Ihr liewe Leit:
Es kennt warricklich sei ass net viel vun eich liewe Leser wisst
was Eckballe iss. Es scheint es waar en Schpiel ass mer net viel heidichdaags
schpielt. Mer misse mol der Lloyd A. Moll (1879-1944) frooge wie sell Schpiel
gschpielt watt. Do iss sei Antwatt aus seim Buch Am schwatze Baer:
"Owets wie der Ed Case am Schwatze Baer nei kumme iss vun's Grimme
Vendue, hen die Kll lache misse. Er un der Hen Kramer kumme zugleich in
Wattshaus.
"Der Hi saagt, 'Well, Buwe, wie waar die Vendu?' eb er der Ed recht
in die Aage grickt hot. Wie er sehnt wie der Ed aussehnt, greischt er recht.
'Well, wass des Dunnerwedder hoscht dann gemacht/ Du hoscht yo en rechti
Rotrieb im Gfress. Waar der anner Kall schtarriger wie du? Ich denk du hoscht
dei Naas mol am letze Blatz neigschteckt. Wer in de Himmelse Welt hot dich
dann so verschlaage?
"'Es hot mich nimmand gschlaage,' saagt der Ed.
'"Wie hoscht so en bluticher kolwe ins Gsicht grickt?'
"'Ach, ich hab Eckballe gschpielt,' saagt der Ed.
"Es hockt en Traveler in der Barschtubb, der will iwwernacht bleiwe.
Er hot sich ge-indressiert in dem Schpeckdaagel vum Ed seinre Naas, laaft zu
ihm, froogt ihn fer eens drinke mit ihm, un grickt en ans blaudere fer
auazufinne wie des gange waar. 'Du hoscht gsaat, des waer bassiert iwwer em
Eckballe schpiele,' saagt der Kall. 'Wie watt des gschpielt, do wisse mir nix
devun wu ich heerkumm.'
"'Well, 's kenne viere odder meh uff eenere Seit sei; nau, wolle
mer saage, ich un du, der Dokder un der Hi waere uff der eente Seit, un die
annere do uff der annere Seit. Nau watt uffgschmisse fer sehne waer die Ecke
's aerscht mol grickt. Mer wolle saage, mir hette der Schmiss gewunne, noh
mache mer vier Ecke, graad ass wann eens vun uns in yedes Eck vun der
Barschtubb sich schtelle deet. Des in der Mitt heesst mer die Schtubb, un do
misste eens odder zwee vun de annere Seit nei, meinetwege der bill Schaefer.
"Nau hawwich der Balle, du bischt uffem annere Eck, ich schmeiss en
zu dir un du zum Hi, der Hi kann en zu eenich eens vu nuns schmeisse, un wann
er dreimol gschmisse iss, noh kann der was en hot browiere der Bill in der
Schtubb zu dreffe. Wolle saage, der Hi hett noch em Bill gschmisse un hett en
gedroffe, noh geht der Bill aus der Schtubb un en annerer vun seiner Seit
misst nei, hett awwer der Hi ihn verfehlt, noh mist der Hi vum Eck un mer
hette yuscht meh drei Ecke. Der Balle kann vun eem zum annere gschmisse warre
so oft das mer will. Der Blaan vun de ganse Gschicht iss den in der Schtubb
fer Narre zu halde."
Neegscht Woch mache mer weider.
Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer
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Dear people:
It could really be that not many of you dear readers know what
cornerball is. It appears that it was a game that is not played very much
these days. We will have to ask Lloyd A. Moll (1879-1944) how that game is
played. Here is his answer from his book At the Sign of the Black Bear:
"In the evening when Ed Case came into the Black Bear from Grimm's
auction, the fellows had to laugh. He and Hen Kramer came into the tavern
at the same time.
"Hi says, 'Well, boys, how was the auction?' before he got a good
look at Ed. When he saw what Ed looked like, he yells right out, 'Well,
what in thunderation did you do? You have a veritable red beet on your
face. Was the other fellow stronger that you? I think you finally stuck
your nose into the wrong place. Who in the heavenly world beat you up so
badly?'
"Nobody beat me up,' says Ed.
"'How did you get such a bloody cob on your face?'
"' Oh, I was playing cornerball,' says Ed.
"There is a traveler sitting in the barroom, he wants to stay
overnight. He was interested in the spectacle of Ed's nose, walks over to
him, asks him to have a drink with him,and gets him to talk to find out
how that happened. 'You said that that happened while you were playing
cornerball,' says the fellow. 'How is that played, we don't know anything
about it where I come from.'
"'Well, there can be four or more on one side; now, let's say I and
you, the doctor and Hi would be on one side, and the others here on the
other side. Now we toss to see who gets the corners first. Let's say we
won the toss, then we make four corners, just as if one of us would stand
in each corner of the barroom. The middle is called the 'room', and one or
two from the other side would have to go in, for all I care Bill Schaefer.
"Now I have the ball, you are on the other corner, I throw it to
you and you to Hi, Hi can throw it to any one of us, and when the ball has
been thrown three times, then he who has it can try to hit Bill in the
room. Let's say that Hi had thrown at Bill and had hit him, the Bill goes
out of the room and someone else from his side would have to go in, but if
Hi had missed him, then Hi would have to leave the corner, and we would
have just three corners. The ball can be thrown from one to another as
often as one wants. The plan of the whole story is to make a fool of the
ones in the room."
Next week we will continue.
Take care,
The Old Professor
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