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LACROSSE
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LACROSSE , the See also:national See also:ball See also:game of See also:Canada. It derives its name from the resemblance of its See also:chief See also:implement used, the curved netted stick, to a See also:bishop's See also:crozier. It was borrowed from the See also:Indian tribes of See also:North See also:America. In the old days, according to See also:Catlin, the warriors of two tribes in their See also:war-paint would See also:form the sides, often Boo or moo strong. The goals were placed from 500 yds. to z m. apart with practically no See also:side boundaries. A See also:solemn See also:dance preceded the game, after which the ball was tossed into the See also:air and the two sides rushed to catch it on " crosses," similar to those now in use. The See also:medicine-men acted as umpires, and the squaws urged on the men by beating
them with switches. The game attracted much See also:attention from the See also:early See also:French settlers in Canada. In 1763, after Canada had become See also:British, the game was used by the See also:aborigines to carry out an ingenious piece of treachery. On the 4th of See also:June, when the See also:garrison of Fort Michilimackinac (now Mackinac) was celebrating the See also: W. Beers, a prominent player, suggested that Lacrosse should be recognized as the national game, and the National Lacrosse Association of Canada was formed. From that See also:time the game has flourished vigorously in Canada and to a less extent in the See also:United States. In 1868 an See also:English Lacrosse Association was formed, but, although a team of See also:Indians visited the United See also:Kingdom in 1867, it was not until sometime later that the game became at all popular in See also:Great See also:Britain. Its progress was much encouraged by visits of teams representing the See also:Toronto Lacrosse See also:Club in 1888 and 1902, the methods of the Canadians and their wonderful " See also:short-passing " exciting much admiration. In 1907 the Capitals of See also:Ottawa visited See also:England, playing six matches, all of which were won by the Canadians. The match North v. See also:South has been played annually in England since 1882. A See also:county championship was inaugurated in 1905. A North of England See also:League, embracing ten clubs, began playing league matches in 1897; and a match between the See also:universities of See also:Oxford and See also:Cambridge has been played annually since 1903. A match between England and See also:Ireland was played annually from 1881 to 1904. Implements of the Game.—The ball is made of indiarubber sponge, weighs between 4'-, and 42 oz., and See also:measures 8 to 82 in. in circumference. The " crosse " is formed of a See also:light See also:staff of See also:hickory See also:wood, the See also:top being See also:bent to form a See also:kind of See also:hook, from the tip of which a thong is See also:drawn and made fast to the See also:shaft about 2 ft. from the other end. The See also:oval triangle thus formed is covered with a network of gut or rawhide, loose enough to hold the ball but not to form a bag. At no The Crosse. See also:part must the crosse measure more than 12 in. in breadth, and no See also:metal must be used in its manufacture. It may be of any length to suit the player. The goals are set up not less than See also:loo nor more than 150 yds. apart, the See also:goal-posts being 6 ft. high and the same distance apart. They are set up in the See also:middle of the " goal-crease," a space of 12 It. square marked with See also:chalk. A See also:net extends from the top See also:rail and sides of the posts back to a point 6 ft. behind the middle of the See also:line between the posts. Boundaries are agreed upon by the captains. Shoes may have indiarubber soles, but must be without spikes. The Game.—The See also:object of the game is to send the ball, by means of the crosse, through the enemy's goal ;posts as many times as possible during the two periods of See also:play, precisely as in See also:football and See also:hockey. There are twelve players on each side. In every position See also:save that of goal there are two men, one of each side, whose duties are to " See also:mark " and neutralize each other's efforts. The game is opened by the See also:act of " facing," in which the two centres, each with his See also:left See also:shoulder towards his opponents' goal, hold their crosses, wood down-wards, on the ground, the ball being placed between them. When the See also:signal is given the centres draw their crosses sharply inwards in See also:order to gain See also:possession of the ball. The ball may be kicked or struck with the crosse, as at hockey, but the goal-keeper alone may handle it, and then only to See also:block and not to throw it. Although the ball may be thrown with the crosse for a See also:long distance—22o yds. is about the limit—long throws are teldom tried, it being generally more advantageous for a player to run with the ball resting on the crosse, until he can pass it to a member of his side who proceeds with the attack, either by See also:running, passing to another, or trying to throw the ball through the opponents' goal. The crosse, usually held in both hands, is made to retain the ball by an ingenious rocking See also:motion only acquired by practice. As there is no " off-side " in Lacrosse, aplayer may pass the ball to the front, side or See also:rear. No charging is allowed, but one player may interfere with another by See also:standing directly in front of him (" See also:body-check "), though without holding, tripping or striking with the crosse. No one may interfere with a player who is not in possession of the ball. Fouls are penalized either by the suspension of the offender until a goal has been scored or until the end of the game; or by allowing the side offended against a " See also:free position." When a " free position " is awarded each player must stand in the position where he is, excepting the goal-keeper who may get back to his goal, and any opponent who may be nearer the player getting the ball than 5 yds.; this player must retire to that distance from the one who has been given the " free position," who then proceeds with the game as he likes when the See also:referee says " play." This See also:penalty may not be carried out nearer than 10 yds. from the goal. If the ball crosses a boundary the referee calls " stand," and all players stop where they are, the ball being then " faced " not less than 4 yds. within the boundary line by the two nearest players. See the See also:official publications of the English Lacrosse See also:Union; and Lacrosse by W. C. Schmeisser, in See also:Spalding's " Athletic Library." Also See also:Manners, Customs and See also:Condition of the North See also:American Indians, by See also:George Catlin.
LA CRUZ, RAMON DE (1731-1794), See also:Spanish dramatist, was See also:born at See also:Madrid on the 28th of See also: Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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