Lacrosse: The National Game of Canada/Chapter 10
CHAPTER X.
DODGING AND CHECKING.
Dodging—Is the art of carrying the ball past one or more checkers. It is the ostentation and glitter of the game; and though important, has been too often made a sort of saturnalia, where the dodger ran a gauntlet of merciless swipers, after the Indian fashion of the gauntlet for captives. Its absolute necessity is of rare recurrence, but common custom and young blood, has made it an indelible and prominent feature of Lacrosse. There is a madness in its most difficult feats, spiced with a smack of danger, that must always make it a tempting attraction. When you dodge to excess, you submit your anatomy to the possibility of cut and bruised fingers, and, like Lamb's convalescent, you are "your own sympathizer." The burnt child may dread fire, but did maiming ever give players a disrelish for dodging? There is an audaciousness in charging a good checker, and especially a succession of checkers, which becomes a mania with some men; and no catastrophe seems to cure their predilection for risking the contingencies of a checker's crosse.
Good players aim at perfection in throwing and frisking in preference to any great skill in dodging, because there is more certainty about the former. But as nothing is trifling that ever succeeds, every player ought to be able to dodge to some extent. The correct play lies between the two extremes. For instance, you may have an opportunity to pass Point, when their are no fielders to attack or aid you, and either dodge into goal or get closer to throw : the importance of being able to dodge Point is then obviously evident. On the other hand, by attempting to dodge too near your own flags, you may lose the ball and have the tables turned. Indiscriminate attempts to pass checkers is too Quixotic in principle, and damaging to the rest of your side: moderate and well timed dodging will often bring yom into better position, and into closer relation with your opponents goal, looks well, and develops confidence.
Dodging owes its origin to the vain individualism of the Red Skin. Long before a pale face saw the game, there were notables whose forte it was to carry the ball to the goal, through a crowd of opponents; and to this day, their common practice in their village game is to carry the ball to the flags, or, over the line representing "game." Indian dodging was principally "thrown" dodges; they seldom attempted the "carried" styles which are so prevalent among our white players. Since their frequent contests with the pale face, they have taken to dodging, much to their disadvantage we think.
We divide dodging into "Carried" and "Thrown" dodges; the former, when the ball is kept on the crosse; the latter, when it is thrown past the checker and afterwards recovered.
The crosse should be held in the hand with which you carry; the grasp may be shorter for thrown than carried dodges.
Good dodging implies coolness, and dash, close calculation, a thorough command of the ball on the crosse, agility of body, and a strong and a supple wrist and arm.
CARRIED DODGES.
1. Across front of body from right to left.—This is the oldest and most used carried dodge, and has the advantage of being done with so slight a motion, that it may be repeated in quick succession in a gauntlet of checkers. Grasp the crosse at the butt, or a little above the collar; carry the ball on the lowest part of the centre surface. When bags were used, the nearer the ball was to the lower angle, the easier it was managed. To make this dodge, watch the eye of the checker as you near him, and as he makes a cut at your crosse, bend your arm quickly, and bring it across the front of your body to the opposite side, and thrust it forward past his right, giving a twist upwards from right to left during the thrust, as if dodging another checker. A wavering motion of the stick, confuses checker's eye, gives you more command of the ball, and often prevents its falling off when the stick is struck.
This dodge allows of considerable variety in the deflections and curvings of the crosse, which can only be learned by practice. Some players succeed best by a high up-thrust at the completion of the check; some by lowering the front; others by a straight forward thrust; but the general fault is in thrusting too high, by which you cannot command the ball with ease.
The great secret of success lies in accurately anticipating and timing checks, and promptly avoiding them. If the checker waits until you begin your dodge, your chances of success are not as consoling as if he commenced a check at your right; because the latter shows you his play, and gives you opportunity to accommodate your dodge to the result of his blow. This is the difficulty in making this plain check. It is sometimes varied by changing the crosse quickly, as you pass it across your body, into the other hand. When approaching a dodger, you may hold your crosse out straight towards him at nearly full arms length. If he strikes in time, suddenly draw it back to escape the check, and then make the sweep across the front of your body to left.
