Evening journal., 1906-08-01
NEW LAWN GAME
NOW IN VOGUE
MatSu Becoming Popular
in Many Of the Western
States

There is a new lawn game in the
West that hasattainedthe dignity Of a
national association to guard its inter-
ests and manage a championship it is
called matsu, not to denote a japanese
origin, but because the playing circles
are dubbed mats. The layout needed IS
q square strip of lawn about the size
Of a putting green. There is mat at
each corner and one in the centre The
mats should be 30 yards apart There
is a stake on each mat, the counts
being gained by hitting them with the
BAH that Is impelled by a club called
the maui.
The start is from the centre mat TO
mat l. Should the attack be good and
the objective mat gained, IL is a there
on and gives the player continue.
Should he then put Tor the 1 stake and
hit it he scores point and a continue
Play Is now for the second mat and if
he gains it and on the continue hits
the stake he scores again. He then
goes al mat and If again successful
gains q third point called the max. This
is the highest count TO be made and
ends the run.
The next player instead of playing
from the centre TO mat 1. may attack
the BAH Of the first player on mat B.
should he succeed the first BAN Is im-
prisoned on the centre mat, the owner
loses one count and must repeat the
attack on mat 8 when he next has q
turn. a partner may release a partners
ban instead of playing for a stake The
game may be played singly or four7
handed. and TO borrow a golf phase IT
IS an match play. Ten points is game
the eight counts made IN the order in-
dicated by the numerals on the corner
stakes. the danger and home
Each BAH has a color as in croquet
and the rowing PRIVILEGES suggest that
game and rogue. The blocking of
stake By a bah suggests bowls. and the
putting for 4 recalls golf There IS
lofting stroke and clear drive, also
suqgesung golf while there are strokes
rs suggest lawn tennis. The inventor
Captain j. Y. s. Paddock u. s NJ
rlaims for matsu the merits Of all THESE
games. He remarks; Golf is too iar'
tennis to fast croquet too mild; wllh
these ideas and about quarter OF an
ocre az ground I started in TO eet up q
game for the subnrhanlte and business
man who has not much idle time.
Nfatsu may be played on grounds nor
entirelv level and which contain trees
mr. bushes but tile grass should pe close
~ clipped especially on the mats There
,onet be n clear way. from mat TO mat
n ts more important that the mats be
smooth than that the distances between
them be exact There are four mauls,
four balls fvestakesanah hvc noAnoaly
corda for INC natsfin a matau sci. Ahe
cords used IN determining the eifcui,-
seronco Of "A mat are two yards IN
ianrth. but permanent mats may ~
nade ana the cords done away WIN
The bali rs of O special composition
1e inchcs in diameier ana Meis,''
10 ounces The members OF Wy
cbicauo Matsu club i'm 1904 and lsoo
n,aao experiments with golf lacrosse,
nolo hockey. croquet rogue cricket ana
basebans in fact, with every variety
ana weight of bau that could be tounu
ana the standard ball of the National
Nfatsu association is the outcome OF
these trials. similar experiments were
mado with clubs. bats and mallets, ie-
Fultins. in The creation of the maui Ihey
nre made of hardwood heads, faced Win
brass with handles and weight Of the
head arc matters OF individual choice.
The only use of The maui is TO hit the
bah. There S. blunt and q hatteneu
end to the head. the latter because there
are some situations of the balls in play
when they are IN contact that eal Tor
very narrow striking surface that
only one hal may be moved other
strokes require that the ball be pro-
pelled. along the ground for q consider
able distance, and one stroke Is MADE
by striking the BAN beneath the centre
and lofting it To the objective point
The glossary Of terms is long one and
there are thirty-two rules Of the game
which. with sub-rules reveal the NUM-
erous complications that may arise
Tho game has been taken UP as change
from croquet by q number of Western
golf and country clubs.