Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1912-11-09
AZTEC BALL PLAYERS
HAD GAME REQUIRING HIGH
DEGREE or SKILL.
Stars OF the First Magnitude In the
Big Leagues Today Would Have
Found Nothing Easy About
Those Contesta.

No. the first game of ball ever played
on the American continent did not take
place the first time the home team
walloped the visiting "ginks" way
back in the last century. That game"
seems to have been played several
centuries ago.
1t was an Aztec game and it was
played somewhere out on the mesas
OF Mexico, long before the Spaniards
arrived in their search for gid.
The sort of ball that the Aztecs
played was very popular with the pub
lie, just as the big league draws at
tention today. They had no regular
league balls" at $1.25 each. but used
one of rubber or elastic resin, and in
another sort Of contest used those
made of gold.
The ancient Aztec game was called
totoloque and was played in a court
known as a tlachco, not so large as
the present day diamond. The players
were clothed only in a maxtlati or
girdle around the loins.
There were pitchers, but not catch
ers, and the fielders were few. When
pitched the ball was struck by an
upward movement of the thigh or ell
bow, according to how 1t was aimed,
whether high or low. After being
struck the sphere, In order to count,
had to pass through a hole in one Of
several stone disks hanging just in
front Of the wall of the court. The
feat of bunting that ball with the
thigh and sending 1t through one of
those holes required great deal Of
skill, as might be imagined. Agility
was one of the prime requisites of an
Aztec big Lacquer. Any player touch
ing the ball with the hand lost
point.
The emoluments of the game were
quite as interesting from pecuniary
standpoint as they are today. Things
Of great value were usually given to
the winners. And not only the prize.
The victors were often presented with
jewels, fine cotton stuffs, feather work
or plumes of great value.
The game with the gold balls was
favorite of Montezuma. 1t is said that
when Cortez staged his little hos
torical skit known as the Conquest
of Mexico and took Montezuma pris-
oner the royal captive spent a great
deal of his time in durance playing
the game with gold balls. He often
challenged the Spanish general to a
contest.
These yellow pills" were thrown
at targets of the same precious metal.
History shows that MonteZuma had
the markings of a pitcher who might
have been in fast company had he
delayed the date Of his birth a few
centuries. He could lean them against
the home plate with unerring regular
ity. The Spaniards never could learn
to play ball any way, and Cortez was
not one two three with the first great
American pitcher, SO he lost fire.
quently.
The Aztec emperor usually insisted
upon having high stakes placed on
the game and won precious stones,
ingots Of gold and other more or less
desirable property, which he prompt
~ distributed to his attendants with
the wonted generosity of his emperor
ship. Cortez probably played a clever
game on "Old Monte" for he was the
captor, you know. He probably re-
lieved those same attendants of their
evidences of Montezuma's liberality as
fast as the old fellow loaded them up
and thus kept up a clever triple none.
tary play, Nontezuma to servants to
| CorteZ.-New York Sun.