Entertainments for Home, Church and School

by Frederica Seeger

LAWN TENNIS

A lawn tennis court is a plot of level ground about 26 yards by 9 yards, divided into sections. A net standing 3 1/2 feet high is drawn across the middle and attached to two posts outside the court on each side about three feet. The players stand on opposite sides of the net; the one who first delivers the ball is called the server and the other the striker-out. At the end of each game they reverse places. The server wins a stroke if the striker out "volley" the service, that is, he strike the ball before it touches the ground; or if the ball is returned by the striker-out, so that it drops outside his opponent's court, the latter wins the stroke.

The striker-out wins if the server serves two consecutive "faults," which consist in sending the ball to the net or outside the lines; or if the server fail to return the ball in play, the striker-out wins. Either player loses a stroke if the ball touch him in the act of striking, if he touches the ball with his racket more than once, if he touch the net or any of its supports while the ball is in play, or if he "volley" the ball before it has passed the net.

The player winning the first stroke gets a credit score of 15; for the second he gets 30; for the third 40, and if he wins the fourth he has the game. Six games in succession entitle the winner to a Set.

For a three-handed or four-handed game the Court requires to be 12 yards in width. In a three-handed game the single player serves every alternate game. In the four-handed game the pair who have the right to serve in the first game shall decide which partner shall do so and the opposing pair shall decide in like manner for the second game. The partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third, and the partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth, and the same order is to be observed in all the succeeding games of the set. If one partner of a double team strikes at a ball and does not touch it, his partner still has the right to return it. A player or different member of a team may strike at a ball as often as he pleases, for it is still in play until hit. The server must wait until the striker-out is ready for the second service as well as the first, and if the striker-out claims to be not ready and makes no effort to return the second service, the server cannot claim the point, even though the service was good. If a player's racket touches the net after the ball has struck the latter he does not loose a point.

The ball is always in play until it has struck the ground outside of the Court or has touched the inside ground twice. A ball is "dead" the instant it strikes the ground outside of the Court, and the point must be scored against the side sending the ball there, no matter what happens after the ball touches the ground.

In selecting a site for a lawn tennis court select a level field. Lay it out north and south, if possible so as to prevent the rays of the sun from blinding the players. The court may, or may not, be grassy. As a general rule, sand courts are preferred. Level the court carefully, so there will be no gradient or inequality in it. To make a foundation, use stones pounded into place, and add top-soil to a depth of seven inches or more. The ground should be often watered and rolled. Sand is usually mixed with clay for a top soil, as the sand is likely to give under the running feet. In the case of a grassy court it should be constantly clipped and in addition rolled once or twice a week to keep the ground hard and even.

POLO

Polo is a game played from horseback in a large, level field. There is a goal at each end of the field in the center, the posts ten feet high and 24 feet apart. The teams are generally four a side, but when possible a greater number may play. The regular game in this country for teams of four is of four periods of 15 minutes of actual play each. To win a goal counts one, and the team having the largest score at the end wins the match.

The equipment for the game besides the goal posts (which are generally of wood or papier-mache to prevent serious accidents) are the balls and mallets. The balls are of willow 3 1/8 inches in diameter, and weigh 5 ounces. The mallet sticks are of rattan cane, and from 4 to 4 1/2 feet long, set into square heads beveled at the sides and about 8 inches long and 2 wide. The handles are leather-wrapped to insure a good grip. As to the ponies, no blinkers are used, so that they may have a clear sight of the field. No rowels or spurs are permitted. The animals have to be trained for the purpose.

Each of the four players of a side has certain rules to obey governing his position. It is for Number 1 to watch the opposing back, to ride him off and clear the way for his own side when they have the ball going towards the goal. All his energies must be directed to obtaining a clear field for his side. He requires a fast pony to do the work.

The position of Number 2 is the most independent and the player is called the "flying man" of the team. He must be an adept in "dribbling" out the ball so as to get a fair hit at it. As it comes to him from his side players his part is to race with it, hitting as he gallops, and in this way make the goal if he can.

It is the duty of Number 3 to help his back when the latter is being hard pressed and be ready to exchange places with him when the back gets an opportunity to make a run with the ball.

Number 4 is the real back, for all the others are in front of him and consequently his is the most important position. He must have a shifty pony well trained to riding work. He has to defend the goal, and therefore must be an expert "backhander," that is, quick to send back the ball to the opposing rank when it comes in the direction of his goal. It is the place of the back to knock in when the ball goes over the end line. When he is sure of the half-back player on his side he may go up into the game and make a leading attack himself, but it is nearly always well for him to avoid meeting the ball, for if he misses, the goal is left defenceless.

On the whole, pony polo is an intricate game, and while it is not the sport of kings, it is only adapted to the people of leisure with whom time and money are not an object.

HOCKEY

To play hockey a level field is required about 100 yards long and 50 yards wide. The space is marked out in whitewash lines and small flags are placed at each corner. The long lines are called side lines, and the shorter ones goal lines. Across the center, 50 yards from either goal, is the center line. This divides the ground in half. These halves are again equally divided by 25-yard lines. Five yards inside each line is marked a dotted line, parallel with the side line, and which is called the five-yard line.

