Rubber ball

“ The back part of the metal ring is fastened to an iron bar which extends six inches from the pole or wall to which it is attached (Fig. 615) . The
Ball is round and hollow, composed of two layers, an inside rubber bladder and an 349outside cover of leather. The rubber is tightly inflated and the cover so laced that it cannot be caught or held by the lacing. The ball measures from thirty to thirty-two inches in circumference and weighs from eighteen to twenty ounces (Fig. 616) .
The usual
Set of Players is ten, making five on each side, though the game is occasionally played with more. ”

“ The most perilous kind of ball of all was the size of a cricket-ball, but made of solid rubber, and deadly alike to batsman and fieldsman. For some reason or other the proper place in which to carry a cricket-ball was the trousers, or rather knickerbockers, pocket. The curious discomfort of this practice lingers in the p. 118mind. Soft balls are of no use in real cricket; but if you bore a hole in them and fill them with water they make very good bombs for practical anarchists. ”

“ Heads of lignum vitæ are also used, and many players have india-rubber 1/4-inch thick affixed to one end, by which means two balls can be rolled together a distance of nearly thirty yards without any undue effort. This is a great boon to lady players, as without the india-rubber a very powerful following stroke is required, a hard hit only separating the balls, the hinder or playing ball rarely reaching half the distance. ”

“ Solid rubber was discarded some years ago as being too heavy. Just before the sun rises, and at dusk, there is a grey misty haze over the ground, and the ball can scarcely be seen in its rapid œrial or terrestrial flight. ”

“ It should be obvious that one of the reasons for the greater swerve in the sliced or pulled rubber-cored ball as compared with the guttie, is that on account of the longer period of impact the ball acquires a greater amount of spin. ”

“ The ball, being of a material which does not absorb water, never becomes enlarged by use; and it is obvious that it can never be drawn through the orifice into the body of the instrument. It is also a self-adjusting valve, the friction of the ball on its seat having a constant tendency to make them fit together more accurately. The mineral balls are acknowledged to be much more durable than the India-rubber disks ”

“ Early baseball had melted rubber center. Ball of the 1840's weighed only three ounces and was very much "alive". The early-day baseball was composed of a melted rubber center around which yarn was wound, and generally included a sewn-on cover. The weight of the ball was three ounces and because of its size and construction it was a much livelier ball than the baseball of today. Scoring of over 100 runs in a game was not too uncommon until, in 1846, the rules were amended to provide that the first team to score 21 runs was the winner. ”

“ In selecting a ball for general games, including Handball Drills as herein given, it is desirable to have one slightly larger than for the official game and to get one with considerable resiliency; that is, a ball that will rebound from a hard floor to a height of about 3 feet when dropped from a height of about 6 feet. A good ball for this purpose will measure about 2-1/4 inches in diameter and weigh 2-1/2 ounces. They are of hollow rubber, sealed. Such balls will cost about $5 per dozen. For children's play of course cheaper balls can be had. ”

“ To the lower side of the foot-ball attach a piece of rubber gas pipe, and make the end fast to a ring in the floor. That prevents the ball from flying all about the room when struck, and brings it back quickly. ”

“ Golf has also a lesson to teach us. We are all familiar with the huge strides that have been made by the introduction of the rubber-cored ball. We don't want to plagiarize, although a rubber-cored cricket ball is a nice idea. Why not aim at the opposite extreme and try a ball "reinforced" with concrete? The tingling of the batsman's fingers which might result could be neutralised by the use of a rubber-faced bat. This reform would, we believe, have one happy consequence. People wouldn't be so keen to play with their legs. ”

“ When it had been produced Daddy laid down the yarn ball and cut into it. The blade entered readily for a inch and then stopped. Daddy cut all around the ball, and removed the cover of tightly wrapped yarn. Inside was a solid ball of India rubber.
"Say! it ain't so funny now—how that ball bounced," remarked Daddy. ”

“ It is odd to reflect that golfers were very near the rubber core several times during the fifty-four years that the gutta held office. As we were told in the big law case, an old lady made balls that were wound with rubber thread to make them bounce more; but, nearer to our rubber-core, there were two golfers who at different times and places are said to have made what was to all intents and purposes just the same ball in principle that we use to-day, but not so thoroughly made and perfected. ”

“ Red Rubber Lawn-Tennis Ball (Cloth Surface Rubber) . uniform in weight and size, carefully adjusted in bound, specially made for durability, and adapted for Asphalt or Hard Courts 7/6 per doz.
This Ball is manufactured so as to give the Regulation weight, size, and bounce, and the cloth-like surface makes it for all purposes of the game the same as the best makes of cloth-covered balls, with the great advantage that IT DOES NOT VARY IN WEIGHT IN ANY WEATHER and is readily cleansed; the red colour is better to see, being a greater contrast to the usual surroundings than ordinary Balls. ”

“ As the home team was responsible for furnishing the ball, strategy entered into the determination of the type of baseball to be supplied. A team with a lot of batting power furnished a lively ball while a good defensive club could be expected to put into play a dead ball. One New York firm, in an effort to find favor with good fielding teams, claimed in an advertisement that "our professional dead balls... are made of all yarn without rubber and are the deadest balls made."
The cork center baseball was introduced in 1910. ”

“ An ounce ball, suspended against the back of the pendulum, by the jar or blow it receives and communicates, completely prevents the effect, and the ball is flattened, instead of perforating the object struck: so is it if you place a 1⁄4-inch plate against any support; it thus has the power of perfectly resisting the force of the ball, though fired with considerably more power than is requisite under other circumstances. ”

