Part 3

Practice the roquet-croquet whenever an opportunity offers, as it is susceptible of more scientific playing than any other stroke.

Accustom yourself to be guided strictly according to established rules as far as you are informed on the subject.

Do not attempt to use a kind of push and call it a stroke although it may not be expressly forbidden in some manual of croquet.

Avoid acquiring the habit of standing behind the ball and holding the mallet in a perpendicular position with both hands when making a stroke, even though you play with those who do not object to the practice, as it will not be allowed on any well-regulated croquet ground. In making a stroke grasp your mallet firmly; strike squarely—take care that your wrist does not turn or twist, (unless you wish to give a twist to your ball,) and after getting your aim look rather at your mark than at your ball when giving the blow. After calculating distance, direction, &c., there is no more use in looking at your ball except to be sure you can hit it, than in throwing a stone, to look at your hand, rather than the mark.

If the enemy have an expert rover it is generally advisable to use every effort to strike him out.

As an offset to this method of play it is often advisable to neglect to make the last bridge till near the close of the game, as in this way you can venture as near the starting post as you please without the fear of being deaded.

It is often the case that you and an enemy may both be in position for the last bridge. In such a case as a general rule roquet him, then croquet or roquet-croquet through the bridge, roquet again and croquet him against the starting post, thus depriving the other side of a rover, and gaining the advantage of bringing two of your own side into consecutive play.

Leave your own ball as near your friend and as far from an enemy as possible.

Accustom yourself as much as possible to strike with one hand, as it is much more graceful, and many players allow no other blow.

The ladies will very much oblige all their associates in croquet by avoiding long dresses, which are continually dragging the balls about over the ground greatly to the annoyance of the players and disturbance of the game.

To the gentlemen we would say it is no proof of skill in executing the croquet, to swing your mallet with both hands, and give a blow hard enough to kill an ox. If you want to do that sort of thing—it would be more agreeable to all concerned for you to go off alone somewhere and split wood. An easy skillful stroke will send a ball anywhere within the bounds, and a ball out of bounds may be brought in, so nothing is gained by “sledge hammering,” except injuring the implements, irritating the players and delaying the game.

In executing the roquet-croquet the stroke may be varied so as to produce three very different results. First, if it is desirable to have the secondary ball go much further than your own, strike a _sharp_, _quick_ blow, proportioned in force to the distance you wish your own ball to go, checking the force the instant the mallet hits the ball. Secondly, if you wish to send both balls along together strike a more sweeping blow, (not a push) permitting the mallet to have its full swing. The difference in these two blows is much more easily discovered by the player than described with the pen.

The third stroke may partake of the nature of either of the above, but differs in the fact that the blow of the mallet is not delivered in a line with the centers of the two balls, but partially to one side of the rear ball, thus producing the splitting stroke, i. e., sending the two balls in courses diverging from each other. This is much the most difficult stroke of the three.

In procuring a set of croquet materials be sure that you know what you want, or else buy a set manufactured by some recognized manufacturer. It may seem a very simple thing to have a set of mallets, &c., made from a description, but having tried the experiment we can testify that to procure suitable lumber—well seasoned, have mallets well shaped, the handles serviceable and not bungling, the balls _perfectly round_, the bridges well formed and proportioned—and the painting brilliant and properly arranged is a very difficult matter. An English author on this subject says, “It was our fortune (or rather misfortune) when in the country last year to take part in a game of Croquet played with home-made materials. We only hope that it will never be our lot to play with such things again. The mallets were so large they had to be used as one would a scythe in mowing grass. The heads, instead of tapering at the center, bore a great resemblance to an ale barrel on a small scale, and were so large that if one attempted to croquet, one was sure to hit one’s own foot instead of the ball. These, by-the-by, were any shape but round. They bobbed up and down when in progress, and scarcely ever went in the direction which it was intended for them to go.... Such was the unsatisfactory result of the combined labors of the local carpenter and blacksmith. We therefore earnestly recommend our readers to eschew the use of home-made sets of Croquet altogether.”

We endorse the foregoing statement, adding that responsible manufacturers in various parts of the country are now furnishing excellent sets of implements at a cheaper rate than individuals can get up equally good sets for themselves. There is therefore no economy in using a home-made set.

_Parlor Croquet_ is a very good substitute for the Lawn game, and may be enjoyed in a winter day or evening very much as canned fruit or preserved flowers are enjoyed as excellent and beautiful substitutes for the delicious fruits of autumn and fragrant flowers of summer. But as the canned fruit is insipid when used beside the fresh fruit of autumn, so will the parlor game seem when attempted in the season of the field sport. There are two kinds of Parlor Croquet—which may be termed Carpet Croquet, and Table or Board Croquet.

