Half knots are not very strong, but they are perfect for making the swing part of a rope swing. Tie four or five loose half knots near the bottom of the rope. Push them together, and tighten. They’ll form a larger bulb that’s perfect for sitting on as you swing. If you like, tie a half knot every few feet up the rope, for climbing or for holding on to while you do an arabesque (twisting the rope slightly around one ankle, and lifting your other leg gracefully behind you, like they do at the circus).
Safety note: For rope swings, you’ll want to attach the swing to a tree branch using a stronger clove hitch or a tautline hitch. Make sure you tie the rope to a branch that extends far enough from the trunk so you can swing safely.
An alternative to the half knot is the Flemish knot, which you can also use any time you need a knot at the end of a line. It’s both strong and lovely.
Make a loop at the top. Cross the end in back and over to the left. Wrap the end over and into the eye of the initial loop. You should see a figure eight. Pull the end into the eye, or center, of that loop. Pull tight.
2. Loops
Once you’ve mastered the Flemish figure eight, you can make a loop the same way. Double up the rope or string. For hauling, tie the loop around your object, and lift or drag with the rope.
3. Bends
Bends link two ropes together. When you need to repair a string that’s broken, add new length to a rope, or for any reason tie two ropes together, the square knot is what you want. Also called the Hercules knot, it was used by the Greeks and Romans as a healing charm. In Natural History, the Roman writer Pliny the Elder advised people to tie off their bandages with this knot, since it would heal the wound more quickly. Simple and reliable, this knot works best on twine or thinner rope, and with any ropes of equal size.
The classic formulation for a square knot is this: Left over right, right over left. Don’t worry:
In our experience, that’s the kind of direction that makes more sense after you already know how to tie knots. So, try this: Loop A over loop B. Wrap the ropes of B over the sides of, and into, loop A. Pull.
SQUARE KNOT
If you’re attaching the ends of a single rope, perhaps to tie off a friendship bracelet, try this: Make loop A. With loop B, thread the end into loop A, from the back. Then weave it out the bottom side, and under and across to the top of the loop. Next, bring rope A over the top side and through the loop, so it’s next to the other side of rope B.
If you need something stronger, or your ropes are different sizes, use this variation, the sheetbend knot. The green one is the thicker rope.
4. Hitches
Hitches tie an object or animal to a post, whether it’s your dog at a friend’s house, your horse to a tree in the shade, or your kayak to a pole on the dock while you go for a swim.
The tautline hitch is incredibly useful on camping and boating trips. Here’s how to make it:
Start from the back and bring the end around the pole to the front , then over and behind the rope and into the center, or eye, and out the front . Pull the end over and behind and into the center once again and pull out the front . Take the end past the first two loops , and wind it over and behind and into the center and pull tight .
TAUTLINE HITCH
The around-the-pole hitch moves around a pole. This is perfect for a dog who doesn’t want to end up tangled, twisted, and stuck with a two-inch leash.
Loop the end one turn around the pole, front to back, and bring the end under and in front of the rope. Change course and lead it toward the top.
Wrap the end again around the pole, this time back to front, and then lead the end under and through the loop.
Finally, the timber hitch helps you drag a heavy object, like a log across a field. This knot is simple and also easy to untie, an important consideration in knots. It tightens in the direction you pull in, so make sure to use that to your advantage.
AROUND-THE-POLE HITCH
TIMBER HITCH
Wrap one turn, top to bottom, back to front. At the top, loop the end around the rope, to the left (this loop is important; the end must be wrapped around the rope it just came from). Tuck the end over, back, and around three or four times, and pull tight. The tucks must sit flat against the object for this knot to stay tight, since it is held in place by the rope’s pressure against the object as you pull.
5. Stitches
There will no doubt come a time when you need to mend your gloves, replace a button that’s fallen off, or sew the tear your pants suffered while climbing rocks.
Cut your thread, push it through the needle, double the thread so it’s extra strong, and place a knot—a gorgeous Flemish stopper knot—at the end. You’re ready. The stitches below can help you quickly mend any rip or tear that will inevitably occur in a daring life.
Rules of the Game: Softball
SOFTBALL was invented on Thanksgiving Day in 1887, in Chicago. Tales report that the first softball game was played indoors one winter, and that it made good use of a boxing glove and a stick. Did George Hancock, an enthusiastic reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, really draw some white lines on the floor of the gym and shout “Let’s play ball!” thus inaugurating softball? We’ll never know for sure, but he did become intrigued by the new batting game with the large ball, and loved playing indoors while the snow fell and the chilly Chicago winter wind blew through the fields. By the turn of the twentieth century, softball had moved outdoors, and into summertime.
