Healthful Sports for Boys

by A. R. Calhoun

If it is a player on "outs" that makes a miss, then the "inners" count one for each miss or foul. A foul is when the ball goes below the three foot line on the wall or rebounds outside the boundaries.

The Outs cannot count when the Ins miss, but they take the place of the Ins and the Ins are out. After the first hand up or play it is unnecessary that the ball should rebound beyond the taw line. Fifteen points make a game. In England the boys have the same game under the name of Fives.

ANTHONY OVER

or House Over. This game was very popular out West when I was a boy. We called the game Anthony Over; in the East I find it is called House Over. But no matter the name, it affords a lot of exciting sport. It is best played in the country for there can be found a house or a barn standing alone and with lots of space on either side for running.

After sides are chosen and all are ready, divide into two groups, each out of sight on opposite sides of the building. The ball may be that used in Town Ball. The boy who has it throws it over the building at the same time shouting as a warning to the boys on the other side: "Anthony Over," or "House Over."

One of those on the opposite side must try to catch the ball before it reaches the ground and if he succeeds, he shouts, "Over! Over! Over!" at the same time rushing around one end of the building. Those on the side from which the ball was thrown at once make a rush for the opposite side, and all whom he reaches by touching or by striking with the ball are his captives and are counted "out".

If there is no catch, there is no count and the sides remain as they were, each throwing the ball alternately, and shouting as before to give warning. In some places the boy hit, instead of being a captive, joins the opposite ranks. It is always very hard, sometimes impossible, to capture the last boy, but it can be done through strategy.

CORNER BALL

In this game the corners depend on the number of players. With six boys there are three corners, which make the limits of a triangle. With eight boys there are four corners, the limits forming a square. You should have more than four players because with this number you would have only two bases and the boundaries would be a straight line.

The Ins take the bases and the Outs group themselves inside the triangle, square or whatever figure may be formed by the corners. The Ins pass the ball around the corners, throwing and catching until they see a good chance to hit one of the Outs grouped inside the boundaries. The ball is then thrown at the Outs, and if it hits one he is out of the game; and if it misses, the thrower is out of the game. But, if one of those in the center catch the ball, there is a laugh and the ball is thrown back to a corner man with no scorce either way.