LA CROSSE is the name of a field game played with a ball. The Iroquois Indians have been long accustomed to play it in Canada; and some of them exhibited their skill in the game in the presence of the prince of Wales, when he was in that colony in 1860. The game was introduced to this country by 18 of those Indians who came to play it in 1867; and in 1876 team's of Canadian gentlemen and Indians visited England and Scot land for the same purpose.
In what way La Crosse differs from golf, hockey. foot-ball, and other games, may be briefly explained. Everyplayer is provided with a kind of large battledore. This consists of a long stick of light hickory, bent at the top like a bishop's crosier; strings of deer-skin are stretched diagonally- across the hooked portion in different directions. forming a ftet-work—not so tightly as in a regular battledore or racket-bat, nor so loosely as to form a bag. As the battledore, called the crosse, is 5 or 6 ft. long., there is great leverage power in handling it. Only one ball is employed, made of india-rubber, and S or 9 in. in circumference. Posts or poles about 6 ft. high, with a small flag at the top of each, complete the equipment. The players divide themselves into two parties, the reds and the blues; their number, as well as the size of the play-field, are nearly optional, more players being needed as the area is larger. Red predominates in the dress of one party, and blue in that of the other, for facility in distinguishing colleagues from opponents. To prepare for the game, a red goal is set up at one end of the field, consisting of two small red, flags on posts, about 6 ft, high and 6 ft. apart; a similar goal, but blue in color, is set up at the opposite end of the field. Now, the object of the game, is for the blues to drive the ball through the red goal, and the reds to drive it through the blue goal; and each party, of course, strives to frustrate the plan of the other. The ball is not thrown by the hand, but is hooked up from the grass by the bent end of the crosse or battledore; it is borne on the netting horizontally. while the player runs, and is dexterously thrown off tire crosse when the exigencies of the game require such a maneuver. No player is allowed to wear spiked but a good hold of the ground
is obtained by wearing moccasins, which the Indians prefer, for the purpose to regular shoes.
In the arrangement of the men on each side, the goal-keeper defends the goal; point is the first man out from the goal; cover-point is a little in advance of point; center is in the center of the field; home is the player nearest to the, opponents' goal; while the fielders comprise the rest of the players. near the center of th.. field, the' players struggle to obtain a mastery over the ball, and convey it to the opponents' goal. When scooped up from the ground. it is carried horizontally on the crosse, the player running towards one of the goals. trying to elude the vigilance of his antagonists. If it seems prudent, he pitches the boll off his crosse towards a colleague, who maybe in a better position to convey it towards the goal. The ball is not touched by tie hand, except under special and clearly defined circumstances. If the ball be accidentally driven.
through the red goal by one of the reds, the blues win the game; and rice rersel. The players mast not strike, trip up, or grasp one another; nor must any one lay hold of the crosse of another. One player strikes the ball off an opponent's crossc with his own erosse, and not by any other means. Two players on the same side may fling or carry the-ball consecutively.
It will thus be seen that there is a little of foot-ball, of hockey, and of racket in la erosse. The goals resemble those of foot-ball and hockey: the occasional struggle for the ball is like the "scrimmage" of foot-ball, though not so rough and dangerous; the general mode of play may be compared to hockey; while the battledore claims some resemblance to the racket-bat. There is nevertheless sufficient originality in the game to render it wholly a distinct one. La Crosse clubs have been established at Richmond, Blackheath, Glasgow, and other places in Great Britain.