2. Past Checker's Left.—Instead of carrying your stick across your front, thrust it suddenly to your right, at a right angle with your right side, making a dash past checker's left. Take a short grip of the crosse, if possible.
3. Turning on your own axis.—This dodge is very successful if well-timed,—even against the best Indian checks. It takes them by surprise, and is one of the prettiest of all the dodges.
It consists in making a sudden right-wheel twist, on the left toes as a pivot, as the checker strikes at your crosse, and bringing the latter up perpendicular. It is not a complete revolution that will bring you back to your original position; though you must accommodate your tactics to the changes of your adversary, so far as they impede your liberty to pass him. At the end of the spin, dart forward from the left foot.
The ball should be on the centre surface; the crosse grasped short, keeping it perpendicular, and balancing the ball during the wheel. The disengaged arm may be extended to ward off easy checks; and should be used on the forward and backward principle of catching a ball. In close quarters, many checks are prevented by the timely use of the left hand and arm.
When an opponent meets you, and strikes at your crosse, a sudden and single quarter, or half turn, will often be the best movement to thwart him. In almost every dodge, it is essentially necessary to be able to spin around instantaneously, and should be often practised.
4. Short Stop and Turn.—This is peculiarly Indian, and more an artful evasion than a deliberate dodge. When a checker meets you, instead of dodging, as described, suddenly stop a few feet from him, make a turn to the right flank or rear as the check is coming, and double until safe. Before our present improvement in playing, a pleasant diversion of the Indians was to keep our checkers prancing around them trying to check this dodge; while it was edifying to a philologer to hear the redskin repartee whenever a paleface made frantic strikes at nothing. It is still their best dodge, as few white men can match them in the wiry sort of leg-bail peculiar to it. When a checker is very persistent and dangerous, occasionally wheel around and keep your back to him.
5. Over Head of Checker.—As the checker strikes at your crosse, elude the stroke by a timely avoidance to the right, and before he recovers, carry your crosse upwards and sweep it high over his head, as you run from right to left; reversing the ball and the side of the netting which hold it, and recovering by a twist as the dodge is completed. A long grasp of the crosse is best,—the ball should be kept on the top surface.
6. When closely pursued by checkers.—Simply alter your course, by darting to right or left or rear, and guard strokes at the butt of your crosse from the rear, by twists of the wrist, and extension of the arm carrying the stick.
Dandling the ball up and down on the crosse, is very serviceable to frustrate many checks, as the ball is in the air when the crosse is struck.
THROWN DODGES.
1. Over head of checker.—Is simply the front throw with one hand, described on page 112, in the chapter on "Throwing." It is much used in dodging, and unless practised often, is subject to close checks.
2. Rear throw.—When the ball is picked up in front of an opponent, or, if the dodger is checked by one or more in front, or from either flank, a good style is to throw the ball backwards over your own head ; turning around and catching it before it falls. A single glance must be taken to the rear, lest the ball should be thrown into the crosse of an opponent.
3. Checker striking crosse.—Several good thrown dodges are sometimes improved, by letting the checker strike your crosse the moment the hall is leaving it (see illustration 9). The concussion of the two sticks increases the force of any throw, and the checker is momentarily put off his guard, to a greater degree than the dodger. One of the prettiest and cleverest dodges of the kind, is greatly in favor with the St. Regis Indians. As the checker meets the dodger, the latter turns slightly to the right, and with a motion of his wrist, jerks the ball over the former's crosse, between it and his body, catching it neatly on the other side.
4. The counter check.—If checker strikes your crosse, throw the ball up, or over his head, and counter-check him by striking his stick away before you catch the ball. You may use this counter-check in nearly all thrown dodges.
5. Dropping and picking up.—This is useful when closely followed by a checker who strikes at the butt of your crosse. The Indians often use it with effect. It is done by simply throwing the ball a few feet in front as you run, and picking it up again. If your stick is struck very hard from the rear, this dropping is useful. The ball may be dropped at any angle, or more deliberately thrown a further distance.
6. Past either side or between the legs of a checker.—As you approach your opponent, bring your crosse to the position of the dodger, in illustration 8; watch his eye, and throw the ball low past his right side, following it up as you run. If his legs are open, you may throw between them. These two throws are very puzzling, as the throw from the crosse is so sudden. The manner of carrying the crosse helps- the deception.
