In playing one of the players has the serve—that is, he attempts to
strike the ball so that it will go over the net and into a specified
space on the opposite side of the net. His opponent then attempts to
return the serve—that is, to strike the ball either on the fly or
the first bound and knock it back over the net somewhere within the
playing space as determined by the lines. In this way the ball is
volleyed or knocked back and forth until one of the players fails
either to return it over the net or into the required space. To fail
in this counts his opponents a point. Four points constitute a game
except where both sides have obtained three points, in which case one
side to win must secure two points in succession.
The score is not counted as 1, 2, 3, and 4, but 15, 30, 40, game. When
both sides are at 40 it is called “deuce.” At this point a lead of two
is necessary to win. The side winning one of the two points at this
stage is said to have the “advantage,” or, as it is expressed,
“vantage in” or “vantage out,” depending upon whether it is the side
of the server or his opponents, the server’s score always being called
first.
A set of tennis consists of enough games to permit one side to win
six, or if both are at five games won, to win two games over their
opponents.
LAST TAG
There are a great many games of “tag” that are familiar to boys and
girls. One of the common games is “last tag,” which simply means that
a boy tags another and makes him “it” before leaving the party on his
way home. It is the common boys’ method of saying “good-bye” when
leaving school for home. The principal rule of last tag is that there
is “no tagging back.” The boy who is “it” must not attempt to tag the
one who tagged him, but must run after some one else. It is a point of
honour with a boy not to be left with “last tag” against him, but he
must try to run some one else down, when he is then immune and can
watch the game in safety, or can leave for home with no blot on his
escutcheon.
LUGE-ING
A form of coasting very much practised in Switzerland at the winter
resorts where the sled used is similar to our American child’s sled
with open framework instead of a toboggan or the more modern flexible
flyer which is generally used by boys in America.
MARATHON RACE
A long distance race, held in connection with the Olympic Games and
named from a famous event in Greek history. The accepted Marathon
distance is 26 miles, 385 yards. The race was won at the Olympic
Games held in England in 1908 by John Hayes, an American, in 2 hours
44 minutes 20 2-5 seconds.
OLYMPIC GAMES
The Olympic Games are open to the athletes of the world. The following
events are contested for:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account