1810s.11

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Approve

19th C. Glossarist describes "Base"

Salience

Noteworthy

Location

New Hampshire

City/State/Country:

NH, United States

Game

Base (Prisoner's Base)

Age of Players

Juvenile

Text

Base, or BASE. Prison base, or bars, was a game played by school-boys in our time, and is probably still played in New England; it is an old amusement, and is mentioned by Spenser and Shakspeare. It appears to exist still in England, and Nare's Glossary gives an account of it. Our manner of playing it was much changed from that of our ancestors. There were no opposite parties in our game, but the boys separated from a certain goal, or base, leaving one of their number at it; at a given signal he was to go in search of them, and pursue and if possible overtake one, who then took his place at the goal ; but if all got back to the base without being touched, then the same boy mast take his chance again. Its great amusement was in being a trial of speed. Strutt says that it was known as early as the time of Edward III.

Sources

Elwyn, Alfred, Glossary of Supposed Americanisms. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1859

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Submitted by

Bill Hicklin

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1810s.11

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