It may be well here to state, that thrown dodges are more deceptive and more suddenly done, when the crosse is held with both hands, as in illustrations 8 and 9.
Dodging into Goal.—May be either a carried or thrown dodge, and is useful where a dodger has only goal-keeper in the way. It is not always successful, and a good goal-keeper would prefer it to a short throw. The old members of the Beaver Club will remember Stewart's style of charging the goal-keeper when he carried the ball. S. was seen bearing down upon goal like a trooper, lips compressed, head forward. The shock came,—general result, one ball, two crosses, Stewart and goal-keeper, all in a heap in the goal, and one flag pole down.
Stooping down in dodging—Is a good way to vary your defence, when an active checker tackles you at either side, or from the rear. Lower your crosse almost level with the ground, bend forward, and keep one leg ready to spring from. When checker tries to check from any of the above points, bend forward, and turn your back to him, covering your crosse as well as possible with your body. If you should trip, and the ball falls off your crosse, cover it with the flat check.
Feigning to throw.—When checker is close to you, make a feint to throw a swift straight ball, which he will probably shrink up to avoid. Instantly dart past him, carrying the ball with you, or throw- ing over his head. If you have any reputation for hard throwing, and make a proper feint, you will, in most cases, accomplish your object.
Inviting a check, and evasion.—You may tempt the checker to strike at your crosse in a certain way, which would give you a better chance to pass him before he could recover. If you premeditate a certain dodge, you may often facilitate it better by thus inviting a check, which, by the way, you must not invite, unless you feel positive of success. Single evasive movements to right or left are often sufficient to prevent a check. A single dodge has often to be made good by an extra evasion. This art of avoidance is important in dodging.
The best way to learn all manner of dodges is for two men to practise checking and dodging, alternately, without the ball. When you learn the rudiments of dodging with the ball on your crosse, your action is embarrassed in endeavoring to preserve its equilibrium; but by practising first without it, until you learn the principles and knack of the dodges, it becomes easier to put the ball on the netting and attempt them. When you are “waiting for the ball” at the morning meets, pair off and practise this. It would be unnecessary to give rules for the various combinations of dodging, which arise out of those already mentioned, as well as from checks and counter-checks. Dodging involves a peculiar gymnastics, which brings out various twistings and bendings, in which the whole body partakes. "Battles are won with legs as well as arms," and the proper use of the former is half the victory in dodging. Without activity of limb your play is stiff and incomplete. Some men show great invention in play, and particularly in the art of managing their extremities in dodging. I suppose the lady who sent the dedicatory poem to a club some years ago, referred to these contortions of limb in dodging, when she said,
"I wonder at the players' gait, |
though she afterwards, with artless innocence of the shape of unbreeched shanks, says,
"And yet, perhaps, I should suppose, |
Frisking the ball forms an important auxiliary of dodging. Indeed, there is no part of Lacrosse which can be ignored by any man ambitious of being a crack player: everything is affiliated in interest, and during the use of any part, all others are as satellites—always at hand as accessories. Dodging, without a knowledge of checking, generally comes to grief. It is a good rule to make it subservient to throwing; not to do away with it altogether, as that would ruin the game.
A few concluding rules, and we are done with this chapter. In the excitement of successful dodging remember your original position on the field; it is an important one, return to it as fast as your legs can carry you, after you have lost the ball.
If the defence of your antagonists is weak, your home and two outward links may attempt to carry the ball into goal, but throwing is better.
Point, cover-point, and the flanking links from goal-keeper to cover-point, should hardly ever make charges upon the enemy’s goal,—though there is no law to prevent them; neither should there be. Even the ubiquitous fielders should not give free license to a passion for dodging.
Never attempt to dodge near your own goal. The worst player may perhaps check you, by accident if not by skill. When the ball is at either goal, no risk should be run in experimenting. Keep your wits about you, and look out for rear checks. Remember you are to avoid a checker in preference to dodging him. Be prompt; never hesitate. The best dodge may he frustrated by an ordinary check, who is a second or so too quick for you. Avoid clumsiness and rash dodging. Never press the ball into the leading-string in any way before you dodge.
Do not attempt dodging when you are not “i' the vein.” Success implies vim and mettle.
