Pushball is a game played by two sides on a field usually long and wide, with a ball in diameter and in weight. Occasionally, much heavier balls were used. The sides usually number eleven each, there being five forwards, two left-wings, two right-wings and two goal-keepers. The goals consist of two upright posts high and apart with a crossbar from the ground. The game lasts for two periods with an intermission. Pushing the ball under the bar counts 5 points; lifting or throwing it over the bar counts 8. A touchdown behind goal for safety counts 2 to the attacking side. The game was invented by M. G. Crane of

Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located roughly west of Downtown Boston, and comprises a patchwork of thirteen villages. The city borders Boston to the northeast and southeast (via the neighborhoods of ...

, in 1891, and was taken up at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

the next year, but never attained any considerable vogue.

Macalester College Macalester College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1874, Macalester is exclusively an undergraduate institution with an enrollment of 2,142 students in the fall of 2023. The college ha ...

has played pushball since 1914, traditionally involving both students and faculty.

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

students played pushball from 1923 to 1955 before the game was retired due to its increasingly rough nature. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

the first regular game was played at

The Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibitors from around ...

in 1902 by teams of eight. The English rules are somewhat different from those obtaining in the United States. Pushball on horseback was introduced in 1902 at Durlands Riding Academy in New York, and has been played in England at the

Military Tournament A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

. "Pushball on horseback" variations continued in Europe, and recently resurfaced as a growing equine activity in the United States, with variations including "horse soccer", "equine soccer", and "hoofball". The various games provide great fun for both horse and rider, while serving as a valuable training tool that can be enjoyed by one or more horsemanship team players. The most important safety factor (aside from basic horsemanship foundation and equine communication skills) requires that the ball be at least as tall as the mount's breastbone. Some play with a durable cageball – a tough bladder caged inside a separate nylon cover, available from sporting goods suppliers. A description of the rules can be found in the Spalding book ''Push Ball: History and Description of the Game, with the Official Playing Rules'' published in 1903 by Spalding's Athletic Library.Spalding, Push Ball, 1903

Retrieved Nov 22, 2020 File:Push-ball, Columbia U. LCCN2014688481.tif,

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, 1910 File:Push ball competition at Miami University freshman-sophomore contest 1911 (3190613357).jpg,

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...

, 1911 File:Macalester Pushball, 1914.jpg,

, 1914

References

External links

''Pushball: A Strenuous New Game''
C.H. Allison, National Magazine, October, 1905
''Push Ball''
Spalding's Athletic Library, 1903 at babel.hathitrust.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Pushball Ball games Articles containing video clips

See also

References

External links