The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-09-18
l0' BALL TITLE
STILL UNDECIDED
Championship of Native
Game Rests Between
Seminoles-C Greeks
BANNED BY OFFICIALS
Game Always Ended in Fight;
Government Stopped It;
Many Secret Games

OKLAuOM M CITY Though
National and American tongues aud
others VIII know at tho cad ~ the
season which club has won tho
baseball p,uu1nt, Ira the tribog ~
Oklahoma Indians the battle for
championship ut native bAsehau
has ragged for 20 years. 90 Intervals
and .s stili 90 bo decided between
the Greek and Seminole Indians. ar-
cordiug 10 g. T.. Walford, tutcrprc-
ter Of tho scmiuoloa
A nativ" hpil ramc wa PLAYED
last year, but the championship was
not decided, he sud, as the players
staged o battle Instead 81 n game
and several players were seriously.
and uthcrH fatally wounded
The native baseball game was
hanishcd by the federal authorities
several years ago, but once In =
while since the games are staged
secretly, Walford said The NUM-
erous deaths usually attendant
upon a native ball game were the
reasons Tor the Punishment OF the
game.
One OF the most recent games
was played at Oklahoma city. In
July. 1890. after the man had been
placed upon II by the federal gov
eminent, However. that gnmo was
a friendly one, and staged FOR tho
benefit Of the palcfaccS-mndo pub.
lie In fact for tho first time. Wal
ord said It was played between
Chcrokecs and Seminolcs, who at
that timc were friendly, ana result
ed In the injury Of only four players.
In September, the Same year,
however, u game was staged SOW
cral miles outside Wcwoka. In which
NAuE FNl4NHaFa FnFn FuFAl1A Ia YrrfI
aud more than 80 athletes crippled.
Tho game was between the Greeks
ana Scmlnoles. and was for tho
championship decision which had
been Contcstod for 20 years,
A matched game. In fact, was
played 20 years ago. Wnlford said,
10 settle tcibai leadership, The
games were held for three days.
tho tribes holding war dances about
their various goals, ana each trih"
becoming more ~frenzicd as the
referee was killed, he said. and the
tribes departed without having
played. This game, 30 years later,
was to decide this match, Walforl
stated.
Tho teams, arrayed for battle
with only the breech clout for cloth
Ing. and painted In war oolors, we're
about GO strong. Each sire was
equal. but no apparent limit was
set on the number NJ players al
lowed on the field. Sixteen players
lined up In the center Ut the field,
and the ball. smaller than n tennis
ball, but hard, was thrown into the
air, thus being pu. lhIo play, b. a
referee from nnOther tribe, The
balls In oldeu times were or stone,
Walford said.
Goal posts we're set mp at each
end Of Tho field aud thu ball was
10 be carried between the goals
without having been touched by the
hands. The Sosts at each end Of
the field are about IL feet apart,
Walford said, and the fic!l about
40 Yards long.
The ball IL carried In tho bat, he
said. and may be thrown as often
as the player desires.
The bats with which tho last con-
test was fought, were made from
q hickory stick, according to the
interpreter. about four feet long,
with the ends split and looped to
form an oblong wicket, strung on
one side with leather thongs The
ball cannot be touched with the
hands, but II carried, thrown or
butted with this club.
No rules had been laid down
concerning tho tacklinE Of oppon-
ents, according 90 Walford. who
said the beating down OF an oppon-
emit. breaking his limbs with the
club, or smashing his head, was
lone of the highlights OF the game"
II was for this reason the federal
government barred It's playing, 10
was understood.
When tho ball was put into play
at tho last native game. Waltord
said, the players insisted OF fight
ing instead of paying attention to
the bail, and Immediately began to
club each other with their bats,
Before the day was over, moro
than 60 had retired from the game,
several with fatal injuries, but the
start of the battle had been forgot
ten and neither side carried the ball
between the goal posts.
SO the contest is still on--and II
the federal government can preve It
It, the contest never will be decided.