Checking.—Nothing in Lacrosse makes one feel more throughly awkward than to be passed point-blank by a dodger, and find a well-aimed check strike mother earth, instead of the opposing crosse. The thing looks so simple at first sight. You have nothing to control, while your antagonist is limited to certain movements to preserve the ball. Yet, when you think about it, you will perceive that the advantage a checker has in not having a ball to manage, is often counteracted by the fact that while he has to act on the spontaneous impulse of the moment, in the majority of cases, the dodger can pre-determine his dodge, and have the advantage of the start. If you, as checker, can check before he begins his dodge, it may be luckier, and it may not; as some of the best players invite a check, the better to facilitate their purpose. he danger of anticipating a dodge is, that if you miss, you not only miss that certain stroke, but lose the perfect command of your crosse for succeeding play.
Checking, it must be remembered, is both attack and defence. When you run out to tackle an opponent carrying the ball, you literally attack him: when you stand to receive an opponent, determined upon passing you, you act, as it were, on the defensive. The circumstances of each are not the same, though your object is. If you go out to tackle, you succeed when you take the ball or compel its possessor to throw it; when you stand on the defensive, you succeed if you prevent him carrying it past you.
In the cases of attack, checking is not so frequently extempore as in defence.
A skilful checker will seldom let a dodger pass him successfully. Quick eyes, an elastic body and extremities, pluck and perseverance, are the shining virtues of a checker; and as perfection in this department materially restrains dodging, it should be well cultivated. Good checks are worth more on a twelve than men reputed for dodging.
The perfection of a good checker is not only certainty in “disarming” a dodger, but the appreciation of his duty as laid down in the chapter on “Fielding.” In whatever position you are, you must become convinced that to be enticed away from your original position, more than is necessary, is the cardinal sin of a Lacrosse player. When to leave or retire, and when to remain, is beyond the appointment of any established rule. However sure a check you may be, you should never be anxious to leave your position, to check men who ought to he stopped by some other of your side. When a man finds himself a special terror to dodgers, he is too apt to undertake the checking of the entire field of opponents, thereby causing confusion in his own ranks.
Our laws allow any strength of attack at one dodger, but it is the custom among the St. Regis Indians not to interfere between two adversaries, unless at goal; so that the dodger has only one opponent at a time to avoid. This Indian play would not answer for our small fields and our improved game. We prefer trusting to the common sense of the men, and the directing genius of a Captain.
In some checks you can only use one hand, but as a rule, the most effective and manageable checking is done with both hands on the crosse.
We will give the checks in succession, for the dodges described in the previous chapter.
CARRIED DODGE CHECKS.
1. Plain check.—As the dodger advances with the ball on his crosse, and attempts the dodge described in section 1st, on “Dodging,” strike at his crosse anywhere within a few inches of his hand, before he brings it quite across from right to left. If you can can strike it just after it has passed the front of his body, you weaken his attempt mush more than if you strike it before, because the position in which it finds his right arm is awkward for quick recovery. A feint to strike may be made at the side he carries, and if you recover quick and act promptly, success is only a matter of practice. Ordinary dodgers have only one movement, from right to left; it is comparatively easy to check them. Good dodgers, however, deceive you by feints, and invitations to check; especially in this plain dodge. The impotent checks of many players is owing to their innocence of feints and invited checks, mistakes in timing, and slowness in handling the crosse.
In this check the length of your stroke, and the action of your whole body is guided by the position of the dodger’s crosse. No rule can teach you the principle for every action—nothing but practice and observation. The variety of movements of the crosse, in checking the plain dodge, is beyond enumeration, as the twists, thrusts, strokes and various turnings are so often altered, according to circumstances which we can never foresee until the moment of action.
The upward check is very important, either as a premeditated check, or when recovering from a down stroke, and may be brought into service in a great number of cases. It is simply bringing up your crosse from the ground, and hitting the dodger’s from under.
The circular check is done by swinging your crosse in a circle, around the front of your of opponent, so as to strike his crosse, wherever it may be, during the plain dodge. If you miss this, recover by the upward check.
