Lacrosse; The National Game of Canada  (English, Paperback, Beers William George)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1869. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IX. CATCHING, AND CARRYING THE BALL. Catching.--You may be the best catch of a cricketing eleven, or a base ball nine, but to catch a ball on a crosse is quite a different art. I never yet saw it done in the easiest way, by men who handle a crosse for the first time, though every day you may hear theorists talk of its simplicity. It is easy enough to hold your crosse so that a-ball thrown to you may fall on the netting, but the difficulty consists in keeping it, especially if your netting conforms to the regulations. It is an antithesis of catching, that nothing is harder at first, and nothing easier when learned. To catch with a bagged crosse is no art whatever; to catch and play with the netting flat is the perfection of catching, because it makes your play scientific. It was not unusual before laws were made, to find the best catchers those who had bagged netting, and there were passable players who could not play at all when obliged to use the netting flat. When you find you must resort to bagging, to make you equal with others, you may be convinced you have yet to learn the very elements of good and scientific play. The Indians are celebrated for catching, and yet, observe the paltry net work of their sticks, as a rule, and without the least bag. We remember that at the match before H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, of twenty-five Indians, only one carried a stick which would not have passed the inspection of the Umpires, and yet one special feature of that match was their magnificent catching. Catching, however, has always been their hereditary acomplishment. When the original stick was used they played for hours without missing a catch; Lanman says, it is sometimes kept from touching the ground for a whole afternoon. Sandford, in his History o...