Basketball Games Boundary Ball
( Basketball, Defense and Attack, Physical Contest, Team Wars and Battle )GROUND.–The ground should measure about twenty feet in width by forty in length and should be divided in half by a line marked across it.
PLAYERS.–The players numbering anywhere from ten to one hundred are divided into two equal parties. Each party lines up on one side of the dividing line and about ten feet from it.
OBJECT OF THE GAME.–The object of the game is to throw the ball over the opponents rear boundary line a party succeeding in doing this scoring a point. As each party lines up at the start ten feet from the center dividing line it is possible for each to intercept the ball at the point of its line-up. Any players from the line however may run back of this line-up to prevent the ball from going over the rear boundary and the point at which the ball is stopped by any such player indicates the point at which the party must line up for the next play. It therefore becomes a secondary object of the game to force ones adversaries back until they have reached their rear boundary line where their chances for intercepting the ball are less than in a forward position as their movements are more restricted.
For instance party A throws the ball at party Bs boundary. The latter by running backward several paces succeeds in intercepting the ball at a distance of say five feet beyond its first line-up. The entire party then takes its stand on this new line and throws the ball at its opponents boundary trying to force them back in similar manner as far as possible to catch the ball.
START.–The parties toss up for which side shall first have the ball. The ball is then given to the center player in the line who makes the first throw. After this first throw the ball may be put in play by any player in a line.
RULES AND POINTS OF PLAY.–Players may run forward of their first or succeeding line-up to catch the ball but the line-up never comes forward of its first position. After a line has been forced backward however if the ball be caught anywhere between the last line-up and the first the line moves forward to the new point. Should a ball roll on the ground the point at which it stops rolling or is stopped by the players trying to catch it indicates the line at which they must take their stand. No ball scores a point however which rolls beyond the rear boundary line. When a party has been forced back to its rear boundary line it must stand on that line thereafter unless it should succeed in stopping the ball forward of that line when it may move forward to the new position. No player may step over the boundary line.
SCORE.–One point is scored by the throwing party every time a ball is thrown beyond the opponents rear boundary line. Five points constitute a game.