Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-12
BASKET BALL ADEPTS Substitute for Football Played
 by Society Women RULES OF THE GAME
No One Allowed to Kick or Hold the Ball Qnickness of Vision and Nimble Feet
 Requisite.

iuta that the society woman or Gotham does nothing during the season in town but attend balls and receptions the opera and grand banquets and the numerous other magnificent functions which go to make up the winters round of gayety. She does all these and more too. She takes up some form of exercise and fol- lows it assiduously.- She cannot play golf because of the cold, and for the same reason she cannot risk chapping her face by wheeling through the park. An in- door game she must have, new one each year, and this year 1t is basket ball.
 It sounds harmless and peaceful. but 1t isn't. The innocent might imagine that 1t meant sitting in soft. easy chairs be- fore a comfortable fire knocking soft ball about with some kind of a basket Or perhaps the ladies hold the baskets in their laps and try to throw the ball into each others baskets. This would be the picture drawn. perhaps, by the highly domesticated imagination, but 1t. sis all wrong.
 Basketball is two years old and grow ing in popularity. Society did not take it up until the present year, although the girls at Vassar college have been playing 1t for some time. It was invented by some college girls who wanted femi- nine substitute for the game of football. Football Is little too rough for the most advanced athletic girl. although few of the colleges boast of teams. It jars the sensibilities of the average girl to take a flying drive through the air and fall fiat on the ball and then have twenty-one buxom young women take the same kind of drive and fall flat on her Then, when some over-zealous play CT plants very pretty foot right on the face of the unfortunate. who may be e-f,. .rsr1t fex x...if much for femininity to bear. Front teeth may be loosened or knocked out, eyes dis colored and beautiful foreheads dented for all time. It Is a matter of no wonder at all that football should not thrive at girls colleges. .se. .5ia~Y
 ball. It gives all the exercise that foot ball does, but the very rough plays and dangers are eliminated. There Is no risk of pretty shins being parked or arms dislocated. The fact that society girl can play the game in the afternoon and dance at a cotillion until well into the next morning without harm to her phys ical well-being is goodly tribute to basket ball.
 Society plays the game at the Berkeley Ladies' Athletic club In the big gymnasi- um on-West Forty-fourth street. There they have nearly 2000 square feet of clear flooring, which affords abundant space for two teams of moderate size. Inva- riably the teams are made up of young matrons on one side and unma rried girls on the other. The natrons wear red blouses and the girls white blouses, for Tn the excitement of the game 1t is quite necessary for the player to be able to distinguish quickly between friend and foe. f4
 There Is almost as much science in the game as there is in football, but the rules are easily understood. A basket is hung at either end of the room and 1t Is the duty of each team to defend it's own bas- ket and at the same time endeavor to get the ball into the basket of the oppos- ing team. This calls for the offensive and defensive play and for unity in ac- tion on the part of each team. Individual plays count for little unless it be part of carefully planned attack upon the opponents goal
 Five to the team is the usual number played at the Berkeley. These are di- vided in this way: Two forwards, one halfback one fullback and one goal keep CT, The forwards get the worst of the play and usually have to bear the brunt of the battle. They are usually selected because of their activity and ability to throw the ball accurately. The ball is al- ways in motion, for the rules of the game do not permit any of the players to hold it, or fall on 1t, as in football. The ball can be tossed with one or both hands, or batted with the open hand, but must not be struck with the closed fist or kicked with the foot
 Much of the science of the game de- pends' upon accuracy in throwing the ball, and the work of the women at the Berkeley Is an emphatic contradiction of the old time belief that women can never hit anything they aim at There Is Miss Anna Sands, for instance, who is wonderfully clever at all kinds of sports. She can throw the ball while running at full speed, so that 1t will drop into the basket, or come so close to 1t that one of her side will be able to catch 1t and make another try for the basket.
 Young Mrs. Ast0r is one of the regular players of the game, and usually captains the team made up of matrons. Mrs. Astor is tall and quite plump, and i'm which requires heavy but nimble-footed player. She is clever at throwing the ball. but not as accurate as Miss Sands.
 The forwards, like the rush line in foot ball. are the ground gathers for the team. But the players at Berkeley do not fancy the shock which collision with the opposing team gives, so they avoid that kind of play as much as possi- ble. but even then there is good deal of scrimmaging.
 It has been noticed that whenever maid and matron comes into violent col- iSioH IL iS tfit WedTeT oI I0e Wnlte WnO invariably gets the worst of it. Weight counts in basket ball tremendously, yet to get rid of some of 1t Is the very reason why many of the matrons play the game.
 Tn throwing the ball there are two methods generally used. One is the un- derhand toss, giving reverse rotation to the ball and making 1t more difficult to catch by the opposing side, and the other Is the overland shoot. In the latter the ball is usually thrown high in the air, and if the aim of the player be accurate 1t descends unhindered into the basket
 The favorite method of making the goal is for the half back. to whom the ball has been passed, to throw for the basket. At the same instant one of the forwards ruslies to position immediately under the basket and should the ball fail to drop in the required place. 1t is her duty to catch 1t and by . dexterous throw land 1t in the goal. All this must be done in the flash of an eye. otherwise the opposing team will get uossession ofzthe ball and speedily work 1t into the others territory
 Quiclxness and accuracy of vision. nim- bleness of foot and hand ssare the main v,orsysfuffoa fu okot ha11 and vuffborsf