Page:Indoor and Outdoor Gymnastic Games.djvu/86

78 before) No. 2 starts down with the second. The game ends when Nos. 1 and 2 have received the bags in their original positions. Now the game takes only half as much time as before and every man gets twice as much work in the same time. In learning the game, the runner should not cross his line till the bag is in his hand, but after a little practice No. 5, for example, may start when the bag has reached No. 7 (see Fig. 3), receive it on the run from No. 6 and deliver it, while still running, to No. 4. This running start can, with practice, be reduced to a nicety, but should be closely watched, not allowing the runner to start too soon and stand midway between the lines waiting for the bag. Careless play would soon appear. Guard against it by scoring thus: Give the winning team 2 points and score a team 1 for every time a bag touches the floor, either on account of a poor throw or a bad catch. Play three or five games and add up the points. (Keep score on the floor with chalk.) This method of scoring puts a premium on careful playing, for a team that wins, but makes two errors, will be no better off than a team which plays slower, but without errors. There should be one umpire for each team to count the errors, and a scorer who may also be judge of finish.

Instead of competition between teams, it is always of interest for one team to play against time as taken with a stop watch. Much enthusiasm is aroused in reducing time to a minimum. Any live physical director can devise other uses for the bags, but the above games have been thoroughly tested and found useful. Some of them have been played day after day by permanent teams with continued interest. They cannot be successfully played with medicine balls, for the balls cannot be grasped with the hand.

The good old game of "Duck on the Rock" can be splendidly adapted to indoors by the use of these sacks, as follows: