Basket

“ When the excitement has continued sufficiently long to be supposed to have effected the charm, the basket is seen to move, and the boy or girl rising from under it, apparently unconscious of what is doing, moves and dances gracefully but wildly, in unison with the music. ”

“ The closed-bottom basket used in the game of basketball is so high that it is difficult to remove the ball after a goal is made. Generally a long stick is used for this purpose, but I desired to have a better way, and the device shown in the illustration was the outcome. A light iron rod was hinged to the edge of the basket and bent to its inner shape, the lower end resting at about the center of the basket. A rope was attached to the lower end and run up and over a sheave pulley attached to the basket support, then down so it could be easily grasped. ”

“ In line horizontally with the forward edge of each front desk, a chalk line is drawn on the floor at the end of each aisle, which serves as a throwing line, from which players throw their bean bags into the baskets.
The game is a competition of skill rather than of speed. At a signal from the teacher, the first pupil in each row stands, places his toe even with the throwing line, and tosses his bean bag toward the basket. If the bag goes into the basket, it scores five. Should it lodge on the edge of the basket, it scores three. Should it fall outside, there is no score. ”

“ During practice and ordinary games leave the netting open at the bottom of the basket, that the ball may fall through the basket to the floor or ground beneath, it being difficult for girls to get the ball out of the basket when it is closed at the bottom. Using a pole to push the ball out is not always attended with satisfactory results, and the effort consumes valuable time and strength.
Fig. 626.
The baskets are called the goals; usually they are hammock nets of cord, sometimes metal chain links; they are always suspended from metal rings eighteen inches in diameter (inside) . ”

“ An ordinary oval basket is made by preparing the requisite number of bottom sticks, preserving their length greater than the required width of the bottom. They are ranged in pairs on the floor parallel to each other at small intervals, in the direction of the longer diameter of the basket, thus forming what may be called the “woof,” for basket-work is literally a web. These parallel rods are then crossed at right angles by two pairs of the largest osiers, on the butt ends of which the workman places his feet ”

“ In other words, it is not necessary for the ball to be passed to a player in court two to be thrown for the red basket, or to court six in order to be thrown to the blue basket, though that may be a desirable play. ”

“ He carefully picked the oranges, one at a time, and dropped them in his basket, and so expert were many of them that it seemed as if they had scarcely mounted the ladder before the basket was full. Many young girls were employed as pickers, and they were particularly skilful, vying with the men in their swiftness. ”

“ When the last apple has been passed back, the man in front of the column passes back the empty basket. When the empty basket reaches the last man in the column, he picks up the full basket, places the empty one in its place and runs to the front of the column with the full basket, places it in front of him on the ground and starts passing the apples back, one at a time, as before. The race continues until the last man on the team runs forward and places his full basket of apples on the distance line in front of his team. ”

“ Let us consider basket-ball merely as an in-door game for the present. It is probable that wherever the game may be taken up it will be played in a gymnasium. The floor should be well cleared of all apparatus, and if there is a running track around the building the baskets may be hung upon it, or, if there is no track, they may be suspended from the wall, ten feet above the ground. ”

“ But a two-year-old child would have filled the basket, and the result was that the whole of the woman’s person, from the loins upwards, was above the basket. The woman bent her head; the juggler placed the lid of the basket on her shoulders, and then threw a sheet over the whole—hiding both woman and basket from view. ”

“ Each of them carries a big round basket. They come up to us blinking their eyes against the sun, red in the face, and smiling and jolly. And we help them to unload the baskets, which are full of food and drink. ”

“ This is a good game for a hall or landing. Two baskets are needed, which are placed at one end of the hall about two yards apart, and then in a line from each basket are placed potatoes, at intervals of a yard or so all down the floor, an equal number to each line. Any even number of competitors can play, the race being run in heats. Each competitor is armed with a long spoon, and his task is to pick up all the potatoes on his line and return them to the basket before his opponent can. ”

“ Basketball, you see, isn't like football, where the quarter calls a signal that tells some player what to do; nor like baseball, where you field a certain position, or bat yourself on base, or try to bring another fellow home. No, basketball is different, a lot different. When the ball comes to you, maybe you dribble it along and pass it to somebody else, and maybe you try for a basket yourself. ”

“ Women, with red cloaks turned over their heads, one or two babies slung in baskets in front of them, while their husbands led the donkeys on which they were seated; then there were peasant girls in the picturesque dress of the Sorrentines, their baskets piled up with a luxuriant mass of fruit and flowers, arranged with a degree of natural taste that made each basket a picture. ”

“ A trick that is most frequently described is that known as the Basket trick, which is in my opinion the chef d'oeuvre of the Indian Jadoo-wallah. It is a wonderful bluff usually wonderfully shewn.
A perfectly good basket is placed on the ground. It is shewn to be quite empty and devoid of any trap, false bottoms or other mechanism. After a well conducted altercation with his assistant, a small boy, the performer tells him to get into the basket. ”

“ Every girl ought to do something for her college and her class, and it's only the exceptional girl that can do more than one thing well. Some make the glee club, some basket-ball, some the crew, some the track team, and some tennis. I've been thinking it over lately and I've decided that you're just the sort for basket-ball. If you don't make the college team perhaps you can make the 1915 team, and its really more fun to make that than the other, for the freshman-sophomore basket-ball game is the biggest thing of the year. ”

