The Opelousas courier., 1900-06-23
EARLY NOLAN ATHLETES.
Their Favorite Games Were Rpwlini
Ball. Running, Wrestling. Etc.


Ball, Running, Wrestling, Etc.
The American Indians were great
bowlers. Alleys of greater length
than any in use today were built in
the open fields. Balls hewn out of
stone were rolled by genuine Indian
muscle. In fact there is scarcely o
popular kind of game played in this
country today but that its counterpart
can be found in the age Of the red
man. They were gamblers, too, even
to FORGETTING the clothes upon their
backs, their wives or their liberty.
Strange to say the average school his.
tory has abounded in a description of
the Indian In nearly every point ex-
cept the details of the games he
played.
~telics of the Indian bowling alley
are rdre except in q few sections of
the country. thus showing that the
game was not a universal one, and Of
oil 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
bowlers. In several parts of Ashta-
bula county some of the other resi-
dents have these relics preserved,
which they have picked up themselves
in their early farming, usually in the
open field.
The balls used, instead of being
large wooden ones like those in use
today, were made of light colored
stone and range in size from M ordh
nary league ball down to the commoA
small top rubber ball. The alleys
were built of wood carved out to 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 of the alley. The alleys were
built so long that it is alleged it was
a hard matter to roll one of these stone
balls so that it would reach the end.
The Indians, too, kept a score and,
like in all other games, they gambled.
The Indians were inveterate ball
players and excellent "rooters." Their
| game lasted usually from 8 o'clock in
the morning till shutdown. It was
participated in by from 600 to 1000
young men, divided into two sides,
and the games were witnessed by from
| 5000 to 5000 men, women and children,
who formed an immense ring around
the entire field. The enthusiastic In,
dian yells were not altogether unlike
the notes of the modern ball park.
There was scarcely an intermission Of
five minutes during the entire day.
The game, however, resembled oul
football rather than baseball. When
the ball was in the air there were kicks
and struggles. MANNED limbs and
bruised bodies. A prescribed liue
divided the s'rooters" Of the two
sides, and across this line the gambl
ing took place. Old men were selected
as umpires. Women on both sides
brought the crude household goods
of the family 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 thu
game.
There was a feature of the Indiar
game which will be new to the bal
players of the year 1900. Severa
medicine men among the Choctaws sa
all 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. The night before ther'
also occurred what was known as thu
'sball play dance"
Prior to the game each Indian wa
provided with two instruments whicl
resembled our tennis rackets of today
The judges threw the ball in the ali
and Immediately hundreds of indians
started afterit. One finally succeeded
in catching it between the large end
of the two 'tennis rackets" and threy
it '.home," or between two poles, tn
limit of n side or the other. Thi
would count one point toward tn
game and the side getting 100 point
first won. Often in the serribl'
struggle for the ball difficulties woul'
arise between two slightly injured
contestants and the game would stol
until they settled the dispute. Th
women also played baal. When th
men were tired they would announc
q game between the women, and prize
would be awarded tostheir winning
wives.
Among the popular amusement
dear to the lighter side OF the Amer
lean, o parallel for which has bee
found among the Indians, ore the foI
lowing: bowling, ball playing, hors
racing, foot racing, dancing, wrestling
checkers, dominoes, quoits, shal
fights.
Many things. which some of us te
day may believe are contemporaneou
only with the age in.which We live. b
research may be found to have existe
in the everyday life of the America
Indian. Vapor bathslwere enjoyed b
the Indian before the white man cam
to disturb his hunting ground.
xawton's last Day With His Wife.
81 called ON General and Mrs.. Law
- $, rova our corrasOondanf sfl