Croquet Part 2

10. _A ball resting under the arch of a bridge and having come from the front makes no point, but is in position to run the bridge._

The run may now be completed by concussion, or, if the ball remain till next tour, by a blow of the mallet.

11. _A ball resting under the arch of a bridge, and having come from the reverse side, is not in position to run it._

To decide a doubtful case, place the mallet handle against the piers on the reverse side.

CASE.--A ball was in position under the arch of a bridge but is driven back, and afterwards gains the same position from the reverse side. Is it in position, since it once reached that point from the front? No. The run of the bridge must be continuous, though not necessarily at one blow.

12. _If a ball pa.s.s completely through a bridge and rebound or roll back, the run remains good._

13. _If a ball pa.s.s completely through a bridge in the reverse direction, and rebound or roll back under the arch, it is in position._

14. _If a bridge be oblique any player may adjust it, unless a ball be under the arch._

That is, it must first be decided whether the ball has run the bridge or is in position.

15. _The stake may be tolled from any direction and by the slightest perceptible touch._

An audible sound will be evidence of the tolling; but when it is so near that the sound cannot be distinguished from that of the mallet, it must be seen to change its direction.

16. _A ball roquets another when it comes in contact with it from a blow of the mallet; provided both b.a.l.l.s are bridged at the time of contact, and the playing ball has not roqueted the other ball before during the same tour since making a step on the round._

CASE.--A b.o.o.by hits a b.o.o.by and both pa.s.s through the first bridge; can it croquet? No. It is not a roquet unless they remain in contact after pa.s.sing through the bridge. It must roquet again.

17. _A ball already in contact with another ball does not roquet unless it move it perceptibly._

To do this it must, of course, play in a direction less than ninety degrees from a line joining the centres of the b.a.l.l.s.

18. _A ball can acquire the right to re-roquet--that is, to roquet the same ball again during the same tour--only by making a step on the round._

A ball may hit another ball twice or more during the same tour, and between two consecutive bridges, or between the bridge and the turning stake, and move it, each time by concussion; but only one (not necessarily the first) contact is a valid roquet.

19. _A roquet, but no hit which does not fulfil all the conditions of a roquet, const.i.tutes a point, and ent.i.tles to continuance of tour._

20. _A roquet, but no other hit, ent.i.tles to the privileges of croquet._

21. _The croquet may be declined, and the tour continued from the spot to which the player's ball has rolled, or from the side of the roqueted ball._

The privilege of the croquet thus consists of two parts. First, the option between the final position of the playing ball and a new position in contact with the roqueted ball, and on any side of it. Second, the croquet proper. The second only, or both parts of this privilege may be declined; but this must be distinguished from "declining roquet"

afterward mentioned.

CASE.--A ball not a rover having roqueted another ball, is placed in contact with it, and, without using the foot, the player drives them both in any direction, as in roquet-croquet. Is this allowed? Yes. The croquet was declined and the stroke was a common blow; but the other ball, being merely moved by concussion, (since it was previously roqueted,) the tour cannot be continued unless a point was made at the same time.

22. _If after a roquet the playing ball be taken up or moved from its place, it must continue its tour from the side of the roqueted ball._

CASE.--A ball roquets another ball, driving the latter by concussion through the playing ball's proper bridge; remaining, however, in position to run the bridge. The player begins to move the ball, but on second thought concludes to run the bridge. Can he claim to have moved it by accident? No, even if it was not taken up from the ground; for it may be presumed that it was done with the intention to croquet. Whether he croquet or not he must take position by the side of the other, and has lost his opportunity to run the bridge. So, too, if he takes position under the arch of the bridge he is not in position to run it, for the s.p.a.ce over which the ball is carried is no part of its course.

23. _The croquet must be executed before continuance of tour._

CASE.--A ball roquets another and on the same blow runs its bridge; the croquet is then executed. Does the run hold good. Yes, at the player's option. CASE.--Under the same circ.u.mstances the playing ball is taken to the side of the roqueted ball. Can it re-roquet it on the ground that it has run a bridge since the roquet? No. The right to re-roquet must be acquired _after_ croqueting or moving the playing ball. But the playing ball might have re-roqueted from its final position, declining the first croquet.

24. _The croquet is completed when the mallet makes a perceptible blow against the croqueting ball; but if the mallet altogether miss it, the blow may be repeated._

The blow is perceptible if an audible sound is made, whether the croqueted ball move or not.

CASE.--A player in croqueting claims to have hit his foot; the croqueted ball, however, has moved from its place. Can he restore it and repeat the blow? No. The claim should not be allowed, for it is impossible to tell in such cases whether the ball was. .h.i.t or only the foot. If it be necessary to get the other ball out of the way, he must drive it by concussion with his own.

25. _If the player's ball flinch in executing the croquet he forfeits the remainder of his tour, and no point made by a flinching ball is valid._

CASE.--A flinching ball rests under the arch of its proper bridge, having come from the front. Is it in position? No. If the complete run is illegal, the partial run is also, as in the case of moving a ball to croquet.

