Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 6.djvu/643

Rh CROQUET 609 peg; two, turning peg ; first, second, and third back ; three and one to go out or last hoop ; winning peg. l 7-- 1 f / i ,-- i * .. i * , / X s 1 1 * m | ~ FIG. 1. Croquet Ground Setting of Hoops. Distances on a full-sized ground. Pegs in centre line of ground, 8 yards from nearest boundary. Hoops up centre line of ground 8 yards apart and 8 yards from pegs. Corner hoops 7 yards from centre jtnd in a line with pegs. Starting spot 1 foot from left-hand corner hoop and opposite its centre. The height of the hoops and pegs and various minor matters have been also settled by the same authorities. The balls are of boxwood, 3f inches in diameter, and should weigh not less than 14 oz. There is no restriction as to the size, weight, number or material of the mallets employed ; in striking, the cue and mace strokes are not allowed, and the head of the mallet only must be used. The most approved mallets have box wood heads and ash handles ; they weigh from 3 ft to 4 ft, and are from 32 inches to 35 inches in length. The patterns vary considerably. In playing the game, the objects^are to make ^11 the points (hoops and pegs) of the balls belonging to one side, in the order shown in the diagram, and to prevent the adversaries from doing the same. The side that first succeeds in making all its points in order wins the game. The striker is entitled to another stroke, or to continue his turn so long as he succeeds in making his next point, or in causing his ball by a stroke of the mallet to hit another ball (called making a roquet), when he must place his ball in contact with the one roqueted, and striking his own ball with the mallet he must move the two balls which are in contact, sending them in any directions he pleases, called taking croquet. If in his stroke after taking croquet he hits another ball or makes his next point, he similarly continues until he fails to do either, when it is his adversary s turn. Each ball can only be roqueted once during each turn, unless a point in order is made, when each ball can again be roqueted as at first. This rule does not apply to the winning peg, as when that is hit in order the ball is out of the game. The striker should stand with the feet about 15 inches apart, with the toe of the right foot at right angles to the line of aim, the other being somewhat turned out. The body should be inclined over the ball, so that the player can look down upon it. The mallet should be grasped with both hands, and the striking face placed close to the ball, so that a line drawn through the mallet head and centre of the ball gives the line of aim. The striker, having taken his aim, should keep his eye on his own ball, and should then lift the mallet, and strike the ball quietly and without hurry, in the line of aim. For gentle strokes the wrist is mainly used ; harder strokes are played more from the arm and shoulder. When able to make a roquet at several yards with tolerable certainty, the learner should next practise rushing, i.e., roqueting with such force as to move the ball aimed at some distance, and cutting, which is a rush played fine instead of full. To avoid accidentally jumping over in ,C playing rushes, care must be taken not to hit down on the striker s ball ; this is effected by carrying the mallet up towards the left shoulder after striking, just the stroke that would be called badly hit at cricket. When able to rush, the strokes made in taking croquet, viz., splitting, taking off, rolling, passing, and stopping, should be practised. The split, which sends the two balls in different given directions, may be made to a certainty by dividing the angle, as in the half push at billiards. Thus, if the striker wishes to croquet his own ball in the direction A (fig. 2), and the other ball in the direc tion B, he must aim in the direction C, and strike, not push his ball. The take of is merely a thin FlG - 2. Illustrating the &quot;split&quot; split, in which the roqueted ball is moved slightly. If an imaginary line is drawn through the balls and another at right angles to it, as in diagram, and the aim made a little to the right of the second line. viz. at A (fig. 3), the striker s ball will travel ia Fid. 3. Illustrating the &quot; take off&quot; at croquet, the direction required, viz., to B, and the other ball to C. When taking off from the side of the ball furthest from the striker, the aim must be slightly to the left of the line of aim. Rolling croquet, in which the balls are sent together in nearly the same line, is made by trailing the mallet after the balls as soon as the stroke or tap is made. Care must be taken not to make a second tap, or the stroke is foul. Passing croqiiet is a sort of roll. The front ball must be placed about 30 degrees out of the line along which it is intended to pass the striker s ball, in order to avoid a kiss, and, after the stroke, the mallet must remain in con tact with the striker s ball, and its rate of going must be accelerated by a push. If the ball is hit twice the stroke is foul. The stop stroke is made by means of a sharp clean tap, the mallet being arrested in its onward course as soon as it has struck the ball. For stop strokes, where it is desired to move the striker s ball very little and to send the other ball a considerable distance, a light mallet (called a stop mallet) is required. In addition to the mastery of these strokes and also of the jump stroke, which is played by striking down on the ball, and is very useful for running narrow hoops at an angle, strength has to be learned in order to obtain position. Judging strength is mainly a matter of practice. When the above strokes can be played with tolerable certainty, they should be made use of in practising breaks. A break is made when two or more points are scored in order. To practise the break, place the striker s ball on the starting spot (see diagram of setting) ; place a ball several feet on the other side of the first hoop, a ball near the second hoop, and one in the middle of the ground. Make the first hoop, and then roquet the ball placed near. Drive this ball by a medium roll near the third hoop, and leave the striker s ball near the ball in the middle of the VI. 77