In the middle of each goal line and 4 yards apart are placed the goal posts, which are uprights 7 feet high, with a horizontal bar from one to the other. Fifteen yards in front of each goal is drawn a line 4 yards long, parallel to the goal line; the ends of this line are brought round in curves to meet the goal line and the space thus inclosed is called the "striking circle."

The stick and balls are the main requisites of hockey. The sticks are made of hickory. The better kind have ash blades and cane handles, such handles giving a spring which sends a clean drive without giving a jar to the hands. The balls used are about the size and weight of the average baseball.

Nowadays it is customary to have nets behind the goal posts, so that it may be definitely determined if there is any dispute whether the ball went clean through between the goal posts or past the outside of either.

Hockey requires 22 players, 11 on each side, consisting of 5 forwards, 3 half-backs, 2 full-backs and a goal-keeper. The center forward stands in the middle of the ground. On her right about 10 yards distant stands the inside right; the right wing stands between the 5-yard line and the side line; the inside left and the left wing stand on the left of the center forward. The half-backs stand 15 yards behind the forward. The center half takes her place directly in line with the center forward; the right half covers the two right forwards, while the left half covers the two left forwards. Behind, on the 25-yard line, stand the fullbacks, right and left; the goalkeeper stands between the goal posts about a foot in front of the goal line.

The two center forwards start the game by "bullying off" the ball in the center of the field; the ball is placed on the center line while the two forwards stand with a foot on either side of the line facing each other and standing square to the side line; then the center halves and left and inside forwards on the blowing of the whistle for the "bully," close up in order to keep watch, each one ready to take the ball should it come in her direction. When one of the center forwards gets the ball she tries to pass it out to either of her own inside players, who endeavors to "dribble" it up the field until she is encountered by an opposition player, at which juncture, by a quick stroke she passes it out to the wing player. It is in this manner, by keeping a straight course and assisted by their halfbacks that the forwards by passing and "dribbling" get the ball into the "striking circle," and when they get it that length it is not a difficult matter to score a goal.

GOLF

In golf the player strikes a ball in the endeavor to send it to a particular spot. He is not met with opposition in such endeavor, as in other ball games, his opponent having also a ball which he, too, is trying to put into the same spot with fewer strokes. This spot into which the player tries to put his ball is a small hole in the earth about 4-1/4 inches in diameter, and the instruments he uses for doing so are exceedingly varied.

The game commences by a player hitting off from a marked line called the teeing-ground, the ball in the direction of the first hole. In a regular golf course there are generally 18 holes, their distance apart varying from about 100 yards to 500 yards. The smoothly kept grounds near the holes is called the "putting-greens," and beside each "putting-green" is a marked teeing-ground. After the ball has been struck from the "tee" the player must not touch it with his hand until it is driven into the next hole, out of which he may then take it and "tee" it on the teeing ground in a good position for the drive-off to the next hole.

As the holes are widely separated and the ground in many places uneven and broken up, the ball will be driven into many positions, it will lie in the grass, in sand pits or bunkers, and in all kinds of holes and hollows in the rough surface, therefore it will be readily understood that the distance the ball is sent will vary with the stroke. It is to meet the difficulties arising from having to strike the ball in its different positions that so many instruments are called into requisition for the purpose. The names of the chief sticks and implements employed in the sport are: driver, brassie, spoon, cleek, iron, mashie, niblick and putter. The driver, brassie and spoon are wooden-headed clubs, but the others have always iron heads. The driver is the club used for striking to the greatest distance when the ball is on the "tee," that is, on the little mound of sand on which it is placed at the commencement of each hole, so that more facility may be had in striking it. The putter is used on the putting—green, for short strokes round about the holes. The putting—green or ground surrounding each hole is kept level for about a radius of 20 yards from the hole. The different sticks or clubs are graded from driver to putter in accordance with the different lengths of stroke for which they are designed. For instance, the niblick is a short club for taking the ball out of difficult positions ("lies") as when the latter gets into long grass, sand or some other awkward kind of obstruction.

A good driver by well hitting the ball can send it to a distance of about 200 yards from the tee. If the hole be so far off as to require a second stroke of equal length he can use the driver again, provided the ball is on level ground, but it is likely it will not be on such ground for the second stroke, and in such case the brassie or spoon is called on to do service. Each of these instruments has the face that strikes the ball laid back more than in the driver, so that they can lift it more easily off the ground. If the ball gets into a worse position, as a bunker or sandpit, the use of the cleek, iron or niblick will become necessary. The heads of these clubs are adjusted to deal with difficult "lies" that is, positions in which the ball may be driven. The niblick is used for taking it out of especially bad situations.

The stroke called the full swing is used with the driver. There are many other modifications of stroke, such as the three-quarter, the half and the wrist strokes.