“ START.—The game is started by the teacher or referee tossing the ball in the air between two opposing players in court nine, each facing his own basket. Each player tries to send the ball toward his own basket, others playing upon the ball immediately. ”

“ No. 4 for the spokes, which form the foundation upon and around which No. 2, as the weaver, is woven.
The weaving of a round mat or basket is begun in the center and woven out toward the end. It is absolutely necessary that beginners master the fundamental steps, for no basket can be well made that has a poor bottom. In order to avoid this, the mat is practised upon until the art of weaving a good center is accomplished. ”

“ The one who wins the first play takes the bowl or basket by the rim with both hands and gives it a toss sufficient to throw up all the stones, but not violent enough to make them fall outside the bowl or basket ”

“ The lid of the basket is now placed on his back, and a large sheet is thrown over the entire apparatus, which conceals from the audience every movement made by the subject.
Now commences the Hindoo “patter,” in reality yells, groans, and incantations, while the magician and his assistant strike the basket with swords or canes, stamp on the ground, gnash their teeth, etc. Gradually the cover of the basket sinks until the basket seems empty, to the spectators at least. ”

“ On this occasion I made two snap bows with my chin, which excited laughter. Now a basket was produced, a brand-new one, I remember, and I was loaded with some heavy rice cake. I stood up, however, like Master Peachling of our fairy-tale, who is said to have surprised his adopted [Pg 16] mother by rising in his bathtub on the very day of his birth! I was then placed in the basket and made to walk.
I looked intently at the basket, not because it was new, but because it gave me a queer motion, the ups and downs of a boat, a new sensation to me, anyway. ”

“ So the boys gathered the rushes and sat down upon the ground to make the basket.
Long-head wove the rushes together for the bottom of the basket.
[84] When he had tied the ends together at the top, he wove around the sides, until the basket was deep enough. ”

“ Each centre endeavors to catch the ball and pass it to one of the forwards on her own side, with the hope that it may, sooner or later, land in her opponent’s basket; at the same time she tries to prevent the ball from being passed by the opponent’s guards across the centre of the field toward her basket. ”

“ The ball, which weighs about four ounces, is thrown from a basket-work gauntlet or cesta, with a leather glove attached for fastening to the hand, and during a game I have seen the ball sent with such terrific force that it has rebounded from the wall at one end of the court against that at the other. ”

“ The basket was formed with an outer shell to turn down, leaving the lady with her dress packed together lying upon the basket bottom and behind what had formed a false front side,—the principle being the same as in the clown’s box, which, when containing a man, is rolled over to display the inside empty. ”

“ The first thing to do is to cut down a great many withies, then wattle them into the form of a large basket, and then thou must get a large skin, dress it well with fat, and stretch it all over the basket-work. Thou must make the basket rather longer than it is wide, and more pointed at one end. ”

“ This done, the porter and his basket would quickly be lost in the crowd; and even if the astonished citizen, suddenly finding himself hatless and wigless, beheld the long-legged Low, he would have no reason to suppose that that industrious man with the basket on his head had anything to do with the loss of his head covering. ”

“ Place a basket in the front seat of the second row and another in the front seat of next to last row. Draw a throwing line on floor 20 feet from each basket. At some time beforehand choose four captains and have these captains choose teams, choosing in turn. Teams stand at least two rows apart and behind throwing line, each team having a ball. Captains stand beyond baskets, two captains at same basket. Each captain passes the ball in turn to his players and they throw for the basket. Team throwing the most baskets in a round wins one point, first to get five points wins the contest. ”

“ A basket that is of very easy manufacture is made from pieces of a bark very much resembling our red birch, sewn together with bast. It is nothing more than a tube closed at one end, and having a piece of wood thrust through the other, or a strap attached to form a handle. ”

“ A basket ball or volley ball may be used. All gather around one of the players who drops the ball, at the same time giving one of the names or numbers. The person called immediately obtains possession of the ball and throws from where he stands at one of the players (who scatter) . If he hits a player that man strives to hit another and so on until someone misses hitting. One miss counts one spud. The person who misses continues the game in the centre. ”

“ The importance and influence of basketry is being recognized now and the work is being carried on in earnest. Within the past five years it has made a great jump and in most institutions where manual training has been introduced, basket making has attained a prominent place in the training of the child. ”

“ The close work was better adapted for baskets used in carrying berries. The impacted work was used [180] for baskets for carrying or for holding water. The child should be encouraged to use such a mode of weaving as is best adapted to the use to which he wishes to put the basket. The making of a water-tight basket involves more skill than the child has attained. He can understand, however, how such a basket was made, and the importance of the invention.
Lesson XXX. There are enough suggestions in this lesson to occupy the child for several days. ”

“ The opportunity is wide for originality in the making of these baskets. The basket maker finds himself flooded with so many ideas that it is impossible to put them in book form. The following are a few suggestions.
MODEL 23.—FIG. 27
SMALL GREEN HANGING BASKET
Fig. 27
Material
81⁄2 spokes No. 4 reed, 27 inches. Handle—1 spoke No. 5 reed, 27 inches. Weavers No. 2 reed.
Weave a four inch base. Turn up with three rows 3 coil weave. Holding the sides slightly outward weave twenty-six rows, then holding the78 spokes slightly inward and drawing the weaver tight, work twenty-six rows. ”