Healthful Sports for Boys

by A. R. Calhoun

CHAPTER XIV

THE GAME OF CAT, WITH A GLANCE AT SOME OTHER GAMES ALL SHOULD KNOW

The game of tip-cat, although very old in Ireland, where it is said to have originated, and in all the British Islands, where it is very popular, is comparatively new in this country.

Up to twenty years ago "Cat," as it is generally called, was unknown to the boys of this country. Now it is played from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Lakes to the Gulf.

The cat is a piece of wood from four to six inches in length, and from one to two inches in diameter in the middle. From the middle to both ends it is whittled into blunt points. As it must stand a lot of pounding, it will be better if the wood is hard and tough.

The bat or driver should be from one to two feet in length, an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, and of uniform thickness. When the cat is placed flat on the ground, or in a slight depression made with the heel, it will, when smartly struck, fly into the air. As soon as it rises it is struck again and sent in the direction desired.

In the game of English Cat there are from four to eight bases, depending on the number of players. The bases may be small stones, or even holes in the ground.

The bases are marked on the circumference of a circle, at equal distances apart. After sides are chosen and it is decided which shall have first innings, the Outs take to the field and the Ins post themselves at the bases, one base for each.

One of the Outs throws the cat to the nearest man at base. If he makes a strike then all the boys on base change places, for safety's sake taking the nearest. If the cat has been sent far they keep on changing so long as they think it prudent.

Each base gained scores one point. If the cat is caught the striker is out, or if the cat is thrown in front of an In who is changing bases, he is out.

When the Ins are made Outs, the positions are reversed and the game goes on as before. When a striker fails to hit, he tosses the cat back to the fielder and tries again.

COUNTRY CAT

For this game a ring twenty or more feet in diameter must be made, in the center of which the striker stands. The fielder—any boy not a striker is now a fielder—tosses the cat, and if it is missed there is no count. If he hits and fails to send the cat outside the circle, he is out, or if the cat is caught, he is out.

If the cat is sent beyond the circle, the striker calls out "Twenty", "Thirty" or "Fifty", depending on the estimated distance the cat has gone. If his claim is allowed, the number called out is placed to the striker's credit. If it is disputed the bat is used for a measuring rod and the distance is measured from the striker's place to where the cat has fallen.

If the striker claimed too much he resigns his stick to the one who has the next turn. If it is found that the striker did not claim too much, the number is placed to his credit and the game proceeds.

The number of points that is to count for the game is decided on in advance, and when a player has served the full amount, he is declared victor, and another game is in order.

AMERICAN CAT

The American cat is smaller than the Country or English cat, being over four or five inches long. If the game is played on the sidewalk, a small circle is drawn on the paving stones, where the striker stands; but if the game is played on the bare earth, a hole is made, where the striker stands. It is the duty of the batsman to defend the hole or ring with the stick he uses for a bat, and it is the object of the giver or pitcher to toss the cat in the circle or hole.

If he is successful, the striker is out. If, on the other hand, it falls outside the circle, the striker places the cat inside the ring, strikes it on one end, which causes the little piece of wood to fly up in the air, and before it reaches the ground the striker endeavors to hit it again and send the cat as far as possible.

If he misses he throws the cat back to the fielder, who again attempts to toss it into the circle, but if he succeeds in sending it a good distance he does not call his score, as described in Country Cat, but the pitcher offers him five points or ten, as the case may be. The striker, however, is not compelled to accept the offer, and may keep the pitcher bidding for some time, and if his last bid is refused the pitcher proceeds to measure the distance from the circle to the cat in jumps. If he can make the distance in fewer jumps than he has bid, the striker, or the striker's side, loses the number of points named in the last bid of the pitcher, and the striker is out.

DUCK ON A ROCK

does not require an "it" to start with. As soon as it is decided to try the game, each player hurries to secure a good sized stone, or where this cannot be had, a club or a half brick will do. As each grasps his weapon he shouts, "My Duck." The last boy to find a stone is "It" and must call out, "My drake."

The drake places his stone on a rock, stump, or other prominence and stands guard.

A taw line is drawn and from this the ducks are thrown at the drake, each trying to knock him off his perch.

When a player has failed, he must recover his own duck, and in doing so he runs the risk of being tagged by the boy guarding the drake. The drake guardian cannot touch the other until he has put his hand on his duck.

The best way is for the ducks to make a rush for their weapons at once when most of them are sure to escape, whereas one has but little chance. Whenever a boy is tagged he must assume the place of guardian.

If the drake is knocked off, all the boys make a rush for their ducks.
The drake cannot tag till he has placed the stone in position.

STONE THROW

This game may be played with from six to twenty players. When the game is played outdoors, a large stone is placed on a boulder, and a player stands to guard it. A line is drawn twenty or thirty feet from the boulder. Here each of the other players stands in turn and throws a stone at the stone on the boulder, which he tries to knock off the rock. If he does not succeed he goes and stands by the place where some stone has fallen, and waits until some one does succeed. If he prefers, he may pick up his stone and try to run back to the goal before the guard of the stone can tag him. If he reaches it in safety he has a chance to throw again. When some one succeeds in knocking off the stone all who have thrown may pick up stones and run back to the goal line, while the guard replaces the stone on the rock and tries to tag any one who has his stone in his hand, and who has not crossed the goal line. Whoever is tagged becomes guard.