The sun., 1904-07-31
FASHIONS IN LAWN. GAMES.
PASTIMES NEW THIS SEASON
AND SOME REVIVALS.

Hcre-volley Ball without q Court
Lawn Hockey Gains FavOr-New
Variations OF CroQuet-Clock Golf
and Tether Bali-Lawn Bowls AOain.
Fashions change in outdoor games -
often as the weather cock to the wind.
and this season there is an especially In
teresting output Of new pastimee for lawn
parties and country dwellers, while afew
old games are in high favor after hav-
ing been for some time out Of court.
Patrons are always awaiting a novelty
in recreatons. Occasionally the novelty
goes from America to England, but by far
the greater number Of new lawn games ofigi-
nate In the latter country and are first tested
there. Very few Of the novelties survive
the test, but, as in the drana and fiction
whatever makes a hit Is very soon im-
ported to this country. Tho paraphernaHa
for the games that meet with favor
is brought here by men who watch closely
the trend Of English sport and the outfits
for the pastimes, with books Of instruo-
ton, put on the American market. Once .
decided hit here our factories are soon %
work turning out homemade outfits.
Punting is an English pastine only known
to Americans by the stories Of country
life there, in which the illusions TO- 1t are
very frequent Here, on emergency. we
push or pole q boat along, but to punt 10
an unknown aquatic feat. On this account
the American outlook for lawn punt seems
dubious The game is somewhat like
deck shuf1 eboard. the discs being punted
about on designated squares like a chess
board. A variation Of volley ball is for
play without regular court. Volley ball
is simple and energetic. A net is used
lawn tennis net will do-and the play COM
sists in keeping large ball Of white leather.
otherwise resembling football, In motion
over the net with the hands. Six may
play at time and tossing Of the ball gives
meny opportunities fol ohan and agility.
Lawn hockey Is too close In degree to ito
brother, ice hockey, for a house party Of
mixed sexes, but it is advancing fast in
popularity as q new school and athletic
club game. A milder and less exacting
variation, called garden hockey, Is also
coming into prominence. 1t Is played be-
tween two parallel straight lines which
may be marked out on the ordinary grass
six inches apart and goal posts are placed
between the lines at opposite ends. The
regulation length Of the tapes ts twelve
yards, but this Is optional with the captains
Of the opposing teams and ne e. width be-
inches. A ball Is used instead Of the puck"
of ice hockey and to begin play It ie placed
between the lines at an equal distance
from each goal. The captains face each
are in psrs
No player may change from his position
during the game. The game otherwise is
founded on Ice hockey, or "shinny,' and
there is plenty Of excitement init
polo and oroquet golf. Wicket polo 10
played with the regulation rubber covered
rink polo ball and crooked sticks, and there
are eight sets OF wickets, four sets black
and four white. A goal is won when wick
the first drive putting the ball into play. |
The regulation field is a square OF forty |
four feet. Croquet golf is played on .
lawn of any shape, but the turf near the
wiokets should be cut and rolled smooth
the lawn becoming worn. Eight wickets
is the best number, the ordinary croquet
arch being used, and they are placed at
varying distances. A spot. or tree. must
be designated as the centre; which ht all 1.-the the
that are made through the wickets toward
the centre. A competition may be at medal
or hole play-that Is. by strokes or wickets.
The balls used are OF wood, ?H incheS IN
diameter, light in weight to gain force and
is but one club q mallet with longer handle =,
than a croquet mallet and with lofted
face. !
In England this season two familiar
games here, clock golf and tether ball. are
ENJOYING quite boom. There has been .
notable revival there, too, Of croQuet, with
the new American mallets and balls. Gro
olet is also returning into favor here, and.
with a national association as well organ
lied as that in England, 1t may regain much
of the former prestige. The recent Gro:
1uet championships at London attracted
entries from every point of the United King
dom.
Lawn bowls, practically the same game
as that played in Colonial times on our Bowl
ing Green, is now again meeting with some
favor at the country clubs and as q recrea-
tion at house parties. A stimulus that may
lead to a national association In the game
here is the English tour of the players from
the Canadian lawn Bowlers' Association, OF
which Lord Strathcona is the patron. and
whose members come from Toronto, Hamil-
ton. London and other cities in Ontario.
The team has made a good showing in its
contests and the devotees
of the old game In the United States are
following the players OF the Canadian lawn