Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-11-12
INDIAN BASEBALL.
tt Isn't Much Like tho NatlonAl Cana,
bat It Il . Lively Sport.


but 1t Il . Lively Sport.
Ball playing seems TO have been Q
general source of amusement among NIL
tho American Indian tribes, but, writes
Henry Inman, in tho Kansas City Star,
it is conceded that tho Choctaws, in
their uncivilized state, wcro the most
skilled in tho game. OF course, tho In
dian method OF playing is not ut oil sim
liar to the American National game,
and indeed 1t is moro like tennis.
1t is played with two bats or sticks,
and in every house visited in the
Choctaw Nation saw one or moro pairs
of these peculiar bats. Tho sticks are
bent into an oval loop at one end, with
web Of fine bucksllin thongs stretched
across them to prevent tho ball from
falling out when tossed or caught Each
player carries two Of these bats, ono in
each hand, and they catch tho ball by
jumping into tho air, and throw it from
tho bats, and never are allowed to strike
it or catch 1t with their hands.
In their primitive days it was an in
variable law of the game that no player
should wear moccasins on his feet, and
he could make his appearance on tho
ball grounds only in tho prescribed
dress. He had to wear his breech-clout
and beautiful head belt and toll, made
of white horse hair or quilts, with q
name around his neck constructed of
the same material as the tail, dyed in
colors. The match was mado up months
before tho day agreed upon for tho play
ing OF the game, and was led by two
champions, or captains, as wo should
call them. These captains had tho
power to go through the tribe, from viii
lage to village, and alternately choose
tic men for their respective sides. Tho
choice of players was generally effected
by proxy; two runners were sent,
armed with pair Of "ball-sticl1s."
These were deliberately ornamonted
with paint, ribbons and any thing that
had gaudy appearance, and wcrc
touched by tho players selected as an
evidence that they accepted and would
DO on hand promptly at the appointed
time, prepared to take part. Each sido
erected on the ground, where tho game
was to take place, two upright poles
about thirty feet high and six feet apart,
across the top of which another pole
was fastened. These were called tho
goals or "byes," and the distance be-
between thcm, one representing ono sido
and one tho other, was some 500 feet.
At point exactly half way from each
goal small stake was driven where the
ball was to be thrown into tho air ut
certain signal.
All the prcliminaries for the game
woro attended to by an old mon, who
were also the judges or unpircs. First
81 line was drawn from one goal to tho
other; this was called the betting line,
across which all bets were madc and
placed in possession of the regularly-ap-
pointed Stockholders, and all betting
was made tho night before the game
was to be called. Every conceivable
thing was staked that the Indian pos
.scssed, for there is no such inveterate
gambler as poor Lo. Tho women of the
tribe, too, were as earnest to wager what
their lodges contained, even to tho last
blanket.
Tho night bo1oro the game, all the
players assembled around their respect
i've ''byes," where, by tho light OF
torches and other fires, the squaws beat
their tom-toms and sung the weird songs
of tho nation. Then was tho "ball-
play dance" INDUCED in, all the players
of both sides, in their full game dress,
rafting their bats together and joining
in tho monotonous chants of tho tribe,
Then tho squaws formed on each side Of
tho bctting-line and there danced and
sung appeals to tho Great Spirit to de.
eide the game tomorrow in their favor.
Tho gamo was always opened by fous
old medicine mon, who were also tn.
umpires. Tho night before the game
was called, while the players and til;
bottcrs wcro dancing and having q good
tinc ut the "byes" and tho betting line,
tacy wore squntted down at o small!
stake, away from tho fun, smoking ta
tho Great Spirit for ability to impartial
ly decide the game tomorrow, as thor
duties required.
Tho four old men standing at tho
snail stake throw tho ball up in tho air
AID thcn tho players, numbering 700 or
500 frequently, rush frantically to tha
spot, loaping and actually iupt1in ovor