Ball (sports)

“ The player who wins the choice of balls and lead must either roll his ball down towards the lower cushion, as an object for his [800] adversary to play at, or else compel his adversary to lead off as above described.
2. In leading, the player’s ball must be played from within the string-line, and struck with sufficient strength to carry it beyond the deep-red ball on its appropriate spot at the foot of the table. But it must not be played with such strength as to repass, after coming in contact with the lower cushion, the deep-red ball. ”

“ The carom is good, and the points count for the player, even though his ball should be lost; and he continues to play. [A ball is considered lost which goes into a pocket, jumps off the table, or remains on a cushion.]
9. A pushing stroke subjects the player to the loss of the point or points he may have made by that stroke, and puts his ball out of hand.
10. A player who plays before all the balls have ceased rolling loses his stroke, and his hand is out.
11. When the cue-ball is in contact with one or more balls, all are taken up and placed as at the commencement of the game ”

“ 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 shall be considered jerked, in the meaning of the rule, if the pitcher’s arm touches his person when the arm is swung forward to deliver the ball; and it shall be regarded as a throw, if the arm be bent at the elbow, at an angle from the body, or horizontally from the shoulder, when it is swung forward to deliver the ball.
Sec. 4. No player shall be put out on any hit ball on which a balk or a ball has been called; and neither shall a strike or a foul ball be called, or a base run on such a hit ball. ”

“ The theory of base-ball is as simple as that of any field sport in vogue, and therein lies one of its attractive features. But yet to play the game up to its highest point of excellence requires as great a degree of mental ability, and the possession of as many manly physical attributes, as any known game of ball. The theory of base-ball is as follows:—In the first place, a level field for play is selected, about three hundred feet wide and five hundred long. ”

“ A player who, having gone through all the hoops, strikes the winning-post, is dead; and being out of the game, is not allowed to have a fresh turn.
30. If either of the posts be struck by a ball that is driven thither by a croquing or croqued ball, or in passing through the next hoop to it in the right direction, the stroke holds good.
31. If a ball be moved by a player when it should not have been touched, it must be restored to its former position, even if the stroke have sent it against a post or through a hoop. ”

“ Whilst others hit their balls about without ever thinking that at his next turn a foe will probably croquet them, the careful players, anticipating the positions of the other bails, place themselves in a position from which, when their next turn comes, they can either go through a hoop, or croquet the ball of a more careless player. ”

“ Full pitches, leg balls, off balls, shooters, all styles and forms, should be allowed full play. The bowler, too, must dodge about, and make himself an extra field, going wherever he imagines the ball will be hit. In writing about slows we cannot pass unmentioned the great advantage derived from making a ball twist in from the leg. It is always understood that the leg stump is the hardest to defend, and consequently the best to attack.
A slow ball is pitched a little wide of the leg, the batsman runs away from his guard, and, in his imagination, sees the ball hit to square leg for four. ”

“ If the ball is struck so as to diverge too much either to the right or to the left of fixed marks, the player loses the number of his wide balls. These limits are agreed upon by the players before the game is commenced. ”

“ When the ball, instead of being played against a fixed and inert body, such as a cushion, is played against a moveable sphere, such as itself, the angle formed by the line of direction of the object-ball, and the line of the subsequent course of the cue-ball, will be more obtuse the greater the strength communicated to the cue-ball. ”

“ May be dressed in a fanciful Eastern costume; a string is to be attached to the head, and another to each of the hands. A gilded ball, having a hole pierced through it, is strung on each hand-thread, and to each ball a fine silken thread is attached. Our illustration shows how the five threads are to be attached to the supporting-stick. A little practice will enable the showman to work this puppet so dexterously that the spectators will be fairly puzzled to tell how the rapid tossing and catching of the balls is managed. ”

“ When a ball seems pitched at the leg stump, hold your bat straight, as it were, for a block; but the moment the bat meets the ball, turn the face of it a trifle round towards you, and the ball will then slip off between your legs and the stumps. ”

“ 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.
When all of the one side are put out of the game the opposite side has won, and all are entitled to a throw with the ball at the boy on the losing side who was first put out. ”

“ They are passionately fond of athletic sports, such as archery, wrestling, and racing; but the favorite pastime is a kind of foot-ball. The game is played between two parties, with a large elastic ball, on a square piece of ground prepared expressly for the purpose. ”

“ TOWN BALL This game, before being imported from England, long, long ago, was called "Rounders." In this game the bat and ball are both different from those used in baseball. There are corners instead of bases, and there is a "giver" instead of a pitcher. The fielders may be of any number, but they are not known by distinctive names.
The greatest freedom is permitted in the choice of ball. It may be of hollow rubber, or it may be of the good, old-fashioned, home-made sort. ”

“ The course of the ball is indicated by the dotted lines, and the arrows show the direction in which at starting the ball should travel. Although it may appear rather a simple matter to go through the two first hoops by one straight stroke, yet the unfortunate player will soon find out his mistake by experience, and that, in attempting to pass through the hoops, “Slow and sure” is the best maxim to adopt. ”

“ In some places it is usual, when one boy gets out, for him to bounce the ball against the wall, and all the other players, standing at the spot where the ball first touched the ground, to have their three balls at his back, as he stands with his face to the wall. ”