The Carpet Croquet is played exactly like the field game and with similar materials except that they are usually smaller, being reduced in size in the same proportion that the space available in a room is smaller than the Lawn Croquet ground. The same relative proportion in the size of materials should be preserved as that given for the materials of the Lawn game—assuming as a standard—a ball from 2¼ to 2½ inches in diameter. There are several ingenious devices for fastening the bridges to the floor or carpet. Each one of those which we have seen have some objections; but those which are fastened with tacks are the simplest and we consider them the best.

_The Board game_ is played on a board of any convenient size—say five feet long and three feet wide—covered with baize or flannel, and surrounded by a ledge or thin strip projecting above the top surface three-fourths of an inch.

The bridges and posts are set in this board in the same manner that the larger bridges are set in the ground on the lawn. The balls should be about one inch in diameter and may be of glass—but box-wood or ivory are better.

The size of the mallets should be in proportion to that of the balls—with handles about eight inches long.

The method of play is the same as in Lawn Croquet, except the croquet is executed by placing the finger instead of the foot on the playing ball. The rules are the same, except that, _first_, a player driving his ball off the board terminates his tour of play by that stroke and the ball must be placed immediately on the starting spot; _second_, making two or more steps at one stroke does not entitle the player to the privilege of taking position up to one or more mallet’s length.

The Board Croquet is the most popular for the reason that it does not injure the furniture in any room, while the Carpet Croquet, although more like the Lawn game, requires a large room—well cleared—or there will soon be an action of Croquet _vs._ furniture.

VOCABULARY.

A BOOBY.—A ball that has attempted to run the first bridge and failed.

BRIDGES OR ARCHES.—The iron hoops or bows through which the balls pass.

BRIDGED BALL.—A ball that has run the first bridge.

CONCUSSION.—The displacement of a ball by another driven against it by roquet, croquet, ricochet, or roquet-croquet, and not hit directly either by the mallet or by the playing ball.

CROQUET.—(Pronounced Cró-kay.) The title of the game.

THE CROQUET.—Any ball having struck another, is taken up and placed in contact with the ball it has struck. The player sets his foot upon his own ball, pressing firmly so as to hold it in place, and with a blow of his mallet, delivered upon his own ball, drives the other ball in whatever direction he may desire. (See cut, page 19.)

DEAD BALL.—One that has made the grand round and hit the starting post.

DISTANCED.—A ball is distanced when at the termination of the game it has not tolled the turning post.

DOWN.—The course from the turning post to the starting post.

A FLINCH.—When in the croquet, the playing ball is driven from under the foot by the blow of the mallet, it is called a flinch.

FRONT OF A BRIDGE.—The side from which the ball must proceed in running it, and with the central bridges is not constant, but is decided in each case by the course of the ball under consideration.

GRAND ROUND.—A ball has made the grand round when it has run all the bridges and tolled the turning post, and is then a rover.

PLAYING BALL.—The ball struck with the mallet.

POINT.—A player makes a point, by running a bridge or tolling a post, or by roqueting a ball that he has not previously roqueted during the tour—since making the step—or in other words, by roqueting a ball under such circumstances as would entitle him to the privilege of the croquet.

POSITION.—A ball is in position when it lies in front of its proper bridge with a possibility of running it by a single blow of the mallet.

PROPER BRIDGE.—A bridge which it is a player’s turn to run next in order is said to be that player’s bridge or his proper bridge.

PUSH.—A stroke in which the mallet remains in contact with the ball after the instant of contact.

RICOCHET.—(Rick´-o-shay.)—A ball making Roquet on two or more balls by the same blow of the mallet.

ROQUET.—(Ro´-kay.) A ball makes Roquet on another ball when proceeding from a blow of the mallet it comes in contact with it either directly or by rebounding from a fixed obstacle in the ground or from another ball.

[Some writers define the Roquet as the contact of the playing ball with another ball under such circumstances as to constitute a point. This is merely a matter of choice regarding the facility of defining the other operations of the game. We consider that our definition renders the whole matter much the most simple.]

ROQUET-CROQUET.—The same as Croquet, except that the playing ball is not held under the foot, but both balls are free to move in accordance with the blow of the mallet.

A ROVER.—A ball that has run all the bridges and has not hit the starting post.

STARTING POST.—The stake from which the play proceeds. See diagram.

A STEP.—Running a bridge, or tolling the turning post.

STRIKING OUT.—A ball struck against the starting post after having run all the bridges in their proper order, is struck out, and is out of the game.

THE TURNING POST.—The post opposite the starting post.

TOLLING THE TURNING POST.—Striking the turning post in its proper order.

UNDER A BRIDGE.—A ball is under a bridge when if the mallet handle is placed across the piers of the bridge on each side it will touch the ball in both positions of the handle.

