Ball (gathering)

“ The ball is not "hailed," unless it is sent between the posts, by one of the side whose duty it is to send it through, and unless it touch the ground. If the ball is sent through by one of the other side, it is not "hailed." The ball should not be kicked out of bounds. ”

“ There are, of course, no such rules as in a specialized ball-game of civilization; and I saw no disputes. There may be eight or ten, or many more, players on each side. The ball is never touched with the hands or feet, or with anything except the top of the head. It is hard to decide whether to wonder most at the dexterity and strength with which it is hit or butted with the head, as it comes down through the air, or at the reckless speed and skill with which the players throw themselves headlong on the ground to return the ball if it comes low down. ”

“ If one of the opponent forwards succeeds in capturing the ball she tries either indirectly, with the aid of others on her side, or directly, by her own exertions, to cage the ball in the basket of the opposite side.
The centre catching the ball from the referee is privileged to throw it to any player on her own side, either forwards or guards, at one end or the other of the field, her action depending upon circumstances. Sometimes it is more advantageous to toss the ball in one direction, again it is better to throw it in another. ”

“ Each player must look after his own interest, and exercise his own discretion. His opponent cannot be compelled to answer such questions as, “Is the ball outside or inside the string?” “Are the balls in contact?” and so forth. These are questions for the player’s own judgment to decide.
2. When the cue-ball is very near another ball, the player must not play directly upon that ball without having warned his adversary that they do not touch, and given him or his umpire time to be satisfied on that point. ”

“ The ball is the smallest ball we use, the striking face of the club is the smallest thing used in field sports for hitting a ball, and, most important, perhaps, of all, it is farther away from the eye than any other ball-striking implement, except, perhaps, the polo stick, in which game we, of course, have a much larger ball and striking surface. ”

“ It was a much easier matter to hit the old underhand delivery, with its straight ball, and to send the pigskin screaming through the air and over a low picket fence, than to hit the swift curved ball of to-day and lift it over the high board fences that surround the professional grounds, as any old-time player can testify. ”

“ The hands naturally sink in the act of catching the ball; and after having caught it once or twice, the performer, as he lowers them, drops it on the servante, immediately raising them again with the action of throwing up the ball, taking care to follow it with the eyes in its imaginary flight. If this is done neatly, the eyes of the spectators will instinctively travel in the same direction, and the effect to them will be as if the ball vanished at the highest point of its upward flight, instead of disappearing, as it really does, at the moment of reaching the hands in its fall. ”

“ The same principle applies, though in a milder form, to the game of cricket, where you attempt to beat the adversary's bat with your ball, or, if you have the bat, to steer the ball between your adversaries, or at least to make them jolly well wish that you would.
Even with the baser and less heroic ball games, like croquet and billiards, where more than one ball is used at a time, action inimical to the interests of the opponent's ball is permitted and encouraged. ”

“ It is credibly reported that all four players in a four-ball match—scratch men, every one—once arrived upon the Crater green, ball in hand, each having given up the struggle under the despairing impression that no opponent could possibly have played more strokes than himself. ”

“ Girls still strike, as then, balls with the palm of the hand to keep up their bouncing, or fling them against the wall to drive them back on the return, or pass the ball from hand to hand in the ring or row. Boys in those days, standing on the corners of a triangle, sent back the ball on the fly or the bounce, giving with one hand and taking with the other, much as they do to-day. ”

“ While the main form of play for the ball is to roll it, it is permissible to bound the ball from one player to another, and also permissible to knock over a club with a ball that bounds instead of rolling. ”

“ Let the player who has first "heurt" drive his ball toward those in the ring and endeavor to displace them. If he touches one or more of the balls he is entitled to another turn, and now tries to drive one of the balls outside the ring, naming his choice by color. If he succeeds in knocking out a ball, he again tries, continuing to play until he fails to touch a ball. The second player then drives his ball toward the ring, having the further advantage of hitting his opponent's marteau. ”

“ The player continues playing after making a cannon, or after holing his own or adversary’s ball, if he has struck the black ball first. Should any ball rebound beyond the centre of the table or be forced off the board, it must not be played that round, unless it is the black ball, which must be placed on “the spot,” as at the commencement of the game. ”

“ Thus in many other ball-games the ball is hit when it is further off from the striker’s foot—as in Golf, Racquets, Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Fives. In Cricket, except in such strokes as the pull and the cut, the ball should be hit when it is near to the striker’s foot. ”

“ The performer, standing a little behind his table, with his right side slightly turned to the spectators, takes in his right hand the small ball, and in his left the large one. The latter he holds about shoulder high, keeping his eyes fixed upon it, and remarking, “I shall now pass this small ball into this large one,” he draws back and lowers the right arm, as though to give it impetus, as one naturally does in the act of throwing. This brings the right hand just over the padded box or basket on the servante, and allows him to drop the small ball therein. ”

“ Divide the remaining balls equally among the players, or give an equal number of balls to each player. If four play, it is more interesting to form sides, the two players on one side taking the dark balls, and the other two the light ones. Blue and black are considered dark—red and yellow, light. The players, retiring to some part of the room more or less distant from the white ball, now bowl the colored balls, which they hold, at the white one, by turns. Each player bowls one ball at a time, the play passing around the company as many times as there are colored balls for each player. ”

