-.
,.,i.cn,l,, a. PLAYED 10 m-sieo esisfe .h'
spanish I conquest.


| ....t..,.,i," a. PLAYED 10 M-sioo ksiefe ths
| spanish onqbest.
7, may ba a satisfaction 10 the lovers
nj foot. bali to know that II has pe..er
historical right TO be called our ma
tional game thaa has base oali' nc
an.i.nt Mexicans lnatiye American)
b,d a game OF bali resembling inoderh
Zoo, hill and we are told that IL was
,h.ir favorite game ut the time oil the
spanish conquest. They used iarge'
solid rubber ball. played In parties
with equal numbers on each side' ana
struck the ball with any part OF the
bodv Int in most skillful playing with
the bip. Each party tried to drive the
other To the wall. and it is not dithcuit
TO imagine squirming heaps OF indian
leos and arms. such MS may be seen IN
modern scrimmage for the ball.
They had large buildings especially
for the game, which are referred 10 ny
the ancient chroniclers as e" tennis
courts.u although the resemblance or
the game to tennis Is not very markeu'
Herrera gives description OF TINS
came as seen by the Spaniards In the
CITY of Mexico before the destruction
NJ the ..h,.lls OF MOntezima, OF when
tin. following is IL translation, taken
from Stephens Travels in YLNatan;
The King took much delight in see
! inc snort at ball, which the Spanlards
have since prohibited because OF the
mischief that often happened at IT,
and was called by them tlachtli, being
like our tennis. The ball was made Oh
the gum of a tree which grows in hot
countries, which, having holes made In
it, distills great white drops. that soon
harden, and, being worked and nodded
together, turn as black rs pitch. The
balls made thereof, though hard and
heavy to the hand. did bound and ny
as we'll AS our footballs, there being no
need to blow them; nor did they use
chaces, but Wy d to drive the adverse
party that is to hit to the wall, the
others were to make good or strike 1t
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 piece OF stiff leather on
their hips. They might strike it every
time it rebouuded, which it would do
several times, one after another, in so
much that it looked as if it had been
alive. They played in parties, SO many
on side, for a load OF nantes,
or what the gamesters could afford,
at so many scores. They also
played for gold and feather-work,
and sometimes played themselves
away, as has been said before. The
place where they played was ground
room, long, morrow, and high, but
wider above than below, and higher
on the sides than at the ends. and they
kept it very we'll plastered and smooth.
both the walls and the floor. On the
outside walls they fixed certain stones,
| like those of mill, with hole quite
through the middle, just as big MS 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 right to the
cloaks of all the lockers on. by ancient
custom and law among gamesters; and
it was very pleasant to see. that as soon
as ever the ball was in the hole the
standers-by took to their heels, run
ming away with all their might to save
their cloal1s, laughing and romping
others securing after them to secure
their clOalls for the winner"
AS to the fate of this ancient game
there is the old story. 1t was prohib-
tied by the Spaniards because of the
mischief that often happened at it,
because, i'll 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-hghting for tlachtli
may well be questioned Y. Even
ing Post.