Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-05
THE NEW CROQUET.
How the Modern Game Is flayed-
The Main Principles.
nondon Mail.

For the new croquet, as played upon
the full-size courts Of So yards by Is yards
reduced last year from 40 yards by 81
YARDS on sound, level turf, with clean
chalk boundary and rigid, square-cut'
four-inch hoops. whole-colored balls mo
serseless and maddening strlpesl ana
substantial 3-pound mallets Oudlciousiy
con con-. ms enjfbet-ofagcinati The
scientific game with its analogies 10 Dill
lards and its kinship TO golt' not 70 men
ton riae-shooting. does fascinate even
,bosa who say (as they may say, and be
rtgbt of course, TO some extent, that 1t
- SLOW. that il excessively tries the
nerves and temper; and except in SUCH
weather as the present. inadequately eA-
'.oisas the body. We are inclined 70
think that one Of its chief and novel
directions Is precisely this exercise or
tba nerves and temper, the intense ana
s,,e,ained excitement which-so Tar as
act,,aI caloric is concerned-has all the
effect OF a much more violent exercise
The main principles or the mOuerh
game might perhaps be reduced 10 TWO:
IN The art of utilizing all the balls your
own and your opponents)' or as many
as can be got hold of at once; and (9 the
intelligent use VI TIC bN"'AH''-s N'-+'~-sf
g. wiu be remembered, is always at least
= Yards distant from the nearest point
I, the highways of the game, and at the
corners much furtheD as a place or
refuge and recuperation.
No 2is exemplified at the common form
opening of every game as soon as the
first hoop has been run. why ever does
no go into the corner" asked the I'M
learned spectator who would have tried
for the second hoop. But to run a hoop
so exactly as TO attain position Tor an
other twenty-one yards distant is teat
TOO difficult 10 be worth attempting. To
shoot and break down is to leave dead
balp, or your adversary 70 play with
Where else, then, should you 90 (at this
and az other crises where there Is nothing
IN he done ION the table') but out OF the
game to a point where you and your
mariner can be certain OF getting to-
gether?
| the toss. II you win It, For. other things
| being equal, the players who nrst get
together on the boundary have practically
| the first turn in the game. In respect
| 10 this retiring" policy. croquet is. per-
hans. unlike any other pastime. The
| boundary" more especially the corner
| (renotest from your opponents game),
represents. for the nonce. safety, X the
enemy does not succeed in the enterprise,
often highly difficult on a fast court, OF
| fetching YOU out. From that safety II
is hut one step OF the offensive policy OF
your descending upon him by means Of a
| rush" or of a "take-or.
Let us suppose you have done so. and
main principle No. comes into play
What is 10 be done with the balls?
Many a brilliant shot is quite ignorant
| when he has "got in what to do witt
| the spoils. What will the scientific playe
\ do?
| He will carefully look about him, an'
take in the general situation. II the ball
| lie awkwardly he will make the best o
a bad business. Taking the balls In pro
| per order he will leave the safe one witt
| his partner. and cart" the player to
safe distance, thus leaving the break
for his partner. to whose hoop he will
himself repair at the close OF the turn
II they lie favorably already he will
by few judicious rolls and PUSHES. &c
than into a still more useful order 70