The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-14
The GAME OF CURLlNG.
A Scotch Pastime Which is Rapidly Bs
coming Americsnized.

A Scotch Pastime Which Is Rapidly Be-
coming Americsnized.
The national game OF Scotland is curl
ing; that is, it IS peculiarly Scotch. but
1t viii not be many years before il will
be the American winter sport as well.
as it is rapidly becoming popular in the
states, as it has been Tor years in Can
ada, especially in the province of To-
ronto, where the Scotch. Canadians
abound. A dozen years ago curling
was almost exclusively played by
Scotchmen resident in the northern
states; but of late years i has obtained
widespread popularity with Americans.
and now our Yankee curriers' are begin
ming to vie with the veterans OF the
Scotch curling clubs; the most attract
i've of the annual curling events of the
metropolitan winter season now being
the grand match Scotch vs. Americans,
at which a dozen Kinks a side viii be
mustered this year.
Curling on the ice is somewhat SINH
lar to quot playing on the ground. the
objecs is to throw the quot IS near as
possible to a point called the hub In
curling the object in view Is TO slide
the curling stone as near as possible to
the center OF a circle called the tee.
The game of shuffieboard-anot
Scotch game-is curling on long board
instead OF on the ice, iron weights be-
ing used IN the place of stone.
To play match at curling field OF
strong, smooth ice is required on which
70 low h. 49, 81. Z
necessary for single rink being a sheet
of ice fifty yards by ten in length and
width. On this rink is laid out, its
length being forty-two yards, and at
each end ascircle .is marked out OF a
radius of seven feet with inner circular
lines, the center of the entire circle be-
ing known as the tee, the object of the
contestants in the match being to slide
the heavy circular curling stone as near
the tee as possible, each stone nearest
the tee counting for the side which
slides the stone to the tee. -Four play
ers on each side constitute rink, one
of them being the captain, or skip" as
he is called The first player has thceas-
lest task to perform, as he has only TO
send the stones down 70 the tee. or try
to knock the first stone away which his
opponent, having the first shot has
laid near the tee. The second players
object is to guard the stone laying in a
good position near the tee, then the third
player has the double duty to perform
of knocking the guard stones away and
laying his own in its place, while the
fourth players point is 10 get past the
guarding stones and curl in
front of his opponents stone
nearest the tee, the fourth player being
the skip" who previously is engaged
in dissecting the play of the past three
players The game is played on the
basis OF the most points scored within
specified time limit Eight shots by
four players on each side constitute an
emo in game, this end being equiva-
lent to an inning in baseball or cricket
The players follow each other alter
nately one side and the other and the
side having the most stones nearest the
tee leads the end, the total points made
at the call of time by the umpire decid-
ing the contest But one point may be
possible in counting, though eight stones
be within the circle at the close of the
end. while eight points are possible at
the finish of an end.
1t is a great game for strategic skill,
in fact in this respect it excels every
other outdoor sport The stones used
in curling are circular blocks of Scotch
granite, rounded on the sides and hav-
ing an iron bolt inserted in the center
on which is screwed the handle. The
stones weigh from fifteen TO thirty
pounds, according 10 the strength Of
arm and lifting power of the owner Of
the pair, each player having twoi in use
BROOKLYN Eagle.