Everyone plays softball, but it’s still seen as a sport for girls. There’s an interesting history to this. By the 1920s, women had begun to play baseball, especially at women’s colleges. Several semi-professional “bloomer-girl” barnstorming teams traveled from city to city, and were incredibly popular. In 1943, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was established by Phil Wrigley, the man who owned the Chicago Cubs. So many American men were fighting in World War II, baseball players among them, that the rosters of men’s baseball teams were empty. Like the Rosie the Riveter movement that sent many women to work in factories and gave them new experiences there, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League opened up professional baseball to women, all in the name of the war effort, and provided entertainment to the people at home.
Some people never got used to the idea of women playing baseball. They fought against the presence of women in their sport, wanting to keep it the preserve of men and boys. They were successful; the All-American Girls League shut down during the 1950s, and women were shuttled off to play softball instead.
Today, softball is one of only two sports that the National Collegiate Association of Athletics (NCAA) has for women only, the other being field hockey. For four years, from 1976 to 1980, women had a softball league all their own, the International Women’s Professional Softball League, but it couldn’t compete against the popularity of baseball. Women’s softball was played at the Olympics in 1996 for the first time. The United States women’s team won the gold medal, and repeated that victory in 2000. It’s too bad that in 2012 softball will be dropped from the Olympic roster, along with baseball.
TO PLAY
* * *
The first rule of softball is never to apologize. This may seem an odd way to introduce a sport, but many, many girls, and women, too, find themselves saying “I’m sorry” if the ball they throw falls short, strays long, leaps out of bounds, or in any way doesn’t land exactly the way they intended. Try to resist this impulse. Unless your throw inflicts actual bodily harm, never apologize for an errant throw or catch. Now you’re ready to play.
Softball can be played as an organized sport, or as a pickup game with your friends. A baseball diamond is nice, but any grass field will do, as will your backyard (be careful of windows), or the street in front of your house—once the cars have been moved. In fact, curbs make terrific first and third bases. Set orange cones at the ends of your street to alert drivers that there is a game ahead.
CENTR FIELD
THE
FIELD
* * *
The softball field is like a regular baseball field but with slightly shorter distances between home plate and the pitcher’s mound and between the bases.
THE BALL
* * *
Softballs come in different sizes, but the average is nearly 2-3 inches bigger than the average baseball. You can also buy a softball that is soft enough to use without a glove, should you wish.
THE GLOVE
* * *
A leather glove molds to your hand, and is nice to have. Get a good glove, not one of those inflexible plastic gloves. A good glove is a treasure, something to toss in the sports bag for a game or practice now, and as life moves ahead, to stash in a picnic bag for any occasion where a softball game might, with luck, materialize.
A mitt is a glove with extra padding. A catcher will often prefer a catcher’s mitt, since she will be catching balls at higher speeds and her hands might warrant some extra protection. Similarly, some first basewomen like to wear a mitt, as they, too, are especially prone to catch fast balls. If you become a serious softball player, with a preferred position, there are also especially large outfielder’s gloves and a specific glove for pitchers. These aren’t necessary for ordinary, pickup softball games.
THROWING THE BALL
* * *
Stand tall. Look forward. If you are righthanded, you will throw with the right hand and wear the glove on your left (and vice versa if you are left-handed). We will give directions for right-handers, even though lefties have a storied place in softball.
Start with the ball in your right hand, stretching your arm straight out behind you. Standing with your feet apart, one forward and one slightly back, point your forward foot—or, the foot on the side of your glove hand—in the direction the ball will go. Look where you want the ball to go, and point your glove hand at that same exact place. Your weight should be on your back leg, and as you throw, move your weight to the forward leg. Let your eyes and hand do their natural coordinating, and lob the ball overhand. Try to throw the ball right past your ear.
CATCHING THE BALL
* * *
To catch a ball thrown to you, watch it. Don’t look away. The trick is to assess where it will be in the air by the time it gets to you. Think of your glove hand as an arm on a clock and follow these directions:
Pop-Ups and Fly Balls: If the ball is coming toward you from above, you want to have your glove at twelve o’clock, with the pocket facing up in the air. Watch the ball in the air, intuitively position yourself beneath where it’s going to land, grab the ball, close the glove, and squeeze onto it for dear life, because it’s easy to drop. The ball should be caught in the webbing of the glove, not in the palm, to ensure that it doesn’t fall out.
Regular Ball: If a ball comes to you at chest level, catch with the glove in front of you, with your chest as the center of the clock. Watch it, keep your eye on the ball, glove facing out, catch the ball, and as before, squeeze that glove tight as the ball hits the webbing.
Grounders: To catch a grounder, you have to position your whole body in front the ball. Run toward it or shuffle sideways to get there. Keep your glove at six o’clock either on the ground or close to it, depending on whether the ball is simply rolling toward you or if it is bouncing as it rolls. Catch the ball in your glove and squeeze.
PITCHING THE BALL
* * *
Use an underhand toss. As in throwing, trust that your eyes, hand, and arm will work together to make it happen. Stand on the pitcher’s mound, or on any old patch of grass. Visualize the strike zone: the area over the base and between the batter’s shoulders and knees. The catcher’s mitt serves as a good target; take a deep breath and aim there. A coach can help with different styles of pitches, but the first step is to practice the underhand motion and to figure out how to throw the ball into the strike zone.
