Volume Ii Part 42 (2/2)

1. The wickets to be boards one foot square, mounted on a stake, which, when fixed in the ground, must be four feet nine inches from the ground.

2. The wickets to be sixteen yards apart, the bowling crease to be eight yards from the wicket.

3. The bowler to stand with one foot behind the crease, and in bowling must neither jerk nor throw the ball.

4. The ball to be of that kind known as ”Best Tennis,” No. 3.

5. The bats to be of wood, and made the same size and shape as battledores.

6. The striker to be out if the ball when bowled hits the wicket, or if the ball be caught in the _hands_ of any of the opposing side, or if in running, preparing to run, or pretending to run, the ball be thrown or touch the wicket before the striker reaches it, and the ball in all cases must strike the face of the wicket, and in running the striker must at each run strike the wicket with her bat.

7. There should be eleven players on each side.

8. Overs to consist of eight b.a.l.l.s.

Miss F. Hagden, in her short History of Alfriston, Suss.e.x, says, ”In the Jubilee year the game of stool-ball was revived and played in the Tye field. The rules resemble those of cricket, but the wickets are square boards on posts; the bowler stands in the centre of the pitch, the bats used are round boards with a handle. The game in Alfriston seems now to have died out again, but in many villages there are regular clubs for the girls,” p. 43. It also appears to be a game among Lancas.h.i.+re children to this day. A stool is used as a wicket, at which it is attempted to throw the ball; a player stands near the stool, and using his or her hand as a bat, wards off the blow. If the ball hits the stool the thrower takes the place at wicket; or if the ball is caught the catcher becomes the guardian of the stool. Stool-ball, like all ball games, was usually played at Easter for tansy cakes. Mr. Newell (_Games and Songs_) says this game is recorded by the second governor of Ma.s.sachusetts as being played under date of the second Christmas of the colony.

See ”Bittle-battle,” ”Cricket,” ”Stool-ball.”

Strik a Licht

A version of hide and seek. One player is chosen to be ”it.” The other players go away to a distance and ”show a light,” to let ”it” understand they are ready. They then hide, and the first one found has to be ”it”

in place of the previous seeker.-Aberdeen (Rev. W. Gregor).

See ”Hide and Seek.”

Stroke

A game at marbles, where each player places a certain number on a line and plays in turns from a distance mark called ”scratch,” keeping such as he may knock off.-Lowsley's _Berks.h.i.+re Glossary_.

Stroke Bias

Brome, in his _Travels over England_, 1700, p. 264, says: ”The Kentish men have a peculiar exercise, especially in the eastern parts, which is nowhere else used in any other country, I believe, but their own; it is called 'Stroke Bias,' and the manner of it is thus. In the summer time one or two parishes convening make choice of twenty, and sometimes more, of the best runners which they can cull out in their precincts, who send a challenge to an equal number of racers within the liberties of two other parishes, to meet them at a set day upon some neighbouring plain; which challenge, if accepted, they repair to the place appointed, whither also the county resort in great numbers to behold the match, when having stripped themselves at the goal to their s.h.i.+rts and drawers, they begin the course, every one bearing in his eye a particular man at which he aims; but after several traverses and courses on both sides, that side, whose legs are the nimblest to gain the first seven strokes from their antagonists, carry the day and win the prize. Nor is this game only appropriated to the men, but in some places the maids have their set matches too, and are as vigorous and active to obtain a victory.”

Sun and Moon

”A kinde of play wherein two companies of boyes holding hands all on a rowe, doe pull with hard hold one another, till one be overcome.”-Quoted by Halliwell (_Dictionary_), from _Thomasii Dictionarium_, London, 1644.

Sunday Night

I. Sunday night an' Nancy, oh!

My delight and fancy, oh!

All the world that I should know If I had a Katey, oh!

<script>