Community Stool-ball: The Perfect Holiday Fit!

In primary source document, Of Plimoth Plantation, it is recorded that Stool-ball – the forerunner to both cricket and baseball – was played in the “street” of Plymouth on Christmas day, 1621.  Given that the fall thanks-giving feast had been a three day picnic, and given that language barriers would not have prevented Native guests from picking it up and joining in, we can reasonably assume the game was played at some point during that event as well.

Playing Stool-ball in period costume is tons of fun (ladies would play in spite of their cumbersome skirts!), and it is one of the easiest activities to turn into an annual community event.  In fact, it is a great way to raise canned food for holiday food drives – just ask it as the admission price for spectators.

Since we at LPH have not yet discovered an actual primary source that tells us the rules of play, period-plausible instructions are included in our historical Thanksgiving how-to guide, The American Patriot’s Treasury of Historical Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas. (If you know of, or someday happen across a primary source for rules of play, please do share!)

You’ll also find instructions in the guide for making a proper leather game ball.