BALL GAME ON THE ROOF PLAYGROUND OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL
The game consists primarily of rolling a ball into one of the holes or caps, followed by ball tag, and a scoring with the pebbles. The players stand each a little distance behind a hole except one, who is chosen to be the first roller. He rolls the ball from the base line into one of the holes or caps. Immediately he and all of the players except the one into whose hole the ball has fallen, run, scattering in any direction. The one to whose lot the ball has fallen lifts the ball as quickly as possible, calling "Stand!" as soon as he has it in his hand. The running players must halt when they hear this order, and the one who holds the ball tries to hit one of them with it from where he stands. If he succeeds in doing so, one of the pebbles is put in the cap of the player who is hit. Should he miss hitting any one, a pebble is put in his own cap. Should the player who tries to roll the ball into one of the holes or caps miss getting it in, a pebble is put in his own cap, and he makes other trials until he succeeds. When a player is hit by the ball, he becomes roller, and all of the others return to their places. The game continues until one player gets six (or ten) stones ("babies") in his hole or cap. When this happens, he must be "court-martialed," that is, stand with his face against a wall or fence and let each player take three shots at him with the rubber ball, the first time with the thrower's eyes closed and then with them open. The distance of the throwers from the fence is determined by the victim's throwing the ball at the fence three times so it will rebound; the farthest point to which the ball rebounds becomes the throwing line for the court-martialing. If no fence or wall be available, the throwing is done from an agreed distance at the back of the victim.
This game may be played by drawing a series of circles on the ground or floor in place of the holes or cap, and sliding a bean bag into them. This form is serviceable for a gymnasium.
ROUND BALL
20 to 60 players.
Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom.
Hand ball; basket ball.
This is an advanced form of Circle Ball, there being two competing teams in a circle, with wide spaces between.