The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-27
A THOUSAND GIRL ATHLETES
YaSSar'S Basket Ball Team, Where the
Girls Play Like Boys.
FENCING As A TRAINING FOR BALL.
Iarky Girls stun a Manikin and Stand
Him Up as Constructor of Fencing"
Uniform for Sports Is Blazer,
with the Glass Embodied Upon
IL. and BlOOmers.

vAssAR COLLEGE. POU5HKEEP-
Sic y y. September 2G.-The girls be-
gan -oU'rS this year a. early as ten
days before; But they were not, allowed
Who constitute the Reception Committee,
got here as soon as The earliest fresh,
and all now feel az home.
lt Is striking commentary upon tie
aims physical and mental, OF college
life that the girls visited the gymnasium
before they visited the study halls. ana
they inquired after the lawns and GROUNDS
before they asked about new books ana
desks The statistician early got out her
pen this year and figured tnat We nave az
Nassar 10 trained athletes Wehesltt
has as many. Wells mas 10, am -
other colleges bring the number up 20
1000 easy computation. me games Ot
this year are going 10 be tennis, Dashv9
ban. cricket, gCn. oase-ball, ana iooe-
h.u An of these have their deyOtees.
nm nj present basket ball bids lar 20
~ the rage The girls are lolhifl6
themselves into teams and are uellg,itiiiiisS
mo muscles that are soIl from tsg''-'r,
mo hicvcle develops the calves-nu. HO1
inc arms. That Is bad for basket p".l' ,ts
'rhe Naeear Athletic Association ms IN
nelf-day in November, ~len ,,,,t,,, bieh
L.. fplvard daShes. hurdles IuliiiDl7 80
t,r1rs and standing jumps. me COG 1u-..
yor these is boomers, with or Nl1"o"'
sh .rbs basketball teams are specially
..,.,re tbls year The first practice
Games are being held. And as this is ,, 20
Fe I'm" he game of the year, you may Ike
10 know how II IS played az Nassai'
" A BASKETBALL GAMD
.coinr 10 the game to-day, girls! =,
or course we are. Wouldn't MISS ~
Co. anvthinr" You might hear call-
such as those at any hour of the Gay -.
the basketball game. Long osioio ~
- e. Tor the contest. 4 O'Clock, the
hencbes AZ the side OF the held are ms.
with spectators. pretty gus d. 80
rOwua late COmers are loIceu 20 go
themselves in groups on the GROUND, ih
,msninent danger from the dying pail
The excited conversation concerning Si-
merits Of the various payers ar. no7 ~
a. the cry OF "liere they come, as tie
80 ,co,rs nm into the field The girls
ore dressed IN blue flannel hlouses aiu
sshort-lltel skirts worn over o,Ovi.. =,
The classes 10 which me teams btlohs Ne
thown bv large m merals scWt9 on Wy
f,c,,ts ~ the hlOuses The objects or
BASKETBALL are the 8. me as foo-bail-' ne
M king II goals. These are wire uaSktls
fastened az the TOP Of two poles ~ ~
tan. which stand, enc al each emu VI '''0
The ball Is always thrown, never kick
Oh nor run with. ana cannot be held iCns-
er than five seconds rms n,Ass ~
and quickness Of decision more necgsstig
than strength and endurance. lacAluis ls
forbidden and thus INC game Is itce III
the brutal features OF foot-ba. nut IL IL
eufficieruv Lively to be exciting ana
many hard knocks are received. Inc the-
orv Of the game Is simple. Inc ll9yeIs
Of each side try TO get The oall down
10 their own goal, where the gcAi ht per
l. ready 10 throw Il into the basket;
1rverv time the bah goes into the basket
tho lucky side scores one. fonls, Mnich
consist OF kicking the ban, Waihhs WIZ
~ tachng or holding II TOO ions' tNe
Tho nan 10 the other side. which then
has n free throw into the bdsbct from
a point sixteen feet from the goal 1lie
time OF the game 10 twenty minutes, IN
yided into two innings Of ten minutes
each The ball IS Of pigskn. round, and
thirty inches IN circumference.
GAME IN PROGRESS.
So much for technicaat.s. MOVE Tor
the game itself The PLAYERS waste 10
Strength In practice. They take their
places at cnce, waiting with SET, intent zen.
faces for the word OF command, me UNI
rIre. from mis- position in the middle or the
held. cries play" tosses the ball up ln
the air. the centre man from each tenn
leans for IL. and the night has begun;
Contrary 20 tradition anent woman ana
Vaesar teams play IN perfect silence.
There is no coaching. no cry II any one
a. hurt no APOLOGIES for blow gwen ana
no accusations OF foul play. 49,. l.. ,,,o
Tradition gets another dow nm tne
fact that the girls play WIFE absoluts
fairness not attempting any undeihahu
tricks nor disputing the umpire.
For ten minutes the teams struESle 10,
cether. each one stIiviSg 20 force the ban
down 70 her own goal. The excitement
OF the spectators find vent IN prolonged
cheers whenever brilliant play IS lhouc'
Now the BAN IS passed swiftly down the
line. now three girls are rushing for the
ball and rolling over and over In their
efforts 10 get IT,
Often a girl ~ thrown headlong. springs
20 her feet, and Is or again before the
spectators can 90 more than gasp. The
prettieSt PLAYS are made when the ball
l. sent from one player TO another straight
along rhe field TO goal-kecper eyading
all the efforts OF the opposite guards 10
stCp II. The feat requires GOODNESS,
Qutckness. and dash
s"rimep shouts the umpire. The game
stops az once The players stretch them
selves out on mats to rest. while the
girls on the benches cheer and sing songs
10 work or their excitement.
Again the umpire calls "Ifme!" The
players spring 20 their position. Their
faces are hot, their hair IS disheyelled,
and their suits covered with dust, but
their determination IS undaunted. No
score was made I'm the fst half. and real
fzing that this Is the last chance, coch
one works with desperation e get that
elusive pigskin into her BASKET.
"Oh" cry the spectators one OF the
'Ds cenirennen has made a tremendous
throw right into the hands OF her goal.
keeper. The goal-keeper poises the ball In
her hands an instant. unmindful OF the
girls Jumping about her. throws II coolly
- Int the basket. amid The shouts or