The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-02-01
Society Women Enjoy the Sub
stitute for Football.
THE RULES OF THE GAME
No One Allowed to Kick or Hold the Bal
--Quick Vision and Nimtle Feet
the Requisite.

New York, Jan. 1O.-It is a mis-
taken idea that the society wo-
man of Gotham does nothing during
the season in town, but attend balls
and receptions, the opera and grand
banquets, and the numerous other mag
nificent 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 follows
It assiduously. She can not play golf
because Of the cold and for the same
reason she can not risk chapping her
face by wheeling through the park.
An indoor game she must have, new
one each year. and this year it is basket
ball.
It sounds harmless and peaceful, but
1t isn't. The innocent might imagine
that it meant sitting in soft, easy chairs
before comfortable fire knocking q
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 magma
ton. but it Is all wrong.
Basket ball 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 it for some time. 1t was in
vented by some college girls who want
ed feminine substitute for the game of
football. Football is a little too rough
for the most advanced athletic girl,
although few of the colleges boast Of
teams. 1t jars the sensibilities Of the
average college girl to take a flying
drive through the air and fall flat on
the ball and then have q buxom young
women take the same kind Of dive
and fall flat on her. Then, when some
over-zealous player plants very pref
ty foot right on the face of the unfor-
tunate, who my be struggling on the
ground, it is quite too much for femin-
Unity to bear. Front teeth may be loos-
ened and knocked out, eyes discolored
and beautiful foreheads denied with
time. It is a matter of no wonder at
all that football should not thrive at
girls colleges.
But it is quite different with basket
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 barked, or
arms dislocated. The fact that a So
ciety girl can play the game in the after
noon and dance at cotillon until we'll
into the next morning, without harm to
her physical wellbeing, is a goodly
tribute to basket ball.
Society plays the game at the Berke-
ley Ladies' Athletic Club, in the
big gymnasium on West Forty-fourth
street. There they have nearly 1000
square feet Of clear flooring, which af-
fOrds abundant space for two teams
of moderate size. Invariably the teams
are made up of young matrOns on one
side and unmarried girls on the other.
The matrons wear red blouses and the
girls white blouses, for in the excite
ment of the game it is quite necessary
for the player to be able to distinguish
quickly between friend and foe.
There Is almost as much science in
the game as there is in football, but the
rules are easily understood. A basket
- hung at either end Of the room, and
1t Is the duty Of each team to defend it's
own basket and at the same time en-
deavor to get the ball into the basket
OF the opposing team. This calls for
offensive and defensive play and for
unity in action on the part Of each team.
Individual plays count for little. unless
It be part Of a carefully planned at
tack upon the opponents goal.
CAN THROW STRAIGHT.
Five to the team II the usual number
played at the Berkeley. These are d.
vlded In this way: Two forwards. one
1alfback. one fullback and one eoal
keeper. The forwards ret the worst Of
- MAY ana unnallv havn - H~~ 49,