As has been said, the issue of the game depends upon sending the ball into the holes with fewer strokes than the opposition. Victory is gained by the side which holes the ball with less strokes. If the sides hole out in the same number of strokes the hole is halved. A match is also won by the side which is leading by a number of holes greater than the number of holes remaining to be played. Thus if Jones has won six holes and Smith four, and seven holes have been halved, Jones, in case the round is the ordinary length of 18 holes, will be two holes up, with only one hole remaining to be played, and therefore he, Jones, wins the match. This is the general manner of playing the game in a match, each player playing his own ball.

In what is known as "score" play the relative merits of several can be tested at the same time. In this kind of play the total score of each player for all of the 18 holes is added up and the player who has the lowest total is declared the winner.

ARCHERY

Archery has played an important part in the history of the race from the very earliest times. Primitive man hurled his stone-pointed arrows at wild beasts, and as he advanced to a higher state of the observances of the laws of force he fashioned bows to give a greater impulse to his missiles. For hundreds of years the bow and arrow constituted the principal weapon of the chase, and finally became the instrument of offence and defence for armored knights, warriors and heroes. Robin Hood, roving the wild woods of Merry England, depended upon it for his prowess, as did Allan a Dale and Little John. In the early battles it was the chief weapon, and did effective service. In the battle of Hastings it decided the issue for William the Conqueror; at Agincourt, Crecy and Poitiers victory depended on its use. Skilled archers became famous all over the land, and many were their doughty deeds with the long bow.

In modern time, however, with the introduction of firearms, archery declined, until it came to be but a mere memory of the past. The last century revived it, and to-day it is one of the most popular sports in England. Americans, too, have taken it up with enthusiasm, and clubs are interested in it all over the land, the ladies being especially devoted to it.

In 1879 the first organization of Archery Clubs was formed at Crawfordsville, Indiana, and the first annual target meeting was held in Chicago in the same year.

Bows for archery are generally made out of tough soft wood, such as yew, with a flat outside called the back and a rounded inside called the belly; they are always strung with latter side inward. Lance wood is chiefly used in the United States on account of its resistance to heat. The bow must be easily controlled, and not too heavy. The strain of drawing a heavy bow is apt to pull the bow hand out of the line of sight. A 48-pound bow well drawn and loosed will give a lower trajectory than one of 55 pounds sluggishly handled. By the weight of a bow is not meant its avoirdupois, but the force necessary to draw the arrow to its head on the bow. It is all important to know how to string the bow. Grasp the handle firmly with the right hand, draw it near your right side, while the lower end rests against the inside of the right foot, the back of the bow being toward you. With left foot well extended in front so as to brace the body, rest the left hand on the bow below the loop of the upper end of the string, the tip of the thumb and knuckle of forefinger pressing firmly on opposite edges of the bow. Draw the bow firmly to you with the right hand, while you push down and away from you with the left. A little practice will soon give the knack. No part of the body except the face must be turned towards the target. Stand with the feet at right angles to the direction of the target and have them a few inches apart. In handling the arrow avoid touching the feathers, and in the act of drawing always keep the thumb and fourth finger away from the arrow and string. As the bow is lifted, draw it three parts of the way, catch the aim, complete the draw and instantly loose.

The arrows are an important consideration. Never use a light arrow with a heavy bow, nor, conversely, a heavy arrow with a light bow. Arrows are generally made of one piece of wood, but sometimes a harder kind is used for the part joining the tip and which is dovetailed into the shaft. The tip is formed of steel, and is cylindrical in form. The length varies. A lady's bow of 5 feet calls for a 24-inch arrow, the customary length of men's arrows is 28 inches.

The target is a flat disc about four feet in diameter made from straw and covered with an oilcloth or white sheet painted in concentric rings of gold, red, blue, black and white, each color of which, when penetrated by the arrow counts so many points in the aim. The gold is the objective point of the archer, the "bull's eye," as it is called. Three arrows are shot by each archer in turn, then three more, the six constituting an end. A certain number of ends complete a given range, while two or three ranges form a round. Here is the American round:

30 arrows at 60 yards. 30 arrows at 50 yards. 30 arrows at 40 yards.

RING TOSS

This is a very simple game. A stake is driven into the ground for a flagstaff. At a distance of, say nine feet, stakes are arranged as follows: four at equal distances, back of these, at a short distance, three; then two; then one. The setting for nine pins is the same.

Each stake is numbered from ten, beginning on the left hand side, to one hundred, which is the apex of the setting.

Iron rings are tossed from the flagstaff by each player. A score is kept. The one getting the greatest number of points is the winner.

LAWN BOWLS

Lawn bowls, although but recently introduced into the United States, is, however, one of the oldest games in existence, and is believed to have been played by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Scotland has brought this game to its present state of perfection. The game is played as follows:

Select a level lawn, or a floor will answer if this game be played indoors.
Choose sides, giving those of a side, balls of a similar color.

A ball of a third color is called the Jack. The one holding it begins the play by rolling the ball over the lawn. Where it stops is the goal. The others try to strike the Jack. The one doing this is the winner of the game. Or put a nine pin, or nine pins, at a distance from the players, and try to strike as is done in a bowling alley.