Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-23
THE BALL GAME OF THE oJlRWAS.
White Boys Could Find Much Fun in
Playing 1t.

! In the old days the Ojibwas were a
powerful Indian nation living around
Lakes Huron and Superior. Even now
they number some $4,000, about evenly
divided between the United States and
| Canada.
| Some people think that these Indians
are the Oldest race of all the American
tribes of Indiaus-the true aborigines
who We're here before the other tribes
made their appearance.
The most popular game among the
| Ojibwas is ball playing. Entire vii
lagos sometimes engage in the game.
Each side chooses a leader, whose
commands are obeyed during the
progress of the game.
Each young man or boy is armed
with long stick, on the end of which
is small hoop, about four inches in
! circumference, to which is attached a
net or raWhide just large enough to
hold the ball At a distance of four
hundred PAGES from each other two
poles are driven in the ground to serve
as goals.
Each side tries to get the ball in the
little net at the end of the playing
stick and to strike the opposing goal
with it. and the player who succeeds
wins he game for his side.
AS the players of one side try to
block the way to the goal for their OPP
ponents and to get and keep the ball
away from them, the result is a gen.
eral and lively "scrimmagc," in which
there is much rough and tumble work,
just as there is a modern game of foot
ball, but the Indians are tough of
body and trained to bear pain without
| showing it.
The two sides being lined up, the ball
is thrown between them at the begin
ming of the game and is kept in lively
movement until the contest is ended.
On the outskirts of the struggling
mass of players are stationed skirm-
| ishers whose business it is to catch the
| ball when it is thrown to them and to
make run with it for the goal These
arc chosen for their fleetness of foot.
Every now and then, as the game
progresses, the ball will be seen to fly
out from the struggling group and,
ca tching it in the little basket at the
end of his playing stick, an ''out-
fielder will fly with it for the goal,
pursued Immediately by the rest of the
players.
Those of the opposite side try to
catch him before he can touch the
goal. and those of his own side try to
| interfere with those who strive to catch
the runner. The players of his own
side encourage the runner with shouts
of "Ha ba Yah" and "Ane-rool1
These shouts are taken up by all the
spectators and even the papooses join
| i,,, 4to;,. ,,+t1o roicec
WIN 'i'0ii i''io ,i,1
| LIVERY now ana lhell payer VIII
strike the ball and send it high in the
air AS If comes down again another
an 40 IT. ooii.e'
| player strikes 1t ana SchdS 1t up again.
and sometimes for ten minutes at Il
t;ro If win NOT touch the ground be-
tiiiic 1t VIII iioO 'oo0 - '"i'"'
ing continually kept IN inc ar
| NO matter how hadly an lhdl$ln Is nuit
in one of these rouSh games ne seldom
| shows any sign OF anger. II ne Shoulu
do 50 the other CJlpWaS would turn on
hum ana cail MN coMeio H., ailu II = t1 Il
dread OF this that MAKES the payers az
appear in the best Of humor alter tne
most hotly-contestGd OF games.
The OiibWas still tel OF a great pa
years ago between the Lake Indians ana ma
those OF the interior ~ WlliCh 4ou OF III, N
best players OF me t ilpe 'poh part, hT
great game laSteu ,o ~. ,TfI'yS, ~ al
lSorts of rich prizes were distributed.
Of fame. one sue wda icd ~ nttlt
man named Nal ttii,, SUP, Will Will
means adjusted leI'lclT, 3lil tlc ot.lel