THE GAME OF CAT, WITH A GLANCE AT SOME OTHER GAMES ALL SHOULD KNOW
The game of tip-cat, although very old in Ireland, where it is said to
have originated, and in all the British Islands, where it is very
popular, is comparatively new in this country.
Up to twenty years ago "Cat," as it is generally called, was unknown
to the boys of this country. Now it is played from the Atlantic to the
Pacific and from the Lakes to the Gulf.
The cat is a piece of wood from four to six inches in length, and from
one to two inches in diameter in the middle. From the middle to both
ends it is whittled into blunt points. As it must stand a lot of
pounding, it will be better if the wood is hard and tough.
The bat or driver should be from one to two feet in length, an inch to
an inch and a half in diameter, and of uniform thickness. When the cat
is placed flat on the ground, or in a slight depression made with the
heel, it will, when smartly struck, fly into the air. As soon as it
rises it is struck again and sent in the direction desired.
In the game of English Cat there are from four to eight bases,
depending on the number of players. The bases may be small stones, or
even holes in the ground.
The bases are marked on the circumference of a circle, at equal
distances apart. After sides are chosen and it is decided which shall
have first innings, the Outs take to the field and the Ins post
themselves at the bases, one base for each.
One of the Outs throws the cat to the nearest man at base. If he makes
a strike then all the boys on base change places, for safety's sake
taking the nearest. If the cat has been sent far they keep on changing
so long as they think it prudent.
Each base gained scores one point. If the cat _is_ caught the striker
is out, or if the cat is thrown in front of an In who is changing
bases, he is out.
When the Ins are made Outs, the positions are reversed and the game
goes on as before. When a striker fails to hit, he tosses the cat back
to the fielder and tries again.
COUNTRY CAT
For this game a ring twenty or more feet in diameter must be made, in
the center of which the striker stands. The fielder--any boy not a
striker is now a fielder--tosses the cat, and if it is missed there
is no count. If he hits and fails to send the cat outside the circle,
he is out, or if the cat is caught, he is out.
If the cat is sent beyond the circle, the striker calls out "Twenty",
"Thirty" or "Fifty", depending on the estimated distance the cat has
gone. If his claim is allowed, the number called out is placed to the
striker's credit. If it is disputed the bat is used for a measuring
rod and the distance is measured from the striker's place to where the
cat has fallen.
If the striker claimed too much he resigns his stick to the one who
has the next turn. If it is found that the striker did not claim too
much, the number is placed to his credit and the game proceeds.
The number of points that is to count for the game is decided on in
advance, and when a player has served the full amount, he is declared
victor, and another game is in order.
AMERICAN CAT
The American cat is smaller than the Country or English cat, being
over four or five inches long. If the game is played on the sidewalk,
a small circle is drawn on the paving stones, where the striker
stands; but if the game is played on the bare earth, a hole is made,
where the striker stands. It is the duty of the batsman to defend the
hole or ring with the stick he uses for a bat, and it is the object of
the giver or pitcher to toss the cat in the circle or hole.
If he is successful, the striker is out. If, on the other hand, it
falls outside the circle, the striker places the cat inside the ring,
strikes it on one end, which causes the little piece of wood to fly up
in the air, and before it reaches the ground the striker endeavors to
hit it again and send the cat as far as possible.
If he misses he throws the cat back to the fielder, who again attempts
to toss it into the circle, but if he succeeds in sending it a good
distance he does not call his score, as described in Country Cat, but
the pitcher offers him five points or ten, as the case may be. The
striker, however, is not compelled to accept the offer, and may keep
the pitcher bidding for some time, and if his last bid is refused the
pitcher proceeds to measure the distance from the circle to the cat in
jumps. If he can make the distance in fewer jumps than he has bid,
the striker, or the striker's side, loses the number of points named
in the last bid of the pitcher, and the striker is out.
DUCK ON A ROCK
does not require an "it" to start with. As soon as it is decided to
try the game, each player hurries to secure a good sized stone, or
where this cannot be had, a club or a half brick will do. As each
grasps his weapon he shouts, "My Duck." The last boy to find a stone
is "It" and must call out, "My drake."
The drake places his stone on a rock, stump, or other prominence and
stands guard.
A taw line is drawn and from this the ducks are thrown at the drake,
each trying to knock him off his perch.
When a player has failed, he must recover his own duck, and in doing
so he runs the risk of being tagged by the boy guarding the drake. The
drake guardian cannot touch the other until he has put his hand on his
duck.
The best way is for the ducks to make a rush for their weapons at once
when most of them are sure to escape, whereas one has but little
chance. Whenever a boy is tagged he must assume the place of guardian.
If the drake is knocked off, all the boys make a rush for their ducks.
The drake cannot tag till he has placed the stone in position.
STONE THROW
This game may be played with from six to twenty players. When the game
is played outdoors, a large stone is placed on a boulder, and a player
stands to guard it. A line is drawn twenty or thirty feet from the
boulder. Here each of the other players stands in turn and throws a
stone at the stone on the boulder, which he tries to knock off the
rock. If he does not succeed he goes and stands by the place where
some stone has fallen, and waits until some one does succeed. If he
prefers, he may pick up his stone and try to run back to the goal
before the guard of the stone can tag him. If he reaches it in safety
he has a chance to throw again. When some one succeeds in knocking off
the stone all who have thrown may pick up stones and run back to the
goal line, while the guard replaces the stone on the rock and tries to
tag any one who has his stone in his hand, and who has not crossed the
goal line. Whoever is tagged becomes guard.