2. When dodger tries to pass your left.—Turn quickly to the left face, and aim at arm’s length at the nearest part of the dodger’s crosse, making a leap at the same instant to intercept him and get to close quarters. If he has a short grip, you may, perhaps, hit his stick from the rear. The difference in this check from the preceding is, that the dodger’s crosse is further away from your instant reach, requiring more agility of body to get into good position to meet him. The upward check is often here available to advantage.
3. When the dodger turns on a pivot.—Strike the dodger’s crosse above the collar, as high as possible. If his grasp is short, you may sometimes strike the handle without hurting him, and quicker than you could hit higher. Check the moment he revolves, either with one or both hands on your stick, and beware of hitting your opponent on the head. If you miss a strike during the revolution, follow close and check upwards as he is bringing his crosse down to the carry.
4. Short-stop and turn dodge.—However well you can manœuvre your crosse, your skill will be of no avail to meet this dodge, without an unusually strong and supple pair of legs, and an elasticity of action from head to toe. To defeat it, you must do it as much by virtue of your legs as your crosse. If the dodger keeps his back to you, your chances are diminished, as by simply turning and keeping his distance he can often keep your check in rear until you get close. The play, then, is to close in as quick as possible, sweep your crosse at the side of his, or, leaping up, pass it quickly over his head, and bring it down upon his netting. If the butt is projecting in his hand, strike it; if his wrist prevents you hitting on top or at the side, strike upwards under his wrist. I remember an Indian, following close at a white man’s heels, succeeding in dislodging the ball from his opponent’s crosse, by a strong thrust at the extreme butt end, which was just visible in the rear.
When a dodger is too much for a checker, and chooses to prance around his vicinity, another check should run out and spoil his strategy. It is, of course, necessary, that in making this movement, whatever is intended should be made like a flash, so as not to give time to opposing fielders to rally, or the unchecked man whom the reinforcer has left, to gain any great advantage.
5. When the dodger attempts to sweep his crosse over your head.—If you have made a previous check, and dodger carries his crosse upwards over your head, bring your crosse to the right side, perpendicularly, and make a backward half-circular sweep from right to left, which is intended to meet his crosse as it sweeps over your head; or you may make a direct upward strike, at that part of his crosse which is between your body and his hand.
6. When closely following a dodger.—If you cannot get at his stick anywhere in rear as you run, incline a little to the right, make a leap forward, and bring your crosse in a sweep to his right front, the tip in towards his crosse. Turn your wrist so as to bring the tip down upon his crosse. A full arms length upward check, is often the most successful. If this fails, the dernier ressort is the straight thrust at the butt.
THROWN-DODGE CHECKS.
1. When the ball is thrown over your head.— In all cases make an attempt to strike opponent’s crosse at the moment it is raised to throw. If you do not succeed, and the ball goes over your head, tun sharp around and dart after it, at the same time making a long full-length cut at either the ball or opponent’s crosse. If you get to it before your antagonist, tip it away; if your opponent reaches it first, you must check him according to his position. Few players have the art of wheeling quickly around.
The best check, however, for such thrown-dodges, is hitting or blocking the bail in front of you, as it is gong over your head, which kind of check needs a very accurate quick eye, and a great deal of confidence.
2. When dodger makes a rear throw.—Instantly spring towards the direction the ball is thrown, and make a long stroke at it or your opponents stick. The greatest chances of success in this check depend upon the way you dart forward at first.
3. When dodger lets you strike his crosse.—If you knew a dodger was about to attempt the Indian trick described in section 3rd, on “Dodging,” it would hardly be possible for him to do it successfully. Its success depends a good deal upon its surprise.
When a dodger lets you strike his crosse, he only calculates upon one stroke. The check, therefore, for this dodge, is to make a quick succession of down, side, or upward strokes—as indeed is useful wherever possible. Sometimes you may hit the ball as it is in the air.
4. When counter-checked, it becomes a struggle for the possession of the ball, unless a succeeding check again gives you the advantage, and frisking or tipping is your play.
5. When the dodger drops and picks up the ball on the run, and you are too far to dispute his liberty to do so, and cannot make a sufficiently hard stroke at any part of his crosse to give you an advantage, spring in to close quarters; but if you cannot, simply make a thrust at the extreme butt of his stick, from the rear, as he is about picking up the ball. This has the effect of pushing the front of his crosse out of the line of his calculation, and necessitating a second attempt to pick up, which is for you a gain of time, when you may close in to get a more effective check. If he is running at any extra speed and misses picking up the ball, you will have time to get to it before he can recover.
