The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-10-20
THE GAME OF HOUND BALL.


Three Catchers and There Was Some
Scientific Batting Done.
Until about 1860 the ball game play
ed In Massachusetts was called Mas
sachusetts round ball." No game called
''town balr' was known in Massachu-
sets.
We did not know that in England q
game called FOUNDERS was played. We
believed that round ball was distinctive
ly an American game. Four old cat
and three old cat we regarded as de-
rivatives of round ball. They were the
resource when there were not enough
players on the field for round ball.
In a match game of round ball there
were fourteen players on side. The
game was quite as active as baseball
is and exciting. Bases were called
goals. There were four goals set in
square, not in diamond. At each
goal stout stake four feet high and
about two inches in diameter was driv-
en- into the ground. The runner going
at full speed would seize this stake.
frequently swinging around 1t two or
three times before he could stop him
self. There was no running beyond
first on hit. Unless some part Of the
runners body touched the goal he
could be put out by being hit by
thrown ball. pitched OUT we called
it.
The batter stood in circle four feet
in diameter, midway between first goal
and home. The thrower stood in the
center of the square made by the goals,
thirty feet from the batter. Many
teams had what was called a dip
thrower"-that is, one who could throw
swift ball, starting low and shooting
up. There were no fouls. Everything
went Backhanded batting was COM
mon. The batter swinging round with
the ball as it came to him would drive
1t sideways or backward for long hit.
A few were skillful at what was called
side batting. Grasping the bat near
the middle with the thumb and fingers
Of one hand and being careful that the
finger ends were below the surface,
they held it horizontally, the end point
ed toward the thrower. In this posi-
ton the batter would catch the ball on
the top Of the bat and, in a frac-
ton Of second, as it slid along the
surface and by quick detection Of
the bat shoot the ball backward to the
right or to the left.
Hundreds Of men now living In GEN.
trail Massachusetts have seen it done.
There were three catchers in line be-
hind the batter. The first catcher play
ed close. He usually crouched and
took only the low throws. The second
and third catchers stood erect. alert
for the high and wild throws. There
were two back fielders, one at the right
and one at the left Of the third catcher.
They were there for the backhand and
slide hits. There was player at each
goal, player between second goal and
home and two outfielders. The ball
was made of wooden yarn, firmly
wound, with a few shot In the center.
1t was covered with leather and was
somewhat smaller than the regulation
baseball. 1t was not mushy. A tick
and catch was out. One out, the
side was out. To avoid being put out
by ball thrown at him and properly
coached, runner would now jump
in the air, now fall fiat on the ground
and up and away again in a twinkhng.
Runs We're called tallies. The big
matches were generally decided by the
priority in getting 100 tallies. Each
team chose its own referee" and the
two referees" chose Judge" who
was solemn and important person.
silent except when the referees could
not agree. His decision was final
Exchange.