UP.—The course from the starting post to the turning post.

Base Ball.

THE game of Base Ball is fast becoming with Americans what Cricket has already become with the English, a national game. The sport is both graceful and invigorating, and requires when properly played the possession both of muscularity of body and strength of nerve. The exercise attendant on this game develops all the physical powers and calls into action every muscle and sinew in the human frame. There are few sights more exhilarating and captivating than a well contested match game between evenly matched clubs. Such a spectacle rarely fails to draw admiring throngs, and to be considered a first class player is a distinction of which any American youth may feel proud. As our readers will find this subject fully treated in professional works, we do not propose to enter into any lengthy description of the origin or progress of the game of Base Ball. We shall therefore simply state that this game was derived from the old English game of Rounders, reduced to a system, and governed by rules and regulations adopted by “The National Association of Base Ball Players,” held in New York, December 13, 1865. These regulations for the convenience of our readers we here insert.

RULES OF THE GAME.

SECTION 1. The ball must weigh not less than five and one-half, nor more than five and three-fourths ounces avoirdupois. It must measure not less than nine and one-half, nor more than nine and three-fourths inches in circumference. It must be composed of India rubber and yarn, and covered with leather, and, in all match games, shall be furnished by the challenging club, and become the property of the winning club as a trophy of victory.

SEC. 2. The bat must be round, and must not exceed two and a half inches in diameter in the thickest part. It must be made of wood, and may be of any length to suit the striker.

SEC. 3. The bases must be four in number, placed at equal distances from each other, and securely fastened upon each corner of a square, whose sides are respectively thirty yards. They must be so constructed as to be distinctly seen by the umpire, and must cover a space equal to one square foot of surface. The first, second, and third bases shall be canvas bags, painted white, and filled with some soft material; the home base and pitcher’s point to be each marked by a flat circular iron plate, painted or enameled white.

SEC. 4. The base from which the ball is struck shall be designated the home base, and must be directly opposite to the second base; the first base must always be that upon the right-hand, and the third base that upon the left-hand side of the striker, when occupying his position at the home base. And in all match games, a line connecting the home and first base and the home and third base, shall be marked by the use of chalk, or other suitable material, so as to be distinctly seen by the umpire.

Many of our clubs have an iron quoit for the home base, that is in direct violation of the rule which states that the home base must be marked by “a _flat_ circular iron plate.” Those we allude to rise in the center, and the consequence is, when a ball touches the base, it flies off at a tangent, instead of rebounding as if it had touched the ground, as it would do were it flat, as the rule prescribes.

SEC. 5. The pitcher’s position shall be designated by two lines, four yards in length, drawn at right angles to a line from home to second base, having their centers upon that line at two fixed iron plates, placed at points 15 and 16 1-3 yards distant from the home base. The pitcher must stand within the lines, and must deliver the ball as near as possible over the center of the home base, and for the striker.

[It will be seen that the rule requires the ball to be pitched as near as possible over the home base, _and for the striker_; the pitcher, therefore, has no right to pitch the ball to the catcher especially, as is often done when a player is on the first base, and umpires should see that the rule is enforced.

This important change was made by the Convention of 1863. The object being to do away with the unfair style of pitching that was in vogue during 1861, ’62, and ’63, during which period those pitchers who failed in achieving the success attained by the lamented Creighton, offset their want of skill by trying to intimidate the batsmen by pitching the ball _at_ them instead of _for_ them as the rules require.]

SEC. 6. Should the pitcher repeatedly fail to deliver to the striker fair balls for the apparent purpose of delaying the game, or for any cause, the umpire, after warning him, shall call one ball, and if the pitcher persists in such action, two and three balls; when three balls shall have been called, the striker shall take the first base; and should any base be occupied at that time, each player occupying it or them shall take one base without being put out.

[In warning the pitcher before calling balls on him, all that is necessary is to call “ball to the bat;” and if two balls are pitched unfairly after such warning, “one ball” should be called, and if one unfair ball be delivered after that call, then “two” and “three” balls should be promptly called. A pitcher “repeatedly” fails if he fails twice in succession; and he “persists” in his unfair delivery if he pitch one ball after the first penalty has been imposed. In the first innings of a game, a little more latitude is allowable, but afterwards the rule should be strictly enforced to the very letter of the law.]

SEC. 7. The ball must be pitched, not jerked or thrown to the bat; and whenever the pitcher moves with the apparent purpose or pretension to deliver the ball, he shall so deliver it, and must have neither foot in advance of the front line or off the ground at the time of delivering the ball; and if he fails in either of these particulars, then it shall be declared a baulk.

