The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-04-07
THE GAME OF sTooLBALL.


A sport Particularly Adapted to Girls In
tho Country.
At the present day girls Of advanced
ideas consider physical exercise part
of their education, and therefore well
come any new game within their abil-
tiles to pIa y successfully.
A game has recently been revived in
England wh;ehHwif doubtless prove a
desirable acquisition to the list. 1t is
known as stoolb ball, and h ad its origin
nearly four hundred years ago, but
long ago fell int disuse.
In the old game stool was set upon
the ground and the player took her
place before it, A bowler threw ball
at the stool with the object Of striking
it, and the other player beat off the
bali with her hand.
The game was like cricket, with a
stool for wiclsets, and as the players
were usually women, there were no
runs. the scoring being counted by the
number of times the player at the stool
successful ly beat back the ball.
Another ancient form Of the game
resembles FOUNDERS. Stools were set
up in a circle, and feeder threw a ball
toward one OF the stools, and the
player endeavored to strike it back
with her hand After the ball was
struck all the players changed places,
the feeder trying to strike them with
the ball as they ran from stool to stool.
~iBoth Of these old forms are interest
ing; but, If it is proposed starting stool
ball club. we advise the adoption of the
modern method, which is far more ex-
citing. and makes really enjoyable
and suitable ga me for girls. =
Stoolball, as played just now, bears
a strong resem blauce to cricket modi-
fed to suit the feminine capacity. The
essentials for the game are leather
tennis ball, two wooden bats, shaped
like tennis racquets and two wickets,
consisting OF pole five feet high, and
fixed in front OF the pole, at the top. a
fiat piece of wood eighteen inches
square.
An ordi nary tennis ball is not large
enough for stoofbail. which should be
played in a field There is no neces-
sity to have the ground kept SO care
fully as for cricket, though, of course,
long grass impedes both ball and play
crs.
The wickets are erected fifteen yards
apart, and the players number eleven
on each side. 1t is necessary to choose
captain to each team to prevent dis
putes and two umpires are also nee
essity in all important matches.
The field are placed much the same
as in cricket, only closer round the
wickets; the bowler stands midway be-
tween the wickets and throws the ball
at the face of the wicket; the player
strikes the ball with the wooden bat,
and, il she makes a good hit, runs
ensue.
The wicket must be tapped every
time the player strikes the ball, or
misses to strike it, and until she has
tapped she may be put out or thrown
out.
If the ball strikes the pole of the
wicket it does not count; to put the
player out, the ball must strike the
square ut the top In all other respects
the rules are the same as in cricket
Girls living in the country who want
a change from the inevitable tennis
cannot do better than start a stoolball
club. The great, advantage of the game
is that it offers healthful recreation to
twenty-five people at the same time,
whereas the tennis court only accom-
modates four players at a time. 1t is
also good game because the essentials
cost very little, the rules are easily
understood and success is more quickly
achieved than in tennis, which has now
become extremely scientific. Golden
Days.