“ The person to commence the game is chosen by lot. He places his red ball at the distance of a mallet’s head from the edge of the board, and tries to send his ball against the cubes in the centre; he can roll his three balls in succession, and at the end of his play take back his balls and replace the cubes, if their position has been changed by his play. The player on his left then plays his three balls, and each in turn, until all have played. ”

“ In addressing his ball the amateur stands rigidly facing it with muscles set, and with careful attention and painstaking deliberation shown in his entire attitude, concentration written on every feature. Gradually he begins a carefully guarded movement of his club away from his ball. Up to the top of his swing he makes this careful, deliberate movement, consciously controlling every change in position, and then when he reaches the top of his swing, he makes a wild, vicious attempt to whack that ball to “kingdom come.” ”

“ There is no doubt whatever that double swerves may be obtained by the axis of rotation of the ball altering during the flight of the ball. I can remember quite clearly at a meeting of the All-England Lawn-tennis Club at Wimbledon, a player informing me quite seriously that a lawn-tennis ball would swerve two ways in the air. At that time I was under the impression that I knew all there was to be known about the flight of the ball. ”

“ It exists in practically all ball games where the ball is struck by a bat or other implement of that kind. Its existence, of course, is well known in cricket. I have played lawn-tennis for twenty years, and I do not believe that I have at any time during that period seen my racket hit the ball when actually playing. I have seen it do it when I have made up my mind to watch the ball and forget other matters, but in actual play one does not do this. One plays the stroke with the utmost naturalness. The ball is coming towards one and one gauges the distance and strikes. ”

“ There is one species of ball which we have not discussed, deadly as it is, both in fast and slow bowling. This is the ball which, after the pitch, never rises, but shoots along the surface of the ground, and is commonly called a 'shooter.' The reason why no notice was taken of this when the different kinds of ball which may be bowled were being dealt with is because no amount of practice or skill can enable a bowler to bowl thus. It depends for existence upon inequalities in the ground. ”

“ The wooden ball is lifted from the ground by means of the spoon-ended cue, and thrown towards the ring—the object of the player being to pass the ball through the ring; and he who succeeds in making any given number of points by fairly ringing his ball, or canoning against the other balls, wins the game. ”

“ There should be nothing to distinguish the players from one another, each being dependent on his own memory and alertness to know to whom he is to throw the ball and from whom he is to receive it. The particular success of this game lies in having a very considerable number of balls in play at once. In this form the balls do not have to accumulate at the foot of the lines before being returned to the head, as the last Number One player to receive the ball tosses it directly across to the last Number Two player, who begins at once to zigzag it up the line. ”

“ At the signal to go the two players maintaining their hold on the loose end of the string pass the ball to the players next to them. Each player must hold the string in one hand and pass the ball on, unwinding it, as it progresses to the next player. When the ball has reached the last player he immediately starts rewinding the ball. When he has wound up his share, he passes it back to the next, who continues the winding. By the time the ball has returned to the player at the head of the table, it must be entirely wound. The team first succeeding in accomplishing this, wins the race. ”

“ Any number of people can play, from two upwards. The players stand in a ring facing each other. One of them sends the ball into the air, and the person nearest to it, when it descends, must send it up again. ”

“ The introduction of the ball into the hat is effected as follows:—The ball, which has a hole of about two inches in depth by one in diameter bored in it towards its centre, is placed on the servante of the performer’s table in such manner that the hole above-mentioned shall slant upwards and outwards, at an angle of about 45°. To keep the ball steady, and to prevent its rolling off, some performers have a slight circular hollow scooped in the surface of the servante itself. ”

“ When it is over, they all go to water and wash off the paint with which they were adorned; then returning to their places in the square they feast on the new corn. After a rest of some hours the men engage in ball play, not as a mere recreation but as a matter of ritual. Sides are chosen; every player is equipped with two rackets, and the aim of each side is to drive the ball through their opponents' goal, which consists of two uprights and a cross-piece. ”

“ A ball hit with the forearm is considered properly in play except for a service. Several players on one side may play on the ball before sending it into the opponents' court. In doing this the ball may bounce once after every time it is hit with the fist. ”

“ The object of the game is to throw the six balls through the revolving rings, the players taking their stand from the board at some specified distance. Each successful throw counts three; and when a ball is thrown through the ring of the same colour the player scores six. ”

“ If the striker’s ball be angled—that is, so placed in the jaws of the pocket as not to allow him to strike the previously-played ball—he may have all the balls except his own and the object ball removed from the table to allow him to try bricole from the cushion. In some clubs and public rooms an angled ball is allowed to be moved an inch or two from the corner; but with a ball so removed the player must not take a life. ”

“ Fair Play.—The only fair way of opposing one another in playing, is by shouldering and bucking, which can only be done within the distance of six feet from the ball. The ball must be struck with the open hand, not the fist, or any mechanical device. The ball can be stopped with any part of the body. When a ball driven fairly hits the curtain, whether it goes through the goal or not, it shall be called a goal.
11. Ball.—The ball used in playing shall be a regular lawn tennis ball. A new ball shall be put into use for every match game. ”

“ The ball must be fairly struck at, and not pushed, scraped, or spooned, under penalty of the loss of the hole. Any movement of the club which is intended to strike the ball is a stroke.
5. The game commences by each side playing a ball from the first teeing-ground. In a match with two or more on a side, the partners shall strike off alternately from the tee, and shall strike alternately during the play of the hole. ”