[The pitcher makes a baulk when he either jerks a ball to the bat, has either foot in advance of the line of his position, or off the ground at the time of delivering the ball, or moves with the apparent purpose of pitching, without delivering the ball. The sentence “time of delivering the ball” has been interpreted by the Committee on Rules and Regulations of the National Association to mean, the period when the last movement of the arm is made in delivering the ball; and consequently if either foot of the pitcher be off the ground when this movement is made—it being nearly simultaneous with the ball’s leaving the hand of the pitcher—umpires must declare a baulk without being appealed to.]

SEC. 8. When a baulk is made by the pitcher, every player running the bases is entitled to one base, without being put out.

[The striker cannot take a base, on a baulk, as he is not considered a “player running the bases” until he has made the first base and ceased to be a striker.]

SEC. 9. If a ball, from a stroke of the bat, _first touches the ground_, _the person of a player_, _or any other object_, behind the range of home and the first base, or home and the third base, it shall be termed foul, and must be so declared by the umpire, unasked. If the ball first touches the ground, either upon, or in front of the range of those bases, it shall be considered fair.

[Nothing is mentioned in Section 9 in reference to any ball that is caught, either on the fly or first bound, after touching the side of a building, a fence, or a tree. In such cases a special rule is requisite before beginning a match.]

SEC. 10. A player making the home base, shall be entitled to score one run.

SEC. 11. If three balls are struck at, and missed, and the last one is not caught, either flying or upon the first bound, it shall be considered fair, and the striker must attempt to make his run.

SEC. 12. The striker is out if a foul ball is caught, either before touching the ground, or upon the first bound.

SEC. 13. Or, if three balls are struck at and missed, and the last is caught, either before touching the ground, or upon the first bound.

[The bound-catch, in this instance—the ball striking the ground back of the home base—is considered in the light of a foul ball, as far as the fly-game is concerned, and consequently when the ball is caught on the bound, on the third strike, the player must be given out, the same as he was last year under the bound rule.]

SEC. 14. Or, if a fair ball is struck, and the ball is caught without having touched the ground.

SEC. 15. Or, if a fair ball is struck, and the ball is held by an adversary on first base, before the striker touches that base.

SEC. 16. Any player running the bases is out, if at any time he is touched by the ball while in play in the hands of an adversary, without some part of his person being on the base.

[All that is requisite for a player to “hold his base,” according to the meaning of the rule, is, for him to touch the base bag, no matter whether the bag is in its position or not.]

SEC. 17. No ace or base can be made upon a foul ball; such a ball shall be considered dead, and not in play until it shall first have been settled in the hands of the pitcher. In such cases players running bases shall return to them, and may be put out in so returning in the same manner as the striker when running to the first base.

SEC. 18. No ace nor base can be made when a fair ball has been caught without having touched the ground; such a ball shall be considered alive and in play. In such case players running bases shall return to them, and may be put out in so returning, in the same manner as the striker when running to first base; but players, when balls are so caught, may run their bases immediately after the ball has been settled in the hands of the player catching it.

[It will be seen by the above two Sections that a player running a base on a foul ball must return to the base he has left _and remain on it_ until the ball has been fairly settled in the hands of the pitcher. But in case of fly-catches, a player running a base is only required to return and touch the base, after which he can leave it at once and try and make the next base. He must, however, touch the base _after_ the ball has been caught.]

SEC. 19. The striker must stand on a line drawn through the center of the home base, not exceeding in length three feet from either side thereof, and parallel with the line occupied by the pitcher. He shall be considered the striker until he has made the first base. Players must strike in regular rotation, and, after the first innings is played, the turn commences with the player who stands on the list next to the one who lost the third hand.

[This rule should be strictly enforced by the umpire.] A striker has no right to avail himself of the advantage derived from standing back of the line of his position, thereby increasing the distance between himself and the pitcher, and obtaining a better opportunity of judging the ball. Besides which, a poorly hit ball which would strike the ground in front of the home base—if the batsman stood on the line of his base—and lead to his being put out, is changed to a foul ball by his standing back of his base, and he thereby escapes the penalty of his poor batting.

SEC. 20. Players must make their bases in the order of striking; and when a fair ball is struck, and not caught flying, the first base must be vacated, as also the second and third bases, if they are occupied at the same time. Players may be put out on any base, under these circumstances, in the same manner as the striker when running to the first base.

SEC. 21. Players running bases must touch them; and, so far as possible, keep upon the direct line between them; and must touch them in the following order: first, second, third, and home; and if returning must reverse this order; and should any player run three feet out of this line, for the purpose of avoiding the ball in the hands of an adversary, he shall be declared out.

[A player failing to touch his base must be declared out—after an appeal—unless he can return to the base before he is touched.]

SEC. 22. Any player, who shall intentionally prevent an adversary from catching or fielding the ball, shall be declared out.