6. When the dodger attempts to throw past your either side, the proper thing is to block the ball just as a goal-keeper would, as seen in illustration 8. A side cut is serviceable, but by all means try to prevent the ball passing you.
When the dodger stoops, you must guard against the temptation to shove him over, as was the custom some years ago. Your best resource is to cut either sideways, or sweep over his head and down in front. If the ball is thrown by the dodger, the first principle should be to stop it. He may throw past your right or left side, when you should turn around towards the direction of the ball and endeavour to capture it.
Other modifications of checking adapt themselves to circumstances. An excellent check, in cases where the ball is nearing an opponent, is to strike his stick as he attempts to catch or stop it, as seen in illustration 7. This rule may be carried into every part of the game, where you wish to deprive an opponent of a catch, and may be done in many cases, such, for instance, as when an attempt is made to pick up the ball, to catch, to block, etc.
THE COVER CHECK.
If the ball is on the ground cover it with your crosse as seen in Illustration 4, having the wood towards the direction from which your antagonist is approaching, if he approaches from either side; if from the immediate front, cover with the reverse side to which you play. When a rush is made for it, depress the handle of your crosse so as to bring it almost level with the ball, holding it down stiff so as to secure it. Your antagonist, if running at any speed, will make an attempt to pick up under your crosse, but the instant he attempts it, depress your stick, and the probability is that his will slide over yours, and before he can recover you can pick up without opposition. The crosse must be first kept as seen in the illustration, to deceive your opponent and invite him to thrust at the ball; and must afterwards be depressed to secure it, and to occasion the slide of your opponent's crosse. Neither movement must be done too soon, lest he has time to calculate and draw up; nor too late, lest you are prevented covering the ball. Sometimes, though a player cannot stop suddenly enough, he will make a strike at your crosse as he is passing, and generally just at your lower grasp. In such a case, draw your left hand away when you see the stroke coming, keeping the stick down firm with the right.
There are many chances of using the cover check, or either part of it. It has become a peculiarity of Indian play, and is very successful on any field. The Indians credit us with its invention in 1859, when we showed it to the interpreter at Caughnawaga. None of the crack Indian players then knew it.
FEIGNED THROWS, INVITED CHECKS, EVASIONS.
A perfect dodger will feign to throw, to spoil your position for checking and give himself a better chance to accomplish some premeditated dodge. The mistake of tyros is checking too soon and too far from the dodger, and letting out too much force, beyond recovery. Old players know this when they coax your stroke at a certain point. If you can hit an invited check, do it in preference to the after dodge; but beware of putting so much force into it, that if you miss, you cannot recover in time to make a succeeding stroke. In feigned throws, spring at the dodger’s crosse, and never fear them. Fielders, as a rule, are too frightened of closing in to any attempt to throw. The Indians have a way of avoiding a hard throw by leaping up as they check. Evasions are only checkmated by quick leg action and long strokes.
UP, DOWN, AND SIDE STROKES.
The most of checks used to be downwards; but as Lacrosse has improved and new methods of dodging been added, upward and side strokes have become a necessity. The upward and side strokes are useful, when you have made and missed the down hit, and cannot recover in time to repeat it; also in the various exigencies and opportunities, when the down stroke would be an experiment or a failure. All checks depend upon the position of the dodger’s crosse, and it is important to know when and how to use the different strokes. The best way to learn this and every other part of checking, is to pair off and practice quietly. You cannot experiment in the excitement of a game, and only cool heads discover.
Part of Crosse to use.—When you strike the netting of dodger’s crosse, always, if possible, bring the full face of your netting to the direction of your stroke; but if you hit the bare stick, you may strike without bringing the netting to bear. The former rule is more effectually to dislodge the ball, the latter to spare the netting unnecesssry hard work. Learn to reverse your stick so as to bring either side to bear. When you hit with the stick above, give your wrist a turn to bring the netting flat on your opponent’s crosse. Do not try to hook the tip in his net-work.
