Basketball Games Emperor Ball
( Basketball, Team Wars and Battle, Volleyball )This game is really a form of Captain Ball but differs from any of the previous forms in the following points —
A neutral officer called the Emperor is stationed in the center of the field between the two teams and the ball scores its highest when it has been thrown entirely around one of the circles from there to the captain in the centre and from him to the Emperor. There are two fielders or players at large who try to intercept the ball before it reaches the Emperor or to block it in any other part of the play.
GROUND.–In the center of the ground is placed a springboard box stool or other platform for the impartial ruler of the game called the Emperor. The ground on each side of this point is marked out as follows A series of bases or small circles (the number to vary with the number of players) is drawn so as to form together a large circle with from four to ten feet between each two small ones. The small circles should be from two to five feet in diameter. In the center of this large ring another small circle or base is marked for the captain of the team.
TEAMS.–The players appoint one impartial officer who is the Emperor and stands in the center on a raised base (box jumping board or other improvised platform). The balance of the players are divided into two equal teams consisting each of a captain two center players or fielders and a number of basemen and base guards. The two fielders may go anywhere on the field but their main duty is to prevent the ball reaching the Emperor from an opponent. They also pick up the ball when it goes afield and hand it to the Emperor for starting again.
Each captain takes his place in a center base the basemen stand each in a base in the circle surrounding his captain the guards of equal number with the basemen take their places in the opposite field each being assigned to guard one of the basemen including the captain of the opposing team and may not go from the immediate vicinity of the circle he guards.
OBJECTS OF THE GAME.–The objects of the game for each team consist (1) in throwing the ball from baseman to baseman completely around its circle (2) around the circle as in (1) and in addition to throw from the last baseman to the center player or captain and (3) having completed the previous two points to throw from the captain to the Emperor who stands between the two halves of the field. The object of the guards of course is (1) to intercept the ball so as to prevent the completion of this play in any of its points and (2) to gain possession of the ball so as to throw it across the field to their own basemen on the opposite side.
START.–The ball is put in play at the beginning of the game and always thereafter when necessary by the Emperor. He must naturally be perfectly impartial and may toss the ball to either side in turn or use his judgment in choosing which side shall have it. He will of course do his best to catch the ball for either side that throws it to him. The ball is put newly in play after every point scored after every foul and after going afield.
RULES.–No baseman may step outside of his base even with one foot. A ball caught by the captain with one foot out of his base does not score nor if so caught by a baseman does it count in completing the round of the circle but this does not count as a foul and a captain so catching a ball may toss it to one of his team. No mass play is permissible among the guards each one being obliged to guard only the baseman to whom he is assigned. This does not apply to the two fielders who may move anywhere on the field and who pick up balls that go out of the large circles.
FOULS.–It is a foul (1) to hit bat or snatch a ball from an opponent (2) to hand a ball instead of throwing it (3) to hold a ball longer than time enough to turn around quickly or three seconds (4) for a guard to step inside a base. Each foul scores one point for the opponents and the ball is then put newly in play by the Emperor.
SCORE.–A team scores one point when a ball has successfully completed the round of its circle of basemen but is intercepted in a throw from that to the captain a team scores two points when its ball has completed the round of the circle of basemen and been caught by its captain in the center but fails to reach the Emperor a team scores five points when its ball has completed the full play of the circle its captain and the Emperor. A team scores one point for every foul made by the opponents. The ball is put newly in play by the Emperor after every point scored.
The game is played in time limits of fifteen-minute halves with a rest of five or ten minutes between the halves. The team wins which has the highest score.
The teams change sides and places for the second half guards becoming basemen and vice versa .