The Game of Clotshot

1895

Two players on each side have to play alternately with one ball. One village has ball No. 1 and the other ball No. 2. Those balls are 2 inches in diameter and in weight are 1¼ pounds. The material is of hard wood root, and lead is poured into six holes, of which every two face each other. This lead makes the ball a first class missile, and the smooth surface of the hard wood lets it quit the fingers easily when the throw is made. Now, what is the object of this throwing? It is simply to get as far as possible down the appointed course. You have to walk for an hour at least and back again. He who can cover the distance with fewest throws wins.

I would like to see a good English cricket ball thrower contend at this game with these Germans. In each case a man who can throw 100 yards is a very good thrower. The Germans, in throwing, go through an amount of acrobatic contortion and leaping that I have never seen practiced at baseball or cricket ball throwing. But the Germans are very accurate. One great point with them is to cast the missile so that it shall continue after touching the ground to go on. The ball, therefore, should be thrown as low as possible, so that it may have force to bound and roll onward when it alights. — Good Words.