New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-20
European advertisements.

manding muscular strength well dexterity
and skill Asa matter of fact. il is suggested
that dlabolo may sUpplant lawn tennis. the
spool taking the place of the ball and the cord
and stick taking the place of the racket.
{. Il. Fry, to whom the inventor OF diabolo
first went for suggestions for the development OF
the game athletic lines. gives the following
Instructions for playing diabolo-tennis. With
the spool spinning on the cord and well under
control, the player faces his opponent, who is
abOVt twenty -four yards away, inside chalk
line Enclosure. Suddenly the slack cord becomes
tight cord and the spool Is shot across the
net, precisely arrow from a bOwstring.
The receiver waits with his Outstretched,
so that the slender cord hanging from the batOns
is almost taut- No matter whether the serve Is
a lob. hghhyer or a skinner, the spool always
preserves its equilibrium, so that the receiver
can catch IL on his cord Just as though he had
thrown it up himself-alwayS provided he is ac-
curate enough of eye and quick enough OF hand
When he catches il he retains il, still spinning.
for a fraction Of a second Just long enough to
obtain control of it and gather direction for his
return throw. So back and forth till skill fails.
The sovereign merit of dia bOlO-tenniS is that the
surface OF the court does not matter SO long
il Is not rough enough 10 trip one uD.
1t is a perfect game for ladies' and. CuriOusly
enough. the finest exponent of diabOlO whom Mr..
Fry has vet seen is Mile dHampOl. young
woman still in her teens This girl champion. OF
course, scarcely has the muScuI8r strength
necessary to emulate the feat of NJ. George
Iefevre a French champion, who can toss the
spool $50 feet and catch it on the cord again.
Another French champion NJ Bette can throw
the spool 200 feet from the cord before it hits
the ground.
and readers, when they have mastered the art
of spinning, might try 10 make the spool run
up the stick. whirI it in the centre of the taut
cord toss it from stick 10 stick and catch it
with the cord held behind the back
The diabolo game can also he played by sides
of almost any number-camps, as they are
called in France-eaCh side being disposed
something on the plan of two association foot
hall eIevens at the kickoff, but with a space
of some ten yards between the opposing for
wards and with each side confined within a
square of a size suited TO the number playing
This camp system of play Is popular on the
sands at the French PLACES. The side that
drops the spool fails 10 return it loses
point II is simple and very exciting
SpOOIs are made of wood. metal and leather,
although the best are said TO be those Of cellu-
loid with a miniature rubber tire round the
base of each cone. The wooden or metal double
tops do not act well, and are somewhat dan
geTOuS.
diabolo novelty is the proposed musical
spool As made now the spool has small hole
in one of the cones. that when IL is spinning
at high speed the rush of air sets 1t humming
like a wasp. 1t is hoped 10 make the spOOls
on the principle OF a mouth organ. with diff
fereut notes. so that a number spinning to-
gether could play simple tune. The spoOls
would be sent up in the air and only retained on
the cord when their places came in the melody.
DiabOO. by the way, promises to be the
premier game, not only ashore but afiOat, this
season. IL is proving very popular on the At
lantiC liners. OIsting quOits, cricket and other
pastimes which have been deck favOrites so
lCpg-Tit- Bits