The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-11-02
NOW IT'S BALLOON BALL.
A Game Imported From Sweden TAKE
Hold in This Country.

Hold in This Country.
According to the Baltimore Sun.
balloon ball is growing in popularity
in that city. 1t is Swedish game.
Saws the Sun: Yesterday a game took
Mace in the court adjoining the Druid
Hill Park Fairgrounds. During the
hour before the game began the chill
dren who attend the Playground
between 200 and 300-had a jolly time.
The little tots played in the sand pile.
building forts and other marvellous
structures; some of the other ones
swung back and forth on the see-saws;
others swung around the Maypole, ana
still another set-and these were little
rirls-gathered in a big ring ana
listened to stories told by the assist
ant director, Miss Constance Keechs
When the game began the children
all except the little tots-lost IN
terest in everything else. They ineo
nm on both sides of the court, and they
urged their friends on nobly. Bleach
ers are lacking in the neighbcrhood
of the balloon ball court. Two park
benches drawn up close by the court
did duty for judges stand. press box
and grandstand. When the rest OF
the spectators wanted to sit down
they sat on t1e ground. In their ex-
element the rooters crept nearer ana
nearer the court. When things be-
came dangerously congested the UNI
hires demanded free tracks, and the
enthusiasts subsided-until the next
movement of their heroes drew them
irresistibly forward.
According to the rules Of the game
the court In which balloon ball Is
played is eighty feet long to ten feet
wide. A transverse line divides i
into halves, and each half Is sub
divided into two blocks, the first OF
which is thirty feet long. while the
end or goal square takes up the re-
naming ten feet. The players choose
the sides of the court in which they
wish to play. Then they take theil
places. Each captain stands In the
centre Of the court, twelve PAGES back
from the central line, and back OF
him the players are grouped. NC
definite places are marked for them
but as the aim Of the players Is &c
keep the ball out of the goal square
the PLAYERS usually dispose Themselves
with two standing on the inside divid
ing line Of the goal square and ths
remaining three take their places neal
the outer edge Of the goal square.
Hands and feet and eyes are calico
into active service In the game. INT
ball used is an ordinary footbaii. Du
| II ia tossed from hand to hand-no
kicked and not batted like baseball
1t is kept on the fly as much as pos
sible. and this gives the game III
name, "balloon ball"
The rules governing the game are o
the simplest. The captain OF one sid'
losses the ball into the opposite siu'
of the court. The members OF I'M
| rival team are on the qui vive. Ines
rush to meet it, and whoever catcne'
II has the right to jump three pace
nearer the central line before tossinl
II back. II the ball falls no narm =
done so long as It does not fan IN In'
coal souare. but when it does fail tner'
ono point is scored for the size ina
sont the ball. As soon as point na'
been scored the teams change sioea
and 40 the game goes on until NM
points have been scored by one OF TN
teams.