26. _If a ball be driven out of the arena, it must be brought within it, and placed one foot from the boundary at the nearest point._

This rule is on the supposition that the arena is of the standard dimensions or something near it. If from the imperfections of the ground the boundaries at any place approach too near the stakes or bridges, this rule must be modified so that a ball shall not materially alter its position with reference to the bridges, stakes, or other b.a.l.l.s. Under the same limitations it may be removed one foot from a tree or other obstacle. The ball should be placed immediately.

CASE.--A's ball is played against a tree. If B roquet it he cannot croquet it, or play his ball afterwards to advantage. Can he compel A to place his ball? Yes; but not so that B's position after the roquet shall be improved. If this were not so ruled, an obstacle would often be made a refuge. Cases of this kind often arise on imperfect grounds. They must be settled like cases in equity; as fairly as possible for each side, and so that neither can take advantage of technicalities.

27. _If a player misplay, and the enemy challenge him before allowing the play of another ball, they have the option of replacing the misplaying ball and any which may have been moved in their former positions, or allowing any or all of them to remain in the positions to which they have rolled. And no point made by a misplaying ball, if properly challenged, is valid, except at their option._

The option belongs to the enemy of the players and not of the ball. If the challenge be made as soon as possible, though another ball is played at the same time, the requirements of the rule are satisfied.

CASE.--A misplaying ball runs a bridge after croqueting its partner through his proper bridge. The enemy challenge and elect to leave both b.a.l.l.s in their final position. Can they compel them to renew their bridges? The ball of the misplayer must re-run its bridge; but any other ball has made the step unless it is restored to its former position. The latter is regarded as accidentally displaced, and follows the rule provided for that case. If the misplay consist of illegal continuance of tour, of course the penalty does not extend to the correct play which preceded it.

28. _If a player misplay, whether with his own or another ball, he forfeits his next tour._

When a misplay is detected the play is stopped, and the damages under the preceding rules taken, and the player who should have played takes his tour, and so on, omitting the misplayer's next tour. Thus if A play in his partner C's tour, the order will be C, D, B, C, etc. If A play without right to continuance of tour, the order will be B, C, D, B, C, etc.

29. _If a misplay is not challenged until the play of another ball has commenced, the play stands, but the misplayer loses his first tour after the discovery._

CASE.--D plays after A and is challenged, but shows that A misplayed in his partner's tour. Has D misplayed? No. He played in his proper tour. C has lost his tour through neglect, and A has antic.i.p.ated a tour, while the other side has lost the right to exact the penalty for A's misplay, the order of play is B, A, D, B, C, etc.

CASE.--While B is playing it is discovered that A misplayed. Is B's play correct? Yes. B naturally plays after A. B finishes his play, and the order of play is B, A, B, C, D, B, etc. Here A's tour is merely transposed, and B gains an extra tour, so that in both cases the misplaying side loses one tour. If a player misplays in the tour of an enemy and is not challenged in time, the misplayer and the neglectful party will each lose a tour. Thus if D omit his tour the order will be C, A, B, C, D, B, etc. If A play without right to continuance of tour, so as in effect to take two tours, and it is discovered after B begins to play, A merely antic.i.p.ates his next turn, and the order is A, A, B, C, D, B, etc.

30. _If a misplay has taken place so that the b.a.l.l.s are playing in a wrong order, but the original misplayer cannot be discovered, the playing ball must finish its tour and the right order be taken up._

A case of frequent occurrence in the four-ball game. The sides are still playing alternately, but in an inverted order, A, D, C, B. A misplay has evidently been made, but none of the subsequent players can be convicted, because each has followed his partner after the proper interval; hence no penalty can be exacted on either side. If two partners are playing in succession, the last always misplays; and, if detected before the next play, must suffer the full penalty, and any previous player in the same circ.u.mstances loses his next turn.

31. _If a ball be played before the preceding ball has finished or abandoned its tour, the enemy have the option of replacing the ball to take its tour after the other has finished, or letting the play stand as the player's next tour._

This case is excluded from the definition of misplay, and the penalty exacted is less. As will be seen by the next rule, the ball prematurely played will have had but one blow. If it was a good one the enemy will have the ball replaced; if a poor one they will let it stand; and if an easy point has been made, the player loses the rest of his tour, as in misplay, except that if a step on the round is made it is valid.

32. _A player abandons his tour if he allows the next player to make two blows before challenging him, or make use of words or actions implying that he has finished his tour._

As calling the name of a player or color of the ball. Of course it is implied that a tour abandoned cannot be resumed.

CASE.--A seems to abandon his tour, B begins to play, and C reminds A of his right to continuance of tour. Has A abandoned his tour? Yes, if he had not intended to play until he was reminded, or acted so as to convey such an impression.

33. _A ball accidentally displaced may be replaced, or allowed to remain, at the option of the enemy of the player who caused the accident._