Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-03-14
INDIAN ATHlET : s.


The American Indians were great
bowlers. Alleys OF greater length
tb&n any In use to-day were built in
the open fields. Balls bewn 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 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 roint ex-
cept the details Of the games he
played.
Relics of the Indian bowling alley
are rare except in : few sections Of
this country, thus showing that -ho
game was not a universal one, and o,
all the games which the Indian p aged
bowling is undoubtedly the most re-
mote The Western Reserve of Ohio
was one Of the centers for the Indian
bowlers. In several parts Of Ashta-
bula county some of the older 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
to-day, were made Of Eght-colored
stone. and range in size from an or
binary league ball down to the COM
mon small toy rubber ball. The al
legs were built Of wood carved out
to make a reasonably smooth surface.
Tho To 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 score, and, like in
all other games, they gambled.
The Indians were inveterate bali
players and excellent "rooters." Their
game lasted usually from 9 o'clock in
the morning till shutdown. It was
participated in by from 100 to 1000
young men. divided into two sides,
and the games were witnessed by from
5000 to 5000 men, women and chill
dren, who formed an immense ring
around the entire field. The enthusi-
astic Indian yells were not altogether
unlike the noises Of the modern ball
park.
The game, however, resembled our
football rather than baseball. When
the ball was in the air there were
kicks and struggles, MANNED limbs and
bruised bodies A prescribed line di-
vided the "rooters" Of the two sides,
and across this line the gambling took
place. Old men were selected as UNI
pires. Women on both sides brought
the crude household goods Of the fam
lily to the ball park to be staked on
the game. Stockholders guarded the
goods The scene resembled two dis
tinct camps, although there was not
necessarily more than one tribe en-
gagged in the game
Prior to the game each Indian was
provided with two instruments which
resembled our tennis rackets of to-
day. The judges threw the ball in the
air. and Immediately hundreds of In
dians started after it. One finally sue
ceeded in catching it between the large
ends of the two tennis rackets,"
and threw it "home," or between two
poles, the limit of one side or the 9TH
err This would count one point to-
ward 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 game would stop
until they settled the dispute. The
women also played ball. When the |
men were tired they would announce a
game between the women, and prizes |
would be awarded to their winning
wives.
Among the popular amusements
dear to the lighter side Of the Ameri- |
can, parallel for which has been
found among the Indians, are the fol- |
lowing: Bowling, ball playing, horse |
racing, foot racing, dancing, wrestling, |
checkers, dOminOes, quOits, sham |
fights.
Many things which some Of us to- |
day may believe are contempOraneOus |
only with the age in which we live by |
research maybe found to have existed |
in the everyday life Of the American |
Indian. Polygamy was practised byi
certain Indian tribes long before Jo- |
seph Smith founded the Mormon be- !
lief. Vapor baths were enjoyed by the |
Indian before the white man came to |
disturb his hunting ground.-From the |
Chicago Chronicle.