Lacrosse is becoming very popular among the young men and lads of the
United States, and very properly, too, for it is a fine game, and one
that is thoroughly American. Years ago, how many no one knows, it was
played by American Indians, who called it "Baggataway."
Basil Hall, Catlin, and Lanman, who have written some of the best books
about Indians, tell how the Creeks of Alabama, the Cherokees of North
Carolina, and other tribes, played the game years ago, and their
accounts show that then it was a fierce, hard game to play, in which the
young Indians displayed wonderful skill and strength and pluck, and
where broken bones were no rare thing.
"But," says one writer, "there never appears to be any spite or wanton
exertions of strength to affect them, nor do disputes ever happen
between the parties." These last words should be printed in large
letters, that they may be easily read by all boys nowadays who play
lacrosse.
In those days the game was not the scientific one that it is now. Then
it was a matter of brute strength, and sometimes as many as six hundred,
eight hundred, and even a thousand, players took part. The Canadian
Indians claim to have invented the present game, and when the French
first saw them playing, they gave it the name "La Crosse"--the bat--from
the bat, or crosse, used in the game.
For a long time only the Indians played it; then the young Canadians
took it up; and finally, in 1867, the game was formally adopted as the
national game of Canada. Naturally the Canadians play well their own
game, and the best clubs in the world are said to be the Toronto Club,
of Toronto, and the Shamrocks, of Montreal.
They are great rivals, and which is the best it would be hard to say.
Not long ago they played one hour and thirty-six minutes without either
getting a goal, and then they were stopped by the darkness.
Lacrosse is a simple game, and easy to understand. A large level piece
of ground is required, the smoother the better, but smoothness is not
necessary. A goal is simply two poles driven into the ground, so that
the tops, where wave little flags, shall be six feet high. The poles are
six feet apart. Each side has a goal, designated by the color of the
flag. These goals may be any distance apart, just as the players decide.
Now the great thing to do is for one side to throw the ball through the
goal of the other side. At the end of the play, the side having thus
made the most goals is the winner. By throwing, it is not meant that the
ball is thrown with the hands, as in base-ball. The ball is never to be
touched by the hands. All the work is done with the crosse, which is
made of a frame of bent wood, on which are woven thongs of rawhide or
catgut. This has a long handle. With this crosse the ball is caught,
carried, and thrown.
So expert do some players become that they will throw the ball straight
and swiftly from goal to goal. Mr. Lally, of the Shamrock Club, is able
to throw the ball four hundred and fifty feet. The ball is of India
rubber sponge, not less than eight nor more than nine inches in
circumference. As the game is now played, twelve players are on each
side, placed according to the best judgment of their captains for
working the ball toward the opposite goal, or keeping it from going
through their own goal.
All the play, the running, dodging, leaping, twisting, throwing, is
simply to get the ball through the goal. This part of it is easily
learned. Of course it requires practice to enable one to handle the
crosse well. But any active lad can soon get the hang of that, and once
learned, it is doubtful if he will give up lacrosse for base-ball, with
its broken fingers and sprained thumbs, or for foot-ball, with its
kicked shins and sometimes broken ribs.
But lacrosse is no girls' play. There is sufficient hard work and danger
to make it quite exciting enough for anybody; but there is not much
danger of a player's getting maimed for life, as has often happened in
these other games. There are no spiked shoes worn, no wrestling, no
holding, no intentional tripping, no striking. It is simply a game of
agility and endurance.
To be a good player, one must be able to run well and to run long. It is
remarkable what speed and endurance some of the players possess. To have
these, they must take good care of their health, and good lacrosse
players are careful seldom or never to touch tobacco or strong drink,
nor to eat unwholesome food at unnatural hours.
Lacrosse is a good game, because it cultivates courage in a boy, knocks
the timidity out of him, gives him confidence and pluck, and teaches him
to govern his temper. It develops judgment and calculation, promptness
and decision, and gives him a healthful and manly recreation. Besides,
it is a cheap game. It can be played on almost any vacant lot. In Canada
it is played in the streets of the towns and on the village greens. The
balls are not expensive, and last well, and the crosses do not cost a
large sum.
It is a pretty game. It is very interesting to watch twenty-four
players, especially if they are wearing tasteful uniforms, all rushing,
leaping, dodging, over the green grass, each side intent upon driving
that little black ball through the goal.
There have been games of lacrosse that were not so pretty. History tells
of one that ended in a fearful tragedy. It was played over one hundred
years ago, in 1763. One of the British chain of forts in the North was
Fort Michilimackinac. On the 4th of June, 1763, it was garrisoned by
thirty-five soldiers, and contained about ninety other persons, men,
women, and children. It was the birthday of King George, and the
soldiers were celebrating the day.
There had been rumors that the Ojibway Indians had conspired with
Pontiac, the great chief, to capture the fort, but Captain Etherington,
the commandant, paid no attention to them. So, when on this day the
Ojibways sent an invitation to the fort to see a grand game of
"baggataway," or lacrosse, between them and the Sacs, on the plain in
front of the fort, the soldiers gladly accepted.
"The gates were opened wide," says Mr. W. G. Beers, in his account of
the game; "the soldiers were lying and standing about in groups, the
majority without arms. Captain Etherington and Lieutenant Leslie stood
close by the gate, betting on the game.
"A large number of squaws were collected near the fort. Then the game
began. The players, nearly naked, yelling, with leaps and dashes, chased
and fought for the ball, kicking, wrestling, rolling over each other.
The spectators roared with laughter. No one thought of anything but the
game. But slowly the ball neared the fort. Once or twice it shot into
the air, and fell inside the pickets, and was thrown out. Gradually the
great body of players neared the fort, all playing with might and main.
"Suddenly the ball was thrown high into the air, and as it fell near the
gate, the players made a great rush, followed by all the warriors who
had not been playing.
"The war-whoop rang over the plain; the ball sticks were thrown away;
the squaws threw open their blankets, and the players snatched the
tomahawks and other weapons they had concealed there."
Then the massacre began, and of that little band of English but twenty
escaped alive. So you see when you play lacrosse you are playing a
purely American game, and a historical game too.