Page:Indoor and Outdoor Gymnastic Games.djvu/87

The players select a "guard" by throwing their sacks from a distance of about twenty feet to within a square of from 8 to 12 feet, in the centre of which stands an Indian Club. The player whose sack lands farthest from the club becomes guard. The guard now places his sack on the club, the other players meanwhile retiring to the starting line. Upon a given signal, all players endeavor to hit the club or the sack upon it, in order either to upset the club or to throw the sack off, the guard in turn quickly replacing club and sack and then tagging any player whom he can reach within the lines of his square. If he succeeds in tagging a player, then he must in turn seek to escape from the square before the new guard (the player who was tagged) can place his sack on the club. The players who succeed in getting their sacks without being tagged may throw or hurl their sacks from the starting line as often as opportunity offers, the unsuccessful players lingering near the square to await their opportunity for grasping sacks. (It is preferable to continue throwing the sacks simultaneously, upon a given signal after each displacement of the sack.) After awhile the throwing distance may be increased, in order to make the game more interesting, it frequently occurring that the players do not succeed in displacing the guard's sack, when it behooves him to be careful lest some one enters his trust—a misdirected run not infrequently freeing all players who stand around, watching an opportunity to regain their sacks. The square can also be made smaller than stated above to help the guard or to secure better play or aim.