Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-08-14
LINCOLN Al PLAY.
The War President Was an Expert at
Tip-Cat, Five Balls and Wrestling
BY IDA II. TAEBELL.

%
mos. pleasing characteristics. he was
50 BIZ ana suo1g. he had so healthy
pass.0n for fresh ar and exercise tAat
21v game which brought his muscles N
10 pay and gave him a chance 10 sHC"
his endurance and skll was d6hSh. 10
him. dis circumstances n cary He
gave p fce opportunity for p.acLclng
his natural love Of athletics. From me
time he was years Old unit! he was Il
he lived in Southern Indiana lheh
rude and uncuit.vaIed though ralA-F
-hicl-.v settled par, of the country. Inc
bovs o., The neighb0rh0od spent mucn
q their leisure II outdoor sports. Nee
c-ygr-lv these sports were crude COM
pared to those OF to-day for the boys
hid neNher time 70 devote 10 training
nor money for paraphern2Ea. Inc m
elements they used were frequently the
very tools Of their labor; thus. throw
me The MALI was a common game 50
was pitching quoiJs' and pushing
weights" The mail came from me
carpenters bench, the "Cuo-ts were
bo~seshCes. the weights, any heaNy
hammers or pieces Of iron they could
find. Frequently they made the aIt-
cIes for the.r sDJr.s from wood, as III
the old English game OF ca or TIP
cet." which Lincoln often played. FOR
"tip-ca,' piece Of wood perhaps TWO
fee long was sh3rpen5d 10 point al
each end and then as L lay on the
ground was tipped or struck at one
end with second suck. As ii flew into
the air the same payer was TO knock Il
rs far as possible. II be missed he was
cut"
He CONQUERED THE GANG.
More popular than any of these games
was wrestling and here Lincoln eXceiIed
all his comrades. SIX fee; four -nches
in height. weighing about $50 pounds
having unusually long arms and mus
clss Ike iron. he could throw any man
or hoy who challenged him 10 "tus-
Sic" as they called Ii in Southern In
diana. HIS proves in wrestling made
him the hero and the boast Of all his ac-
arsin-a1cas. and often Lincoln found
lt was obliged 20 engage in "Woolng
ard pu'iing.' because OF the vainglOrl-
Gus boasts Of his mate VINO had, I'M
known to- him. p.ttei him against the
champion Of some rival corner or
"hOuOw.'
At least once IN h's life his skill in
wrestling served him an excellent turn.
He les. indiana when p years Old and,
e-t-g TO Illinois. started out for him
SELF. Finding work in the iltJle town OF
Now Castle. lie settled there. Now, New
salem was under -he GespOtic rule OF
Gang OF young rufians known as the
cary Grove BOYS For months they
had been the champions OF all the
county races. cock fights. and sparr!ng
matches and they were so jealous OF
their Leadership that they promptly
"d~0va out" any man who was even
rumo~7l TO be @ sport. Lincoln's skill
AZ Yves ing soon came TO Their ears and
they went with their champion 10 emu
lis fame. Lincoln r!7d good natured-E
10 AVOID The bout. but finding there was
10 escape. took hold OF the man. and
before he let 90 he had satisfied not Only
The champion but The entire settlement
Of C'7rv Grove boys It made his future
IN The community. for from that day he
had no becer friends in Illinois than
this troupe of young desperacoes.
HIS SKILL AT FIVE BALLS.
4 snort Of which Lincoln was very
ford all his life Yves playing ball The
came of fives." or "h2udbaN,' as many
called IL. was the fay0rte outdoor diver
SION in his time. I, required a hlgn DEAD
wall with q black line drawn horizon
tally across i- about 90 feet from the
ground and another line near the bot
tom. In front Of this wall were TWO
ran,-s Of mer-a front and rear rank,
FIVE men in each rank. \ man in the
from rank would start the ball. throw
mo r. against the wall. between the
b-9ck lines. in any way that pleased lis
raDcv A. the ball r5JOUnded it was me
business of the rear rank TO Knock H.
,,.i-b -be.r hands or feet, back 10 the
v.arI. and as it again rebounded the
front rank had to put it back n the
s,ms fashion. The process alteThateu
mil the ball fell 10 The ground or Ia--eo
~ strike the wall between the Oi"ck
lines. This was a "hand-out' anu
zen handouts" on either side DECIDED
tho game. About 1858 and 1893. says
professor Brooks. Of Springfield, H., 1
of-en saw NIr. Lincoln engaged in TINS
game. He appeared 10 enjoy 1t I'M
r,ers.v. The game required a we'll
/ trained eve quickly responsive nerves.
md great agility and strength Of mus
c,es. bu.. although 80 years cd, there
u.as no better PLAYER at the game OF
fves' in Springfield than Mr.. Lincoln
The Length of LincOla's arms and legs
made him a very amusing ngure When
-brovfrg a bal. and he rarely failed 10
make the most o. his limbs, throwing
/ himself about n The most grotesque al
tf-rdes. seemingly enjoying his own
| o,,-l-yrq- 60ess as much as the specta-
/ ro~s When bowling he was accustomed
/ ~ o., through with the same antics. Or.
p,-5v o washington. D. c.. one Of the
| ssv Da~sons living who remember Linz
/ l-1, dur-7g h 5 one term in Congress IN
1slS and who. in fact, boarded IN the
no mess with him at that time. says:
/ .OoYg~sssman Lincoln was very fond or
bowling and would frequently JOIN 9TH
ers of the mess, or meet oyher members
IN a match game, al the alley OF James
CasYaris. which Was near the Dear ulns
h,rse He wcs a very awkward power,
hr- n,aved the game Win great zest ana
s7.r;, solely for exercise and amuse-
--9v. ard greatly 10 the enjoyment and
,',.ar.s:nreat of the other players and
by.-anders by his criticisms and funny
t.ips.ra-i91s. lie accepted success and
fefs,. with lie good naiure and humor,
and left the alley at the conc.us. on Of
.-he came without a sorrow or disap-
oo.ntmeut. When /, was rOWn that he
wos IN tho alley there would assemble
numbers Of people 70 witness the fun.
which was anticipated by those who