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Basketball Games Battle Ball

( Basketball, Defense and Attack, Physical Contest, Strategy, Team Wars and Battle, Tenpins )

This is one of the best and most interesting of the simpler team games. Briefly stated it consists in trying to dislodge Indian clubs or tenpins placed at the rear of the enemies territory. Players should be trained to cooperate and to understand the importance of each doing well his particular part. Playing into the hands of each other when necessary as in passing the ball to good throwers is one of the most important features of team work.

GROUND.–A ground measuring about fifty feet long by twenty-five wide should be divided into two equal parts by a line across the center. The rear boundary of each half is the goal or club line on which the Indian clubs are placed. Above these club lines a cord or rope is stretched seven feet from the ground. This cord may be fastened to posts on either side of the ground or jump standards may be used to support it. If desired back stops may be placed across the ground at a distance of five feet beyond the club line and extending beyond the boundaries of the court on either side.

Indian clubs or tenpins weighing two or three pounds are placed on the club line there being one pair for each club guard. One pair of these clubs should be placed in the center of the line and one at each end of it three feet from the posts that hold the cord. The clubs of each pair should be separated by a distance of eighteen inches.

TEAMS AND OFFICIALS.–The teams consist of from three to six players on each side though five on a side is the most desirable number. The description of this game and the diagram assume five players to a team. Each team chooses a captain who settles disputes (unless other officers be appointed for this purpose as hereinafter stated) and who assigns places for the other players as he sees fit. He himself occupies any place he desires.

Each team is divided into club guards and forwards. For five players there should be three club guards each standing before a pair of clubs and two forwards or throwers who stand near the dividing line. In the placing of players it is desirable to place the best catchers as club guards and the best throwers as forwards. In addition to the team players it is desirable to have a referee two judges and one or two scorers though all these offices may be filled by the same person.

The referee should keep time should start the game should announce scores and settle disputes. The judges one for each side should watch for fouls and report points made by their respective sides to their scorers.

OBJECTS.–The objects of the game are (1) to knock over the opponents clubs with the ball (2) to make a goal by passing the ball beyond the opponents club line under the string but not hitting the clubs.

START.–The sides toss up for the ball or choose by drawing cuts (see chapter on “Counting out and Choosing Sides.”)

Whenever a ball goes out of bounds it should be returned to the captain of the opposite (catching) side by a player designated for the purpose.

POINTS OF PLAY.–Successful play will come both from throwing and bowling the ball. The best way to throw or bowl the ball is from the extended right arm the ball being held on the wrist by bending the wrist upward and turning the hand inward over the ball. The right foot should be in the rear and at the start the trunk twisted toward the right. As the ball is thrown the weight of the body should be changed to the forward leg and the body swung forward nearly half around from the waist toward the left. The best way to stop the ball is usually by blocking it with both arms but it may be blocked with the legs or the body. The ball may be tossed from player to player on the same side either to get it into the hands of the best thrower or to mislead the opponents as to when it will be aimed at their clubs. Players may move about on their own side but overstepping the boundary lines is a foul. Club guards should not get far away from their line of duty. The ball should be aimed at the clubs or at open spaces between players not at the players themselves.

FOULS.–It is a foul for a ball to pass above the cord drawn over the opponents club line. Such a foul scores one for the defensive side. It is a foul for a thrower to step over the center line. For this the opponents score two points. It is a foul for a club to be overturned by a player on his own side. Each club so overturned scores five points for the opponents.

SCORE.–Overturning an opponents club with the ball scores five points. Passing the ball beyond the opponents club line below the cord but without hitting the clubs scores three points.

A ball passing between a pair of clubs scores ten.
A ball passing between the legs of an opposing player scores ten.
No score is made on a ball caught by the opponents.
Fouls score as stated above.

The game is played in ten or fifteen minute halves with five minutes intermission the team winning which has the highest score at the end of the second half.

It adds greatly to the interest of the game to post the score in sight of the players on a blackboard large paper or other bulletin.

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