“ Canons are made by the player striking two balls successively with his own ball fairly delivered from his spoon. Thus (says the most recent writer on the game) a clever player may make a large number of points—five, seven, or more at a stroke: two the first canon, two for a second canon, and three for the ring. This, however, is very seldom accomplished.
Considerable skill is required in throwing the ball, as the ring, turning freely on its pivot, twists round on being struck. To "make the ring," it is necessary, therefore, that the ball be thrown fairly through its centre. ”

“ 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. ”

“ It should leave the crosse at the bend, or if the throw is short, a little below. The ball should have a ring painted around it, by which you can see the spin. If the ball and crosse are wet, the spin is greater. If a perfect twist could be given to the ball, so that it would spin from right to left, or left to right, when it is blocked, there is no doubt but that "blocking" such shots would be almost as risky as trying to catch them. Here is a chance for invention—how to make the ball twist on its own axis with certainty; for we do not say we have discovered the correct principle. ”

“ On the same principle, a hoop thrown from the hand with a spinning-motion inwards, will begin to return before it touches the ground; and also the curious, though not so familiar instance, of a ball fired from a musket, the barrel of which has been bent to the left, being carried at long distances considerably to the right of the object aimed at, in consequence of the rotation of the ball on its axis, caused by the friction against the right side of the barrel overcoming the projectile force, and thus carrying it across the line of aim. ”

“ To the inner surface of the ball is attached a weight which is secured in place by a piece of cloth glued over it. When this ball is thrown through the air with a whirling motion, it describes a curve like that indicated by dotted lines in the upper part of the engraving, so that it is difficult, if not impossible, to catch it. When the ball is rolled on a plane surface, it does not take a straightforward course, as would be expected from a well-balanced ball, but its course is very erratic, as indicated by dotted lines in the lower part of the figure. ”

“ Many times boys would like to make their own shots and weights for athletic stunts, but do not know how to go about it to cast the metal. In making a lead sphere as shown in the illustration, it is not necessary to know the method of molding. The round lead weight for shot-putting or hammer throwing can be cast in a hollow cardboard or pressed-paper ball, sold in department and toy stores for 10 cents. Cut a 1/2-in. hole in the ball as shown in Fig. 1 and place it with the hole up in damp sand and press or tamp the sand lightly around the ball as shown in the section, Fig. ”

“ It will be noticed the line k through the cue meets the spot h on the ball which is the point of aim, and this should be the case in every description of stroke. Only a part of the surface of the leather impinges upon the ball in this stroke, and the quantity of surface is governed by the strength used, for the stronger the blow the greater the indentation of the ball in the leather. The effect of delivering the cue-ball on the object-ball right or left of full will become apparent to the student early in his practice. ”

“ I endeavor, of course, to hide my right hand as much as possible from the batter, and go through exactly the same motions as for a straight ball. I can get just as much speed with my curve as my straight, which in consequence, has proved my most successful ball.
"The drop ball is a most effective one if a pitcher can get control of it. If the ball falls even a half inch from the expected line, the batter is liable to strike over it. In pitching this ball I take a tight hold with the thumb and two forefingers, with the third finger underneath in touch with the sphere. ”

“ Nine balls are used, generally one black, four white, and four red, the distinction between white and red being made only for the sake of variety. In the ordinary game, at starting, the black ball is placed on a point in the longitudinal middle line of the board, a few inches in front of the nearest [352] of the sockets, and the player places one of his eight balls on a corresponding point at the other end of the board, and tries to strike the black ball into one of the sockets with his own. ”

“ The resistance is greater for large and swift balls, and very little on slow or small balls. The resistance is affected by the air chamber under the short end of the lever which has an outlet for the compressed air controlled by a set screw so it can be adjusted. The long end of the lever has a wooden shoe with leather on the under side. A large ball raises this shoe high, compressing the air, a quick ball raises it quickly and is resisted by the compressed air which can only escape slowly. ”

“ It is an easy matter to pull asunder the hollow ball, and this in turn is palmed, and the solid ball passed to the end of the fingers, before the performer, again uncovering his hand, which he brings out palm downward, carelessly throws down the solid ball, as being that which he has just taken off the rod. This is the only part of the trick which requires any special dexterity, and any difficulty which may be at first found will quickly disappear with a little practice.233 When the ball comes apart, the rings are, of course, left on the rod. ”

“ The balls, which are of the size of a large cricket-ball, are made of leather, and are so heavy, that, when well played, they are capable of breaking the arm, unless properly received on the bracciale. They are inflated with air, which is pumped into them with a long syringe, through a small aperture closed by a valve inside. The game is played on an oblong figure, marked out on the ground, or designated by the wall around the sunken platform on which it is played; across the centre is drawn a transverse line, dividing equally the two sides. ”

“ Six or eight young men stand around in a circle, with their garments tucked up so as not to impede their movements. A light, hollow wickerwork ball is started by one of them, and the object of the game is to keep it going as long as possible. They must not touch the ball with the hand, but they show great skill and activity in catching it with the foot, either side of the ankle, the heel, the toe, the knee, the shoulder. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Now, however, it will be well to vary the sleight used, so you show the ball between the [103] second finger and thumb of the left hand, and apparently take it back by means of the pincette or tourniquet; then professedly dropping it into the second tube.
“And now, to complete the set, we shall have to grow a red ball. Here is a seedling of that colour.” You pick up the little red ball, and make believe to pass it after the same fashion into the third tube.
“And now to supply the heat. We do not need much, the space being so confined. I find that even the flame of a match is sufficient.” ”