 About
Ball Games
Indian ball games have one feature not found in the ball games
as played by us; that is, with the Indian the ball is never pitched
and tossed by hand during the play. At the opening of an Indian
game the ball must be tossed by hand, but after that the ball
is struck by a racket, stick or club and in that way sent from
player to player and on to the goal. An exception to this general
rule is found in an Omaha ball game given in the following pages.
The opening ceremony requires the ball to be handled and moved
in a peculiar and ceremonial manner by the hand of the Umpire
before he tosses it up for the beginning of the actual play.
The balls used by the Indians are of different materials—buckskin
stuffed with hair; formed from roots, such as the wild-grape
vine; wood; bladder netted with sinew; and in a few instances,
of bone or stone.
Enjoy these three ball games that are part of this group!
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