The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-07
HOCKEY AS A WINTER SPORT.
IL Originated in Canada, But Has Be-
come Popular in American Cities

IL Originated in Canada, But Has Be-
come Popular i'm American Cities
Hockey Is in season once more. It's
votarles have grown To such large num-
bers that it Is plain the game has taken
It's place permanently among The stand
ard American winter sports lis p0pu 49,
ity is due In a large measure to the tact
that 10 combines an the exciting elements
and features OF such games as football,
lacrosse and polo with the picturesque
effect the players make by being on
skates. Hockey means constant action
from start TO finish and the play IS often
open, so that even the uninitiated spec
tator can keep track 1f 1t AT all times
To play IL requires not only mach Lii
with the hockey stick. but a thorough
mastery Of the art Of skating as Cl
The hockey player must be able 90 az
cOmplish an kinds Of quick movements,
sudden stOpr and body balalcing on
skates as effectively as IS he were piay ne
tennis on the turf Thus IL IS that fails
are few among the crack hockey play-
ers and st Is seldom that a serio &C.
cident happens I'M a hockey matcn.
Hockey teams consist of seven tlay-
ers each, their functions being similar
20 those Of football or lacrosse players.
There are forwards for offensive Wck.
cover players for defensive play and
backing up and goal keeper ID Suard
that important station. The play is
essentially team work, although indI ID
ual achievements frequently help aiCng
toward victory and success. The clubs
that win often are those that DO The best
team work
The game IS played on the fee. the bone
Of contention being a hard rubber puck
shaped Ike a two pound weight, three
inches On diameter and one IN ch thick
This i- propelled with hockey sticks of
the shape familiar 10 an who played
"snlnney" iu their b0yhood. Hockey
players become SD proficient I'm the use
OF the stick that they can push the puck
along gently, snap 30 I'm any direction or
DOC DO ,ne length of thc rink by differ
cnt wrist motions. according TO the de-
mands OF the moment The object of One
play IS TO get the puck through the op-
poleli.. goal.
I'm many respects hockey is the most
attractive Of AN the games that have
been developed from the Old-fa nioned
"shlunoy" The Canadians produced
80 first. and Il was taken mp BOO short
order all over the colony. While
spasmodic attempts have been made at
different times On introduce hockey il
American cities as much as fifteen years
3 that any consistent effort was made 10
show Americans what real hockey was
like Al that time the champion team
from Kingston. ont. made "a tour Of Bos-
ton. Pittsburg and other American cities.
giving exhibitions that aroused public
interest and resulted In the establishment
of hockey teams in those cities.
New York had mo- ice skating rink az
the time. and could not therefore, ac-
HH
I'm New York that the first regular hook
cv club was organized. About a. score
Of young Cauadian-born residents es-
fablishod the Hockey club OF NcW York
u December 1895. setting an example
which has been followed in nearly aii lha
larger Eastern cities of the United States
The Shamrock and Montreal Athletic
teams visited New York that winter.
and helped the game along by giving
clever exhibitions.
About the only American club the
Hockey club of New York could find
that winter % compete with was the
baltimore Hockey club. The following
winter the big athletic clubs ana the
colleges took the game up with such
success that 90 Us now part OF the
regular sporting curriculum OF those
institutions Iue New York Athletic
club gathered in tho best seven pay-
proceeding for the Mercury Foot. tna
Nnickerbockcrs developed "a team from
among us own skaters. and other teams
were organized boy clubs in Ncw York
brooklyn M0utc.air. Philadelphia, EOs-
ton and Pittsburg. Several of these
banded themselves together and founded
the Amateur Hockey league Of America
which Is destined 90 become one Of the
most important of national sporting
bodies.
The Hockey league conducts cham
uionship tournament each winter the
winner Of which is open 90 chailenga
from any representative team in the
country not associated with tine league
The championship games are contested
wi.n an the vim. daring and dete~mi-
nation that mark the big college foot
han games. The spectacular nature OF
the field and Cts surroundings MAKE
the matches ideal entertainment for The
average American. The game is played
I'm two halves. each lasting twenty min
utes. with am interval of ten minutes be-
tween the halves. 4 referee and two
coal umpires are the only officials
The puck is faced boy one player Of
either side I'm the center of the field.
between the two goals. when the tme
begins At tho signal of the referee
tho puck IS pushed either one way or
the other and the scramble is on. All
over the ice the little puck slides with
confusing rapidity. with from four 20
twelve Eager players fighting for crack
ot IT, Sometimes. when the PLAYERS have
a clear field. with good Interference be
will drlbble the puck a distance OF hftv
feet or more one of the prettiest fcats Of
tho "a~~e To d-ihh'e IS 20 push the