Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/177

172 throwing a double ball by means of a long stick, while he kept a kicking ball before him. But the women seldom ran in foot races, though their active outdoor life, engaged in the various tasks that fell to them, kept them in fit condition. However, they had an athletic game which corresponded in a measure to the races of the men and developed skill in running. This game was played as follows:

Two of the swiftest runners among the women acted as leaders and chose alternately from the players until all were selected in two groups. Two goals were fixed about 400 yards apart, one side saying, "To the trail is where we can beat you," while the other party declared, "To that mesquite is where we can beat you." Two lines were formed about 25 yards apart, and the ball was put in play by being tossed up and started toward the opponent's goal. It was thrown with sticks until some one drove it beyond the goal and won the game. To touch the ball with the hands debarred the person from further play. This game was abandoned about 1885.

These races were frequently intertribal, and in their contests with the Papagos the Pimas nearly always won. The use of these balls in foot races is very widespread in the Southwest, and even yet we hear of races taking place that exceed 20 miles in length.

The kicking bail, when of wood, resembles a croquet ball in size, but it is usually covered with a coating of creosote gum. These balls