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قراءة كتاب The Canadian Curler's Manual Or, an account of curling, as practised in Canada: with remarks on the history of the game
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The Canadian Curler's Manual Or, an account of curling, as practised in Canada: with remarks on the history of the game
to thirty-one for each rink. In Scotland, where the continuance of the curling season is very precarious, all who have it in their power, play the whole of every day while the ice will permit, and, consequently, the number of shots played for is more uniform. At Toronto, where Curling may be practised almost daily, fully three months in the year, the rink is resorted to for one or two hours’ recreation, and seven, thirteen, or twenty-one shots are frequently fixed on as the game, according to the time intended to be devoted to the exercise.
Laws of the Game.—In every district of Scotland, and in almost every club, some differences are to be found in the mode of conducting the game. Little difficulty, however, is there experienced from the want of written laws, the lex non scripta of every parish or county being perfectly understood where it is in force. Still in Edinburgh and a few other places where Curlers from distant Clubs are likely to meet, it has been found necessary to have their laws reduced to writing so that from whatever part of the country the player might come, he could not be ignorant of the rules by which his playing was to be governed. At Toronto, the want of a written code of laws, was for a number of years, felt to be inconvenient—few of the original Curlers having been accustomed to play exactly according to the same system. It was, therefore, one of the first objects of the Toronto Curling Club, after its formation, to draw up a set of Rules, founded on the prevailing practice in Scotland. The following, therefore, were agreed to—and although not applicable to every case that may be conceived, they have been found sufficient to decide, satisfactorily, every difficulty that has occurred during the experience of four years; and have been cheerfully agreed to by the Scarboro’ Curlers, in their matches with those of Toronto.
1st.—The Rink to be forty-two yards from tee to tee,[2] unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties. When a game is begun the rink cannot be changed or altered unless by the consent of a majority of players, and it can be shortened only when it is apparent that a majority cannot play the length.
2nd.—The hog score must be distant from the tee one-sixth part of the length of the rink. Every stone to be deemed a hog, the sole of which, when at rest, does not completely clear the score.
3rd.—Every player to foot so that in delivering his stone, it shall pass over the tee.
4th.—The order of playing adopted at the beginning must not be changed during a game.
5th.—Curling-stones must be of a circular shape. No stone to be changed during a game,[3] unless it happen to be broken; and the largest fragment of such stone to count, without any necessity of playing with it more. If a stone roll or be upset, it must be placed upon its sole where it stops. Should the handle quit a stone in the delivery, the player must keep hold of it, otherwise he will not be entitled to replay the shot.
6th.—The player may sweep his own stone the whole length of the rink; his party not to sweep until it has passed the first hog score, and his adversaries not to sweep until it has passed the tee—the sweeping to be always to a side.
7th.—None of the players, on any account, to cross or go upon the middle of the rink.
8th.—If, in sweeping or otherwise, a running stone is marred by any of the party to which it belongs, it must be put off the rink; if by any of the adverse party, it must be placed agreeably to the direction which was given to the player; and if it be marred by any other means, the player may take his shot again. Should a stone at rest be accidentally displaced, it must be put as near as possible in its former situation.
9th.—Every player must be ready when his turn comes,[4] and must take only a reasonable time to play his shot—should he, by mistake, play with a wrong stone, it must be replaced where it stops, by the one which he ought to have played.
10th.—A doubtful shot must be measured by a neutral person, whose determination shall be final.
11th.—The skips alone shall direct the game. The players of the respective skips may offer them their advice, but cannot control their directions; nor is any person, except the skip, to address him who is about to play. Each skip may appoint one of his party to take charge for him, when he is about to play. Every player to follow the direction given to him.
12th.—Should any question arise, the determination of which may not be provided for by the words and spirit of the preceding Rules, each party to choose one of their number, in order to determine it. If the two so chosen differ in opinion, they are to name an umpire, whose decision shall be final.
[2] The Grand Caledonian Curling Club recommend that rinks have double tees at each end, the one at least two yards behind the other; the whole four to be nearly as possible on the same line. The stones are to be delivered from the outer tee and played towards the inner; this saves the ice from being injured around the tee played up to.
[3] With regard to double-soled stones, the Grand Caledonian Curling Club has a law that the side commenced with shall not, under forfeiture of the match, be changed during the progress of the game.
[4] An excellent method of obviating the confusion which is sometimes experienced in the early ends of a game, by players being doubtful of their places is, that before commencing, the players on each side of a rink should “fall in” in the order in which it is intended they shall play, and “number off from right to left.” The player who makes a mistake after this has been done is fit neither for a Curler nor a Soldier. This method has been practised at Toronto since the winter of 1837-38—when military terms and ideas were infused into every department of life.
When a few players are curling for practice, or recreation, some of the above laws may not be rigidly enforced; but any relaxation should always be noticed, so that there may be no difficulty in strictly adhering to them when playing a Bonspiel, or set game.
The preceding account has been, as far as practicable, divested of technical terms, in order that it might be the more intelligible to the uninitiated. Many of the words and phrases, however, used in Curling are peculiar to the game—throwing light on its origin and history,—and it would now be as difficult for Curlers to