The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-25
EARLY INDIAN ATHLETES.
Their Fnyorits Games Were Bowling. bail.
Running, Wrestling, Sc.

Tho American Indians were great bowlers.
Alleys Or greater length than any In use to-day
were built n the open fields. Balls hewn out
OF stone were rolled by genuine Indian muscle.
In fact there Is scarcely a popular kind OF game
played In this country to-day but that It's coun-
terpart can be found In the age OF the red man.
They were gam biers. too, even 10 forfeiting tho
clothes npon their backs, their wives or their
liberty, Strange TO say the average school his
| tory has abOunded In q description OF the
Indian in nearly every point except tho details
OF the games he played.
Relics OF the Indian bowling ALLY are rare
except In a few sections o. the country. thus
showing that the game was not a universal
one. and Of all the games which the Indian
played bowling is undoubtedly the most re-
mote. The Western Reserve OF Ohio was one OF
the centres for the Indian howlers, In several
parts OF Aehtahula county some OF the olirr
residents have these relics preserved. which
th.y have picked up themselves In their early
The balls used, instead OF being larg,
%nTs on l GHst cd I'se aAs ssSn" IN and SIe rance t%ussy in w s,Ec
from an ordinary league bal Town to the COM
mon small toy rubber bali, The alleys were
built OF wood carved out u make a reasonably
smooth surface. The game was more TO see
how far one could roll rather than accuracy In
striking the ten pins at the opposite end ~ the
ulIpy. j ne NlleyS were DuIT so IOUR tntl u IL
alleged i was q hard matter to roll one oithese
stone balls so that II would reach the end, The
Indians. too. kept a score and. like IN all other
The indians were invetarate hall players and
excellent 'rooters," Their game laated usually
from q o'clock in the morning Til shutdown. 1t
was participated in by from GOO to 1000 young
men divided into two sides, and Inc games
were witnessed by from 1900 TO 5000 men.
women and. children. who formed an immense
ring around the entire field, The enthusiastic
| Indian valla Wprp NOT DltOvpflnr nlliEp tina
noises OF the modern ball park. There was
scarcely an intermission OF five minutes dur
ing the entire day.
The game, however, resemhled our football
rather than baseball Whenthe bail was in the
air there were kicks and struggles. manned
aiViSsd in Inc oF.q rno,ars s9a ni the a ,w STsS sidse, and
across this line the gam BLING took Place, GA
mon were selected as uniVlres. women on
both sides brought the crude household goods
Of the family to the ball park to be .staked on
the game. Stockholders guarded the goods.
The SCENE resembled two distinct camps.
although there was not necessarily more than
one tribe engaged In the game.
There was a feature OF the Indian game
which will be new to the ball players Of the year
taws sat al night on the spot, where the bal.
was to be started next day and smoked to the
Great Spirit who was TO witness the game
k kSs RIT a. tho, ss'9 aGai fh plny s dances occurred what was
Prior to the game each Indian was provided
with two instruments which resemhlel our
tennis fackpts OF To-Day. Inc Judges Threw
the Nall ia the air. and Immediately hundreds
OF Indians started. after it. one finally sue:
ceeded IN catching II between the large ends OF
the two tennis rackets" and threw 1t home
or between two poles. the limit OF one side or
the other. This would count one point toward
the game. and the side getting 100 points first
won. Often In the terrible struggle for the ball
difficulties would arise between two slightly
injured contestants and the gan would stop
until they settled the dispute, The women
also played ball. When the men were tired
they would announce q. game between the
women. and prizes would be awarded TO their
winning wives.
Among the popular a%musements dear TO the
lighter side cf the American, q parallel Tor
which has been found among the Indians. are
the. following; Bowling, ball playing. horse
racing. foot racing. dancing. wrestling. check
ers, dominoes. Quoits. sham fights.
MANY things which some OF us to-day may
believe are conteInp oraneous only with the age
In which We i've by research may he found To
have existed IN the everyday life OF the Ameri-
can Indian. PolyRamy was practised by GER
tain Indian tribes LONG. before Joseph Smith
founded the Mormon belief. Vapor baths weru
enjoyed by the Indian before the white man
came to disturb his hunting ground.