STOOLBALL

Share your memories and stories from your days at school, and find out the truth behind the rumours....Remember the teachers and pupils, tell us who you remember and why...

Moderator: Moderators

Foureyes
Grecian
Posts: 926
Joined: Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:26 am
Real Name: David
Location: England

STOOLBALL

Post by Foureyes »

Does anyone remember playing a game called "Stoolball" in the Prep - certainly in the 1940s and maybe later, also? As I recall, you had to prove yourself adept at this stupid game before being allowed to graduate to cricket. There were two posts some 15 feet apart and about 3-4 feet high, with a square target at the top of each - all made of wood. The batsman held a "bat" somewhat resembling a solid tennis racquet and the ball was made of string surrounded by leather, but somewhat softer than a cricket ball. The batsman held his bat at shoulder level. The bowler tried to hit the target and the batsman tried to hit the ball out into the field. Beyond that my memory fails me.

Can anyone remember it, what it was all about, why we played it and when it stopped?
:shock:
User avatar
Mid A 15
Button Grecian
Posts: 3172
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 1:38 pm
Real Name: Claude Rains
Location: The Patio Of England (Kent)

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by Mid A 15 »

Foureyes wrote:Does anyone remember playing a game called "Stoolball" in the Prep - certainly in the 1940s and maybe later, also? As I recall, you had to prove yourself adept at this stupid game before being allowed to graduate to cricket. There were two posts some 15 feet apart and about 3-4 feet high, with a square target at the top of each - all made of wood. The batsman held a "bat" somewhat resembling a solid tennis racquet and the ball was made of string surrounded by leather, but somewhat softer than a cricket ball. The batsman held his bat at shoulder level. The bowler tried to hit the target and the batsman tried to hit the ball out into the field. Beyond that my memory fails me.

Can anyone remember it, what it was all about, why we played it and when it stopped?
:shock:
I don't recall playing it in my day but I do know that it is a traditional Sussex game so that is probably why you played it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoolball

Bat and Trap is a similar game and is played in Kent, particularly in the villages around Canterbury.
Ma A, Mid A 65 -72
sejintenej
Button Grecian
Posts: 4092
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:19 pm
Real Name: David Brown ColA '52-'61
Location: Essex

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by sejintenej »

Foureyes wrote:Does anyone remember playing a game called "Stoolball" in the Prep - certainly in the 1940s and maybe later, also? As I recall, you had to prove yourself adept at this stupid game before being allowed to graduate to cricket. There were two posts some 15 feet apart and about 3-4 feet high, with a square target at the top of each - all made of wood. The batsman held a "bat" somewhat resembling a solid tennis racquet and the ball was made of string surrounded by leather, but somewhat softer than a cricket ball. The batsman held his bat at shoulder level. The bowler tried to hit the target and the batsman tried to hit the ball out into the field. Beyond that my memory fails me.

Can anyone remember it, what it was all about, why we played it and when it stopped?
:shock:
We still had it in 1952-3 as a prelude to cricket. The wicket was about a foot square. the bat had a handle a bit shorter than a tennis racket so the batsman had to stand very close to the target. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: From memory you bowled underarm from one third down the pitch so your target was not hard to hit.
I recall that the pitch where I had to play was close to the edge of the fielfd so it was not hard to stop play by the simple expedient of hitting the ball out of the grounds and into long grass; that was strongly disapproved of as unsporting.
Yes - you had to prove that either you were good at the game or (as I was too bad at it) that you were too dangerous to have on the pitch so that for everyone's safety they pushed you on to an equally boring game. Unfortunately I was not sufficiently accurate or fast at bowling overarm to damage the batsman so I didn't escape cricket though I came close to a beating for throwing the ball at the stumps when the batsman was in mid pitch and close to the line of fire. No pupils were damaged during my attempts at being out when I was in or in when I was out (and all the other nonsense). :( :( :(
What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
User avatar
englishangel
Forum Moderator
Posts: 6956
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:22 pm
Real Name: Mary Faulkner (Vincett)
Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Post by englishangel »

It is indeed a Sussex game and AFAIK is still played unless the elf'n'safety people have had a go. those bats were wicked, and waving thewm around at head height could be very dangerous.

I went to a village C of E primary school and on Ascension Day we would walk to the village church across the fields for a service of Thansgiving, then back to school for a game of stoolball, sandwiches and squash, then have the afternoon off.