HOLDING THE BAT AND HITTING THE BALL
* * *
Hold your hands around the bottom of the bat, throwing hand on top and catching hand right below it. Stand perpendicular to the pitcher. Here’s the position: Stand with legs shoulderwidth apart, knees bent, butt pushed out, bat ready—not resting on the shoulder but held over it. Swing like you are knocking all the place settings and food off the dining room table. Watch the ball, trust your instincts, and practice until you get it. It is essential to watch the ball all the way from release from the pitcher’s hand to when it hits the bat. If you can master this skill, you are well on your way to being a softball superstar.
BALLS AND STRIKES
* * *
The strike zone is the imaginary rectangle extending out over home plate, from your chest to your knees. A ball is a pitch that misses the strike zone over home plate. After four balls, the batter gets a walk, a no-hits-needed free pass to first base. However, don’t rely on walks to get on base. Two hundred tries and patience and you’ll be able to bat that ball to the outfield easily.
A strike is a pitch that comes through the strike zone, but the batter doesn’t hit the ball. Three strikes at bat, and you’re out, except when you’re playing with friends and you make other rules.
RUNNING THE BASES
* * *
Once on first base, your goal is to reach second, third—and home, without being tagged out. Run whenever the ball is hit, though if it’s a fly ball and a player from the opposite team catches it before it touches the ground, run back to your base. You can steal bases, which means running even when the ball isn’t hit, as long as the pitcher seems distracted enough not to throw the ball to the upcoming base and immediately render you out.
PLAYING THE GAME
* * *
One team is up at bat. Everyone on the team gets a number for the batting order. The second team is in the field. Their pitcher pitches the ball, and the rest of the team fields the bases and outfield, hoping to prevent the team at bat from scoring. After three outs, teams switch. Each team tries to get on base, run home, score more points than the other team, and win. One point per run. Softball games have seven to nine innings, or you can just play until everyone’s tired.
After an agreed-upon number of innings or time, the team with more points than the other wins. Alternately, each team and player just tries to have fun, and no one keeps score. That’s a good tradition too.
KICKBALL
It would be unforgivable to end a discussion of softball without mentioning its red-ball cousin, kickball. Kickball uses the same diamond, same positions, and the same general rules, except you can also throw the ball at the person to get them out, and there are no gloves or bats. Just pitch the ball, kick the ball. Kickball aficionados say the best strategy to get on base is to kick the ball on the ground to avoid easily caught pop-ups.
Caring For Your Softball Glove
A NEW GLOVE is a beautiful thing, but the secret truth is that an already broken-in glove is lot easier to play with as the leather has already been softened.
If you do have a new glove and need to break it in, don’t worry; you can do it, it just takes a while. Start by putting it on your hand, and with the other hand, toss a softball at it, over and over. Use your glove daily. Play catch with a parent or friend. Play toss-and-catch against a solid brick wall or a pitchback. Walk up and down the street tossing a ball into your glove. Your goal in breaking in the glove is to soften the leather and create a pocket for the ball. Your glove is properly broken in when you close the mitt and the thumb and pinkie come together and touch.
Some people get kind of crazy about glove break-in: One time-honored suggestion involves putting the glove down on the street and running over it with a car. It’s possible to bang at it with a rubber mallet (though make sure it’s off your hand when you do). Some softball players store their glove with a ball in the pocket, held in place by a rubber band. Hardcore softball fanatics put the ball in the glove; wrap it very tightly with string, making sure the pinky side is tucked beneath the thumb side; and stow the whole package under the foot of th
eir parents’ mattress for a week or two.
When the days get colder and softball season is long gone, it’s time to rub the smallest amount of conditioner into your glove. You can use official glove conditioning oil, or home remedies like Vaseline or foam shaving cream. Just a little bit, really—less is more when it comes to glove oil. Start at the bottom of the pocket and massage the oil toward the top. Find a cozy spot on the top shelf of your closet to store your glove until next softball season. Enjoy the winter.
Playing Cards: Hearts and Gin
A Short History
EARLY PLAYING CARDS are believed to have originated in China, where paper was first invented, as a form of paper dominoes. The earliest references to playing cards in Europe featuring decks with four suits date from 1377. Cards back then were very expensive, as they were hand-painted, and they looked quite different from the design of cards today.
The earliest cards from China had designs recognizable to players of Mah Jong: coins, or circles; and bamboo, or sticks. On their way from China to Europe, cards passed through the Islamic empire, where they gained cups, swords, and court cards. Once in Europe, the generic court cards evolved into depictions of actual kings, knights, and other royalty—hence the name “face cards.” The Italian, Spanish, German, and Swiss cards did not include a queen—and in fact, even today, they still do not.
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