The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-11-03
A FIERCE GAME.
FOOTBALL II MILD COMPARED
WITH THE INDIAN LACROSSE.
Badly Injured ers-Government
Has Prohibited the SpOrt-De-
sCription of the Last Cams
Played In Indian Territory.

] \
! made n National Canadian
! game, 1t is not played TO any extent In
any other country, although within
! the past year or two there has been ii
| systematic effort to intr Oduce It. The
| game originated with the Indians, and
was used no. ouly for recreation, In.
also as q means OF training young
| bucks for the warpath. Whole tribes
sometimes took pertin the game. Each
/ Indian player carried two curved
sticks, and the game was to force u
ball through a goal guarded by the
opponent.
Spurred on by the lashes of attend.
ant squaUs, whose duty Il was 20 urge
on the tired or weak hearted braves in
pursuit Of the bal, the game would
wax fast and furious over miles OF
prairie IN the northwestern portion Of
the continent. Ghe Indians played to
wiz, and did not hesitate to resort to
any mcaus to ali them. Ia former
times tribe frequently played against
tribe, anil when the contest vas ended
the fcld would he s,reyn with the
dead aad dying, and daring ITS prog
ress the players became demons in
tent on crippling or Staying their an.
taConists. As a result of these con
tests the Government authorities in
ter.erred AMI stopped the game. Tn
der fear of mourning the disp!easTre
Of the Great Father thu lnlians were
obliged to forego the pleasure of IN
discriminate tgltipg under the pre-
text Of playing ball.
The first game OF real Indian ball
that has been played for many years
where tribe met tribe with Govern.
ment permission Is sa'j TO have taken
place July 4, this year, at Sulphur
Sprlu-, indian Territory. Mcmb
OF the Cboctaw aAd Chc6aspw tribes
engaged in tho game with sixty play
ers on a side. 1t was the first game
these tribes have played since the par
Elephants were papOoses, anil il was
probably the last game that viii he
allowed
The participants. according to tho
St. Paul Pioneer Press, secured per
NIT by promises of reform IN the meth
DDS OF play. These promises were not
kept, and during the excitement of
the play awful scenes of brutality were
witnessed. The excited men kicked
and pounded each other, AMI while no
one was killed, number were so bad.
ly injured that they had to be removed
from the field. \ correspondent gives
the following dcscr ptiou OF the game
''On the morning of the Fourth
each Indian submitted to n tinal rub
bling down. The rubbing was done
with sort of q stee. comb, which tore
tine flesh until the blood lowed freely.
Despite the GgonizinS fortunes. tina
braves made not sigu Of pain, and
calmly submitted to the comOIng M
til the flesh was covered with
scratches. The game began q little
before noon. The WARRIOR, ali OF
them painted h.de1usly as though to
go on the war path, were lined mp on
the ground selected for the game, the
ball was tossed in tho air and the
game began.
at was fercely fought from the
start Forty Indians dashed for the
ball, ami soon they were in such
cloud Of dust that ball anil play ers
were obscure1 from the sight of the
spectators. While the mass OF play
ers we're elm Ding over each other aud
using the racquers as weapons o.
OiIeuse and defense, o lithe ChickasaY
secured the ball, end before that fact
was known ne was we'll on mis- ,yav to
the goal OF the Choataws. Before he
could be stopDeI he scored poip7.
Then the fighting Indians we're in.
duced 10 cease battering each other.
and resume their positions for the
game; that il, all did but three. One
Choctav and two Cbic'sasavys were TO,
badly injured 10 u'av and they r..
-irei. All sorts OF tackliug was in
duIgel in. Indians we're trimmed
the stout hickory rlcllcts were usel
to throw players bv being thrust be.
tween their feet "a. they ran. and
right over him. Fight7 were in prog.