The year I was seven I got a ball (like a rounders ball) in the eye and got the most glorious shiner ever, the following year I got a whack in the centre of my forehead with the sharp edge of the bat which necessitated a trip to hospital and a couple of stitches, and the blood......

25 years later I bumped into the woman who whacked me and before she even said hello she asked if I still had the scar. (I do)
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
User avatar
J.R.
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15835
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:53 pm
Real Name: John Rutley
Location: Dorking, Surrey

Post by J.R. »

We played stoolball when I was in Prep B.

It is still alive and well in Sussex, AND Surrey. We have a local team from near Dorking that play in the Sussex/Surrey League. The Captain drinks in our local club. Three generations of her family are still playing in the same team every summer.

It is predominately a ladies game.

http://www.stoolball.co.uk/play/
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
Vonny
Button Grecian
Posts: 1625
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:33 pm
Real Name: Yvonne Payne

Post by Vonny »

I remember playing it ONCE at Horsham :lol:
2's 1981-1985 2:12 BaB 1985-1988 BaB 41
midget
Button Grecian
Posts: 3186
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:49 pm
Real Name: Margaret O`Riordan
Location: Barnstaple Devon

Post by midget »

Some of the girls at Hertford spoke of playing stoolball at primary school
Thou shalt not sit with statisticians nor commit a social science.
kerrensimmonds
Button Grecian
Posts: 9395
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:34 pm
Real Name: Kerren Simmonds
Location: West Sussex

Post by kerrensimmonds »

Stoolball is still very much alive and well in Sussex. Women students in the University's PE Department support at least two local teams, and one of the PE Lecturers is a regional organiser.
Kerren Simmonds
5's and 2's Hertford, 1957-1966
User avatar
Deb GP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 343
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 9:18 am
Real Name: Deb Smith (Gallant-Paffet
Location: London

Post by Deb GP »

OOo... After Uni, I played in the Surrey League for a year. It's a fab game. The mixed matches were enormous fun. I wish it was a bit more popular here in London. I first played at Primary School (in Horsham) and also played at CH.
User avatar
Great Plum
Button Grecian
Posts: 5282
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:59 am
Real Name: Matt Holdsworth
Location: Reigate

Post by Great Plum »

Mum for a number of years played Stoolball for a team in Southwater and they used to play a team of CH staff once a year on the prep pitches...
Maine B - 1992-95 Maine A 1995-99
User avatar
J.R.
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15835
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:53 pm
Real Name: John Rutley
Location: Dorking, Surrey

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by J.R. »

Eh ???
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
kerrensimmonds
Button Grecian
Posts: 9395
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:34 pm
Real Name: Kerren Simmonds
Location: West Sussex

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by kerrensimmonds »

Wassat mean, JR????
Stoolball is a perfectly respectable - and indeed well known in Sussex country leagues - ball game.
(Is it me or have the avatars etc. moved to the other side of the page, on all pages here?)
Kerren Simmonds
5's and 2's Hertford, 1957-1966
Vonny
Button Grecian
Posts: 1625
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:33 pm
Real Name: Yvonne Payne

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by Vonny »

kerrensimmonds wrote:Wassat mean, JR????
Stoolball is a perfectly respectable - and indeed well known in Sussex country leagues - ball game.
JRs post was in reply to a post by a spammer that has now been removed :)

kerrensimmonds wrote:(Is it me or have the avatars etc. moved to the other side of the page, on all pages here?)
No - it's not just you!
2's 1981-1985 2:12 BaB 1985-1988 BaB 41
User avatar
J.R.
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15835
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:53 pm
Real Name: John Rutley
Location: Dorking, Surrey

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by J.R. »

Stoolball is regualarly played in our village just south of Dorking town.

I hadn't noticed the Spanners' post had been removed !
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
User avatar
englishangel
Forum Moderator
Posts: 6956
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:22 pm
Real Name: Mary Faulkner (Vincett)
Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Re: STOOLBALL

Post by englishangel »

Vonny wrote:
kerrensimmonds wrote:Wassat mean, JR????
Stoolball is a perfectly respectable - and indeed well known in Sussex country leagues - ball game.
JRs post was in reply to a post by a spammer that has now been removed :)

kerrensimmonds wrote:(Is it me or have the avatars etc. moved to the other side of the page, on all pages here?)
No - it's not just you!
and now they've all moved back again, I feel dizzy.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
Post Reply