Evening star., 1896-03-07
THE GAME OF PIN HOCKEY.
A New Game introduced First in O
Providence Gy ymnasfum.

A New Game introduced First in q
Providence Gymnasium.
From the Boston Herald.
The very latest game intended to combine
the elements of active but not exhausting
exercise and the employment of a certain
amount of individual excellence In competi-
tion is called pin hockey. and. SO far as
known, is only played in the gymnasium of
the Providence R.I) Athletic Association,
where 1t has proved to be highly popular
with tie members. Gymnasium Director
Doldt is given the credit for making up the
game ard introducing it. He is an excel
lent player himself, and is continually max
ing improvements.
Pin hockey in many respects resembles
rink polo, being played with the same kind
OF ball and sticks, but the method Of scor-
Ing is radically different and the oppor-
tunitieS are mere numerous. In rink polo
and basket ball there is but one way 20
score a goal. by driving the ball into the
cage in tie first ins stance and by throwing
1T into suspended basket in the second.
Whichever side scores the most goals with
in an Egreed length of time wins, but in pin
fockey whichever side makes eleven points
first wirs. The game can be played with
four men, but it is more interesting with
eight. The field" Is laid out upon the
floor of the gymnasium.
Upon dots are placed small Indian clubs.
with which all well-apponted gymnasiums
are supplied. They fill the same office as
pins in bowling; in fact. should the game
reach ATTY proportion in it's development, II
is likely thar candle pins will be substi-
tuted for the Indian clubs. The latter were
naturally taken in the crude development
OF the game.
The purpose of the play is to knock down
the pins of the opposing team with the ball,
struck by the polo stick, which seems to be
an easy thing TO DO, but which in reality
is quite difficult. If the pins are struck
fair or hard they sure to go down. but
it is astonishing sometimes how much room
there is above and on both sides of them,
especially when player has to play quick
to prevent an opponent getting the ball,
and SO does not have time to properly
gauge the stroke ard direction of the drive.
Then, too, the pins are not set tightly to-
gether. but just far enough apart to permit
the ball to pass through, and as the ham
dies of the clubs are smaller than the
todics. ball can he driven between them
without knocking them down.
There is no positive rule of distance n
setting out the field it being naturally
Re Sulated hy the amount of floor space at
the command of the players. The larger
the field, of course, the more difficult it is
to score, although at the same time there
Is a great opportunity for open play and
chance to move around. If the available
space is small, one pin can be set up IN
place OF two, rendering ii harder to score
ior II either or both pins are knocked down
In tie double-pin game it counts for one,
making the chances of scoring substantial
ly double that of a single PIN
Inc players, stick in hand, stand by their
pms 10 guard them from disaster, and they
can be guarded from the attack of the
hall by either stick or body, the same as
by the goal tender in rink polo He NOT
Only can guard his own pins, but also those
OF any one On his team who may have left
hls unprotectci in pursuit of the ball.
play opens with the toss of a coin, the
winner of the "call'' then placing the bal
ir the center and driving ii to one of his
partners with such d degree of force as he
Iaay see fit to employ. Generally it is a
iisht Knock, and with an effort not to in
aicate IN advance to his rivals just to
"hlcn partner he will send it. He is not
permitted to make a drive from his on
Pcnents pins at this time. Then the game
gees along as fast as possible, and very
c"seiy after the style of rink polo When
point is SC bred. counting one. there is
rec essarily a wait until the pins are re-
placed. The mar whose pins are down re-
sets them, and has the privilege of putting
the ball in play again from the center, as
at the opening of the game.