Tether Ball

Source: Games For The Playground, Home, School And Gymnasium
Category: BALL GAMES



_2 to 8 players._

_Out of doors._

This is one of the most delightful and vigorous games, especially
adapted to small playing space, a plot twenty feet square being enough
for it. The paraphernalia for the game consists of a wooden pole
placed upright, so that it shall stand ten feet above the ground. The
pole must be embedded deeply enough to be perfectly firm during the
strain of the play. It will probably need to be about three feet below
the surface. A pole should measure seven and a half inches in
circumference at the ground, and should taper toward its upper end. A
black stripe should be painted around it six feet above the ground.

To the top of this pole a ball is attached by a stout linen cord or
fishing line. The ball should be preferably a tennis ball, and should
have a netted cover, by means of which it is attached to the cord. No
metal should be used around it in any way. The cover may be knotted or
crocheted of heavy linen cord or fish line. When hanging at rest, the
ball should be seven and a half feet from the top of the pole, and two
and a half feet from the ground. The ball is played upon by tennis
rackets in the hands of two players.

A tether-ball outfit, consisting of pole, ball, cord, and marking
ropes, with staples for the ground as hereinafter specified, may be
had for from three to four dollars, the ball alone, with cover and
cord, costing about seventy-five cents, and the pole from one dollar
to a dollar and a half. It is particularly desirable to have the
specially made ball and cord for this game, but any of the
paraphernalia may be improvised, the pole being cut from a sapling,
and even the bats whittled from strips of thin board about the size of
a shingle.

On the ground around the pole a circle should be drawn three feet in
radius; that is, six feet in diameter. A straight line twenty feet in
length should bisect the circle to separate the territory for the
players. In addition to the circle and line, two spots should be
marked on the ground, from which the ball is served. These should be
at the ends of an imaginary line crossing the first line at right
angles, and should be six feet from the pole, one on each side of the
ground.

Where there are more than two players, they are divided into two
opposing groups, each member of a team or group stepping forward, in
turn, to play with the member of the opposite team. Only these two
play upon the ball during one game.

The game consists, on the part of one player, in trying to wind the
cord with the ball attached around the pole above the line by batting
it with his tennis racket. The opponent tries (1) to interfere and
reverse the action of the ball by batting it in the opposite
direction, and (2) for his part to wind the ball around the pole in
his direction.

The players toss rackets or resort to some other method of choosing
sides of the ground. The game starts with each player on his service
point; the player who lost in the toss for choice of ground has the
first service. The player who has the choice of ground has also the
choice of direction in which to wind the ball.

The ball is then put in play by the server, who may hit the ball but
once. Should he fail to send it across the line with his first serve,
he loses his serve and the opposite player has the ball. The players
have each one strike at the ball in turn. It is sometimes possible to
send the ball so high and with so much force that it will wind around
the pole in one stroke, before the opponent can hit it with his
racket. Of course such strokes should be the endeavor of both sides.

Should a player fail to hit the ball, the opponent has the next turn,
either on service or after the ball is once in play.

Each player must keep entirely on his own side of the dividing line,
both with his feet, his arms, and his racket. Neither player may step
on or over the circle about the pole. If the string winds around the
handle of a racket of one of the players, it is a foul. It is also a
foul for the string to wind about the pole below the black mark, and
counts against the player in whose direction it is wound; that is, if
it winds in the direction in which he is trying to send the ball.
Penalty for transgression of any of the above rules (fouls) is
allowing the opponent a free hit from his service mark. When a ball is
taken for service in this way, if it has to be either wound or
unwound on the pole a half turn, so as to reach the other side, it
shall be unwound.

The game is won when the string has been entirely wound around the
pole above the limit line. When there are but two players, the one
wins who has the majority out of eleven games. Where there are more
than two players, the team wins which has the greatest number of games
to its credit at the end of from two to five rounds, as may be decided
at the opening of the series.


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