Quickness in delivering the stroke—Shakspere’s aphorism may apply to checking in Lacrosse—“If't were done, when ’tis done, then ’t were well it were done quickly.” Free, strong wrists and arms, in sympathy with a quick body and mind, make the valuable checker. Fencing, as an exercise, brings out the necessary qualifications of a good checker, who sometimes anticipates, and is always ready for guard while acting on the attack. Very often it is absolutely necessary to check with one hand. Some of the finest checks are made thus, and every player should practice it, as it can often be done quicker than with two.
Persistency in checking is the marked individualism of Indian play. Wherever the ball falls, there under it, near it, or after it is a red-skin. Indeed, they carry their individual persistency in checking to such an extent when playing against the pale face, as to neglect all disposition and arrangement; bunching in knots at the goals in defence and attack, and bearing down in twos and threes upon the dodger, as in their old strategy in war—always having the most men at the point of attack. The pale face is not as persistent, because his wind is not as good; but there is always a vein of laziness, and a stupid immoveableness at some points that needs correction. Second strokes and counter checks are important; but you may do as much by following a dodger carrying the ball, as by changing your base to intercept him, as if you had a chance for a close check. Supposing you are placed as nearest field to cover point, the tactics of a dodger about to pass within a radius of at least forty feet of your position on an ordinary-sized Lacrosse field, will be guided by your anticipatory movements in flank- ing him. If you remain where you are, and he runs a clear course until he passes you, or if you are in the habit of giving up the battle after a slight struggle, he will rather prefer the little excitement of a deliberate dodge than the unchecked run. But if you move out energetically, you may check him if he attempts to dodge, or you may make his throw of no avail. Get up a reputation for persistent checking, and your value cannot be estimated.
It is not uncommon to see a good dodger, hard pressed, lose the ball from sheer nervousness, and the best calculated throw ruined, because of the proximity of a checker. The golden rule, therefore, is “never give up.” Even if down on your marrowbones, stick to it as long as you can. The pluck and persistency of the hero in the ballad of Chevy Chase may be a worthy example, who,
“When his legs were smitten off, |
Rough Checking.—Nothing has done more injury to Lacrosse than rough play in general, and rough checking particularly; and it is a lamentable fact that certain individuals stand out so prominent for maiming their antagonists, as to suggest some more valid reason for such play than mere accident. In the ordinary business and associations of life, there is a community of interest and courteousness which puts the barier upon rough conduct; but in a field sport, there is an abandon and a little of that return to the original barbarism of our ancestors, which, 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 general rule is the reverse. If a red-skin should hold, trip, throw or push his adversary, he has to “face” on the spot where the offence occurred, and several repetitions by the same man puts him in disrepute.
The laws relating to spiked soles, holding, striking, pushing, &c., were necessary, because of the license to rough play, of which there was formerly too much to make Lacrosse attractive, to anybody who valued the use of his hands and head. The resignation of one of the best players of the first twelve of the old Montreal Club, who was passionately fond of the pianoforte, and found himself debarred from practice by maimed fingers, is not too old for recollection, and there are players carrying indellible reminiscences of rough play, who can testify to the injurious effects on the game, of the old manslaughtering style.
The perfection of checking is to check without hitting your opponent. Cultivate several styles of checking, as one cause of injury to the dodger, is attempting to apply one mode of checking to every style of dodging. A cool dodger is more likely to hoodwink you than a rash one, and you require to meet both with cool promptness. If you have a narrow limit for play, and a difficult dodge to overcome, take the Irish maxim, “Be aisy, and if you can’t be aisy, be as aisy as you can.”
General Rules.—Do not be afraid of swift balls or close throws. One great beauty of checking, is to stop a thrower’s shot when within a few feet of his crosse. Keep your eyes on the ball. Improvise checks when you can, according to circumstances; for in the infinite variations of close play, occasions arise for checks that you cannot anticipate.
Dodging and checking are so interwoven that you need a knowledge of both to he perfect in either. Checks will be the more effective, if you know just how the dodges are done, and vice versa.
Guard against the habit of reinforcing one of your side, who has only a single opponent to contend with, unless the latter practises the “short stop and turn,” without the check being able to defeat him, when the nearest player of the same side should assist him.