Page:Lacrosse- The National Game of Canada (New Edition).djvu/200

Rh though very good for the blood, is not equally salubrious for the temper. Men agree to disagree in sports as they do in politics, without being deadly foes; and the finest man, is he who combines the earnestness of the player—like the politician—with the fair play and manliness of the man.

’Tis said, “a fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind,” but it is not always a true maxim; or fear of getting back what is given, if not love of fair play, would put an end to rough play in Lacrosse.

If you are vindictive, and choose to pour out the phials of your wrath upon a player you do not happen to admire, you could not have a better chance than when you follow him as a checker. Emphatic checking is always necessary—mere tips and touches go for nothing; but if you cannot discriminate between a man’s head and fingers, and his crosse, you should not risk your own, or play Lacrosse. There is no reason why checking should not be so perfected as to make hitting an opponent a mark of bad play, as is implied in our laws, and even agreed upon by the Indians when playing among themselves. In Caughnawaga and St. Regis, you may occasionally see rough play, since they learned it from us, but the