Evening star., 1926-11-14

|
! 4 states of Sinaloa and Nayarit
formerly Tepic), on the west
| coast of Mexico, which, for lack of a
better appellation, may be called hip
| ball" in distinction from foot ball,
| basket ball, hand ball, base ball,
"pelota" and all the other games that
are played with a ball of one variety
or another.
| The Indian name for this unique
and deeply interesting but decidedly
dangerous sport is 'Ulama," and it is
| only played on rare occasions at pres
ent, though once highly popular. In
| deed because of serious bodily in
| iuries and even fatalities that have
attended this decidedly odd and ex-
citing sport, it is forbidden in some
| states, though it's devoteeS are so fond
| of playing 1t, even with all the at
! tendant risks, that they indulge in the
| paStime only in localities remote from
centers of population and free from
possible official Interference. In this
respect it is of like character with the
representations of the Passion Play,
still given by far-away Indian tribes
| during holy week in the open air,
| though this is strictly forbidden by
! law.
Inquiry has failed to disclose that
this particular game is known any.
| where in the world except in the
localities mentioned, though it may
be practiced elsewhere. 1t has been
| handed down from generation to gen
GRAFTON from time immemorial in the
foothills of the great Sierra Madre
range on the West Coast.
1t was in an isolated little mountain
village of that range, near the bound
ary line of the states of Sinaloa and
| Nayarit. that the writer saw this
game played for the first time. 1t is
| to be doubted if more than very
| few Americans have ever had this
privilege. Certain it is that l have
never seen it described in print or
shown in pictures, though to me 1t
was far more interesting and thrilling
than the average foot ball game. The
most exciting match of that kind,
even when half dozen players have
to be carried off the field because of
injuries Of one kind or another, Is far
from being as interesting as well
played game of "Ulama."
The requirements for this unique
sport are: First, field as level as
may be in it's natural condition. free
| from stones or growths other than
grass, and of about the same di
mensions as the average foot ball
| ground There are two sets OF goal
posts or poles, one at each end o
the field. and an imaginary line be
tween each pair of poles and parallel
With the opposite ones plays the same
part as the goal line in a foot ball
game.
The ball used in playing "Ulama"
| is tremendous affair as to weight
and is made of solid rubber. 1t is
iorL+ In
| is perfectly spherical, though hand
made. and one which the writer pur-
| chased as curiosity after much
persuasion and the payment OF a
| handsome price by comparison with
its value as crude rubber, weighed
a little over six kilos. or more than
1S pounds! Quite a difference when
compared with the ordinary air-filled
pigskin sphere used in foot ball or
basket ball games and weighing only
pound, or perhaps a little more
| Let yourself be struck by one OF
them, and there will be no difficulty
in determining the difference. The ball
is, of course. highly elastic, and when
dropped from the hand to the floor
from the height of ones shoulder
without the least impetus will re-
/ bound to the ceiling of an ordinary
sized room! 1t will then rebound back
and forth several times, each time,
| of course, for a smaller distance,
until it finally falls to the floor for
J the last time. Sometimes, however,
smaller ball is used. though the larger
I ones are generally selected as af-
! fording greater sport and calling for
more skill and agility, as we'll as
! involving greater risk, with a cor.
respondingly larger amount of en-
| durance. as we'll as applause from
the enthusiastic and thoroughly ap-
| preciative audience.
There is apparently no hard-and-
| fast regulation as to the number of
|, players. Some one will propose
game, and volunteers present them
selves to the number of at least 20.
Less than that cannot conduct the
game properly and satisfactorily
Something like 80, 15 on each side,
were engaged in the most exciting
match that was witnessed by the
writer. Whatever number partici.
pates, they are divided into two
groups of equal size. These spread
themselves out Some distance in front
OF the goal posts, and lines. There
does not appear to he anna leader