The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-19
SOME CUBAN SPORTS.
PAsTIMEs OF THE NATIVES.
THROWING THE TABA.

| Cock Fighting, Hoat ana nurse HNS-
ing-Why Base BAH Is Not Popular
at santiagO-LOpez's Hit and What
Came of Ii.
| Santiago Letter New York Post.
The Cuban sport or pastime seldom car
ries with il much physical exertion. There
is something in the climate that renders
muscular effort unwelcome. The average
Cuban could not put a medium weight
shot fifteen feet, and would not if ne
could
Most to his liking is a simple and non
lauguing game called "Taba," named af-
ter the knee-bone of the OK, which is the
principal implement used in the play. The
lone is about the size and shape OF q
small, fiat potato, and is convex on one
side and concave on the other. The game
is simplicity itself and is never played
/ except for money.
A certain distance, not more than fifteen
feet, is measured off, and care taken that
the earth at one end is hard and beaten
down. player takes his place at the
other end, and, grasping the taba care
fully in the right hand, gives 1t toss.
He and his companion lay bets as to
whether IL will fail Upon the concave or
the convex side. That is all there is to
it, 1t is said, however, that skilled play
ers have been known 90 land the bone
''''1' 90 '"1' Pie"9eU' "''N
tradition in Santiago that a player from
Havana once deceived local bettors by
the use OF taba that was concave on
'O'i 9."es' A"e @A'iiei va" same u laps
arouses no more enthusiasm in IT'S deVo-
tees than does taba in the breasts of the
native Cuban.
The national game of Cuba is. of course.
like that of Spain. bull-fghting. but much
attention is paid to cocking-mains. Both
are now forgidden by the American au-
thorities. but il is safe TO say that a Sum
day never passes in the island without a
number of mains being held. The Cuban
game cock is a powerful bird and Is
much larger than those used in other
countries. 1t is very light upon its feet.
nevertheless. and a battle between two
blooded ROSTERS ia usually 70 the DEAN
one visit TO a Dit is generally enough for
The average American-tbat is for those
who do nor patronize prize fights in their
own countrv-and love of cock-igbting
like cruelty to dumb beasts and birds. Is
a
the lower class of Cubans The latter is
shown by the manner in which thew woke
their oxen and bride their horses To
torture a hun or an animal of any descrip
ton apparentlv seems to them the acme
Of measure
All one of the cocking-uains he'd in
Santiago last Christmas-held unknown TO
Gen. Leonard Wood be it understood
several Cubans enraged at the defeat Of
money. broke into the pit ana Uterallv,
tore the rooster into fragments stab
hing followed and the native notice final
w broke nm the affair Before the advent
Of The Americans the mains were balo
openlv and some of the hest Deople of
the citv The merchants army and pavo,
oaicers and al times a nadre or two fro
| ouented tbam Now IL reo,,iros ,,a,.-
soual acouafntance with the owners or
| the ni,s to secure admission
In an the princinaI cities of Ct,ha which
are neer water win ba found hoat cluhs
Thev are however more for social MIR.
noses fban for oouatic Their bonsae arc
generally naIatiai strnctnrcs Of wood on
the shore Of a hav or river and tbera
are flaps ana anchors and guided ror,es pa :
GRO Tho Y,apbere uDear IN drass ooea-
sions iauntv uniforms Of a namtica, nat-
tarn and tbev taI. g1ihIv Of etrolyes enh
| featbering oars ana shells mt n il se,-
| con, moi tbav are econ nnon The water
| rbera &c SOMETHING in INC inc and MN
| 81 ~ cor and tbo ro,,gb er3,,d oe a.
| och ogairst Inc nalro tbat 1bn1y do rot
| III
! o. 1Do,,r,b of 1u1,, so,,aral ,,aors ao.
an Arnaricar man-of,uar cali.S az Cien,
S enae 90 The ofacers as cmstor1srv on
| s,,ah oooastor, Wished 70 ca,ohrate ~
g., III aror,.os ga sror.e - -,orio',s
80, Srbora was y hoat clnh In che 49,,
and an tnvifa.ion Was exfended to If for
= go hetwaan n crack crew from tha
shin ana one from The clnh The tars
80 ,,,iI1ing ana the FIRST whale boa,
80 saIecto5 TO renresept Amarica Wbor
~, bo,,e orriIaa ,he coxswafn of ~
urhaIaboat on ola cali ubo had served
-, t,,~.o,r,t Ioot,od o,,ar M oongu,a,,
- osSia1 Sone eIender sheu annrescn,
49, ~ stair
| .eUVho., ,,his ooroipo9" he asLaa ,bo
| .,,,-aH &c Az onard
0o ..a TI., Tho bost yon are 70 racap
"Aaa nm, tbipes in to-,
! ;.,rbat,s the crew Of course