The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-03
ODD FOREIGN PASTIMES.
SOME PECULIAR GAMES THAT ARE
LITTLE KNOWN HERE.
Lawn eowIr Of the Germans Pelota, or
Spanish Handball, Requires Great Der
terity and Has Come into Favor in This
Country


Country.
Some enc has said that the Amcri-
can athlete Is unymciblc the world over
but those prominent IN local sporting
circles say that the average athlete
know, little about many games which
are played all about him every day
They are forms OF sport which have
crept into the city and have never been
generally taken up by other than those
who played them on other shores. and
brought them over the ca as part Of
thei Gag and baggage.
The Germans are enthusiastic dc
voices OF games which generally re-
ceiye scant attention from the average
athlete, though they insure splendid
physical development Lawn bowls is
one OF them Jus, mention this game
10 some jolly-looking German who Is
well along in years and he will become
youthful at once in his enthusiastic dc
crption OF the great contests he has
won on the grccnswarth OF Germany
and will in nine cases out OF ten chal-
lengc you on the spot to a contest in
his own back yard.
Several large balls like those used in
a bowling alley make up the lawn bowls
outfit One ball is thrown out on the
grass, and the object OF the game is 10
roll the rest OF the collection over the
grass and have them come to rest close
to the first ball
Very easy and tame you say 50 it
seems on paper, but ON the grass the
lusty Germans can make the average
American look like a weakling.
To the local Sco,chman and Irish
man curling and hurting arc great win
ter games. They are played on the ice.
The sport-loying Scotchman without
his curling irons on frozen pond is
like the small boy without his skates.
BY constant practice the willy Scot has
learned to slide the big weights with
great accuracy straight for the circles
which are cut into the ice TO receive
them. This game is slow. the Irish say
as compared with hurting" which to
the American appears like polo The
contestants are armed with long poles
and drive a large ball between goal
posts.
Many foreigners, principally Ger
mans, sill cling to the old game #
ninepinS and holelcss balls. The
Americanized game, which calls for an
additional pin and holes in the balls
for a grip. is called ncw-fanglcd by the
Older families, and is considered far
less difficult
There are many other games rcquir-
ing much less physical excrtion which
are distinctly foreign, and arc played
almost exclusively by that element of
the citys population.
A new foreign game is now suggest
cd which bears a striking resemblance
to handball. 1t is claimed to combine
not only the most beneficial points OF
that game, but to be specially suited to
the hardy. 1t is pelota, which has been
the Spanish national game for ccntur-
les. The game requires more than an
ordinary amount OF strength. endur-
ancc and quickness, and is played prin-
cpally by the mountaineers OF the
Basque provinces.
The court. or playing ground OF pc
lota, is two hundred feet long and
twcny-nne feet wide The side runs
parallel with a wall and small square
lined of in this space is called the
fair ground" Walls at the end Of the
court are called respectively the "fron.
lis" and rebound
The matches are generally PLAYED bv
four men with ball about The size of
one used in tennis and a basket made
OF wicker, into which the player puts
bis hand. In this way the basket really
forms a continuation OF the players
arm.
One OF the team winning the toss
starts the game By bounding the ball
and on the first bound sending it
against the fronts" Either ON the
vollcy or first bounce a member of the
opposing team must return the ball 20
the wall and make it rebound TO the
fair ground Each bound lost counts
one for the opponents. and the games
vary from twenty-five to sixty points
1t would be impossible TO describe
the innumcrabc brilliant strokes and
combinations with which the game IS
repletc.
Wherever the game has been played
Americans have cvinccd the greatest
enthusiasm for IT, A court was opened
las, March in Havana. Gen and Mrs.
Wood became experts at the game
there. The general played the game
daily with his aides. and says that he
considers 1t one OF the most exciting
and interesting games me has ever
played
Plans for thc establishment of pelo.a
courts in this city are now vel under
way.-Nr5y YORK N0H and Express.