Games were played by Miwok Indians often. One popular game was called Shinny. In this game, mostly played by men, the Native Americans would take long clubs and hit a large ball made of hide, about the size of a billiard ball, with the clubs. Although there were many people on each of the 2 teams, only about two people (one from each team ) would regularly play the ball. With the clubs, the team would try to hit the ball in between the "field stakes" of the opposing team's. "Field stakes" were 2 parallel poles set at each end of the field.
Another well played game was Lance Throwing. There were two types of Lance Throwing - with and without a whip. With a whip was played like this:
The players would line up in a straight line, taking up a leather whip, and a pole firm enough to stay attached to the whips for about five or six snaps of the wrist, yet loose enough to sail forward after being twirled above the head. When played without a whip it was similar, but the lance was cast through the air by the arm. The lance that was thrown the farthest won.
Hoop and Pole may sound more modern than Lance Throwing and Shinny. One Miwok would roll a wooden hoop along the ground, while another would throw a wooden pole through it.
Games are an important part of Indian heritage and I hope you enjoyed learning about them.
I think you enjoy the game more if you don't know the rules. Anyway you're on the same wavelength as the referees.
~Jonathan Davies, 1995
Rudyard Kipling, living in Vermont in the 1890's invented the game of snow golf. He would paint his golf balls red so that they could be located in the snow.