Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-06-30
BATTLEDoRE AND sHUTTLECoCK.

New Summer Game to be Played in
Grassy Court Like Tennis.
The garden game of the summer will
be battledOre and shuttlecock, played
| out of doors.
The game is carried on with balls and
rackets, which are "battledore'' and
'shuttlecOck.'
1t is played in square court, across
the middle Of which very low netting
is stretched The court can be any size
agreeable to both teams" and the deci-
sion of size must depend upon the agil-
ity of the players. A court forty feet
square is large enough for beginners
but those who have practiced and be-
come very quick ON their feet can play
in one a hundred feet square with no
difficulty
The exact dimensions must be decided
by the players, and the court outlined
| by rope or wire running from four
posts that bound the court
The netting is not over foot high:
| beginners play with a six-inch net 1t
must be low enough for the players to
| Jump 1t easily at certain stages in the
| game.
The Game.
The game is begun by "dore," or UNI
| pire. She stands in the middle of the net
and losses the shuttlecock or ball to the
| side which is to begin.
! 1t is played by eight persons. four on
| each side Two rest and two play. The
| two players continue until they have had
| one round, they then seat themselves and
| the other two take their places for the
second round. This gives a period of
| rest and one of activity, the former be-
| ing more needed by the vigorous exercise
of the game. The ''dore'' throws the
| shuttlecOck towards the side which won
| the last game. and at the end Of each
round to the side which won the round.
1t is little or no great advantage to re-
| L IL L
! ever point it may give in the beginning
is neutralized before the round is over.
The player who receives the shuttle
| cock from the ''dore' strikes it from I'M
derneath and sends it over the net to the
! player on the other side. The shuttle
| cock cannot be struck with the end of
! the battledore. but must receive plump
blow from either side of the implement.
The round" is given to the side who
strikes the tenth successive stroke. The
shuttlecock is kept going back and forth
as long as possible. The tenth strike con-
stitutes the close of the round.
The ''dore' stan1s at the net and counts
the strokes in q loud voice. AS she
nears the tenth stroke the widest excite
ment prevails, and both sides are eager
to strike it and count out.
The Rounds.
Complications come in after the player
has struck the shuttlecock. After she hits
it blow she can start after it, leap the
netting and strike her own shuttiecock
back to her own team. To do this she
must be very quick on her feet and very
lucky if she prevents the other side from
stopping her; if she succeeds in doing so
it counts two for her side and foul for
the other side. These, extra points are
counted separately and added up at the
close of the game. Ten of them makes an
extra round, foul takes off two.
If a ball is struck out of the court 1t
counts foul for the side who strikes
it, and if the player to whom the ball is
court and meeting the ball, 1T counts
two for that side and two off for the
other side. These points are kept by the
''dore," who adds them together, and
when ten is reached announces an extra
round for the side that has won the eX-
ira points.
The blows that are struck after the
player has leaped the net in pursuit of
her own ball do not count in the regular
round, but go in as extras two be-
ing counted for each successful blow
The balls in use are the small tennis
balls and the battledore is hollow inn
plement of thin skin stretched over Il
frame and provided with a long handle.
The ball is a common one, but in this
game is called either bali or shuttle
cock.
The "dore" keeps score card in con-
slant use, not trusting to her memory to
keep the points. Each time q player
strikes a ball, leaps the net and sends
her own ball back she calls out Two
extra" which means that two Is put
down towards an extra round in favor OF
the lucky players team; at the same time
| she calls out 1.-TWO fouF' for the other
| side, which takes two from their extra
round The game meanwhile progresses
| on it's regular way, and when ten Is
struck the regular round is at an end.
Elc, ~ 10 n UOT
| less there is time provision; IN tnat
| case two hours is game.
Tackling.
Although battledore and shuttlecock
| calls for the liveliest exercise, it is not
necessary to wear a costume, as tack
| ling is not allowed. The players can
| dress in garden gowns of conventional
! walking length.
In pursuing the ball on the other side
| of the net, when the opposite team is
| trying to prevent the players from strik-
| ing it, all interference must be done
with the battledore; no personal force
can be used but the Players can leap in
| the air or in any other way try to reach
| the ball. After it has been struck they
cannot stop it with their uplifted battle
| dore to prevent it from crossing the net.
| The "dore," while this is going on.
| watches it closely to see if a foul is
| struck. If the ball is struck with the end
| of the battledore it is a foul.
| This game can be very nicely played
| upon a lawn which has not many trees,
and is an excellent summer game, be-
! cause of the possibilities of pretty gowns
and graceful moves. 1t is not difficult to-
learn, and battledore and shuttlecOck will
| be as popular this summer as it was
years ago, in the days when it was played
| indoors, as the only graceful and lady
like game that could be played by wom-
en-. Harry Germaine.