“ Foot Ball is a very simple game. A large soft ball is procured (which is now made of Gutta Percha) , and the players having assembled and taken sides, a line is drawn across the playground, and the play commences. The object of the play is, for each party to kick the ball across the goal of the other, and to prevent it from passing their own. The party into whose bounds the ball is kicked, loses the game. ”

“ Either on a pocket or a carom table, a ball that rolls on to and occupies the “string” spot in the course of play cannot be moved aside to permit the spotting of a white ball that has become “lost.” The lost ball must be spotted on the dark-red, or the pool spot, as directed in rule 19, if its owner is not entitled to the next play, or within the semicircle if he is. ”

“ The half ball is the most important in practice, as by it the natural angle is made, an angle that is of the greatest importance at billiards, though each have their particular uses, which the young player should endeavour to understand. ”

“ HAND BALL is another game that has grown into popularity in the United States. It is said to have originated in Ireland, where regular courts are built for it, but it can be played in any place where there is a high brick wall with a smooth open space in front. ”

“ The performance of this game does not require the attendance of either of the parties in the field to catch or stop the ball, for the contest between them is simply who shall strike it the greatest distance in a given number of strokes; the length of each stroke is measured before the ball is returned, by means of a cord made fast at one end near the trap, the other being stretched into the field by a person stationed there for that purpose, who adjusts it to the ball, wherever it may be. ”

“ This game is played with a bat and a small ball; and the game consists in driving the ball into certain holes made in the ground. Sometimes these holes from first to last, are at the distance of half a mile or even more from each other. There are many intervening holes. Those who drive the ball into the greatest number of holes, of course win the game; but the ball must never be driven beyond a hole without first going into it. If the ball passes in the way beyond a hole, the player is out. ”

“ If the striker play at a ball before it is fully at rest, or while any other ball is rolling on the table, the stroke is foul.
7. If, after going into a pocket, a cue-ball or an object-ball should rebound and return to the bed of the table, it must be treated as a ball not pocketed.
8. If the player, when playing with the butt or side of his cue, does not withdraw the butt or side before the cue-ball touches the object-ball, the stroke is foul.
9. A stroke made while a red ball is off the table, provided its spot is unoccupied, is foul. ”

“ A white ball being lost and its spot being occupied, shall be placed on the deep-red spot, or if that is occupied, on the pool spot, provided that it is not the turn of the player whose ball is lost to play. ”

“ Often a skilled player will match himself against a number of inferiors; this is called a three or four ball match.
SHINNY Of course every boy who can wield a stick has played at this fine, simple old game. One does not need many tools for this sport. A stout shinny stick, curved at the business end, like the best walking sticks, and a ball, or even a chunk of wood, if not too heavy, and large, will do. ”

“ The sooner the hit is made the squarer the ball goes, and, as a rule, the greater distance also. Since then, in swift bowling, long-on is generally done away with, a leg ball that is hit in front of long leg is safe to obtain more runs than if hit much behind the wicket.
A very common habit among young players is to strike at wide balls. Many and many a time have we seen a batsman rush out to a wide off-ball, and send it into point’s or cover’s hands, thus depriving himself of his innings and his side of a run. ”

“ The ball must be hit before the bounds to entitle the striker to a run, which run cannot be obtained unless he touch the bowling-stump or crease, in a line with it, with his bat or person, or go beyond them, returning to the popping-crease, as in double wicket, according to the law. ”

“ The art of the tight croquet consists in placing the striking ball in juxtaposition to that ball which has been croqued, and then, setting the left foot upon his own ball, the striker hits it sharply with his mallet, and consequently the other ball is driven by the power of the stroke to a distance in proportion to the force with which the ball was struck. ”

“ The forward leg hit is made in the following manner:—When a ball is pitched rather wide on the near side, advance the left foot in front of the wicket, turn half round, and hit down upon the ball as hard as you can. ”

“ Get a turner to make a number of wooden balls, each the size of a thirty-two pounder cannon ball, and let a hole be bored in each which will admit [660] the middle finger. The balls are arranged hole upwards on a shelf on your table on the side opposite to the audience, so that the balls are nearly level with the top of the table. When you take a hat off the table, you slip your fore or middle finger into the ball just as you would into a thimble, and by bending the finger, bring the ball into the hat. ”

“ Playing at a ball whose base or point of contact with the table is outside the “string,” is considered playing out of the “string;” and the stroke is a fair one, even though the side which the cue-ball strikes is hanging over, and therefore within the “string.”
17. Playing directly at a ball that is considered in the “string” is foul, even though the cue-ball should pass wholly beyond the “string” line before coming in contact. ”

“ Three other boys can agree to furnish the home plate, and to bring to the ground implements for marking and laying out, viz.: a tape line two hundred feet long, a supply of cord, a sharp spade, a sledge hammer to drive stakes, a small hammer to drive in staples, some lime to mark out the lines, and a pail to wet it in. A tennis marker will save much work. The best ball to purchase is the regular "league" ball. These balls are the most uniform in manufacture and quality, and give the best satisfaction in the long run. ”