Ball Games in the Medieval Times

Stoolball

• Stoolball is an early ancestor of both baseball and cricket. The game was played using a wooden bat, and a ball made from leather and soft fabric. The pitcher aimed the ball at a stool behind the batter. There were no balls, strikes or foul balls, and an at-bat would continue until the batter hit the ball, or the pitcher hit the stool. If the batter hit the ball, he had to run to a "base" stool behind the pitcher and then back to the home stool, in order to score a run.

Colf

• Colf was a game with several similarities to golf. It was played using a lead and wood clubs and wooden balls. Like golf today, the game was played on a specific course, though the courses were not purpose-built. As a result, the wooden ball often caused damage to property and injured passersby. This meant the game was sometimes viewed negatively.

Bocce

• Bocce is a game that is still popular today, but it originated in medieval times. Unlike today's version, the game was played anywhere, and not on formal courts. The game can be played one versus one, or with two teams of two or four players. One player will roll out a small target ball known as the pallino. Each player will then take it in turns to throw their balls as close as possible to the pallino. One point is scored for every ball nearer than the opponent's best throw.

Kayles

• Kayles was a bowling game played with nine skittles, also known as "nine pins." The skittles were set up in a diamond shape, and players would take it in turns to attempt to knock them down with a ball. The balls were often shaped irregularly by being flattened slightly on one or both sides. This was to make the game more challenging and unpredictable once players had mastered the basics.

Gameball

• Gameball was a sport that helped breed soccer and football. The game was played on a large playing area, often up to 2 miles in length, with a pig's bladder for a ball. The objective was to get the ball to the other team's goal by any means possible. There were no rules or limitations on team sizes, and the games were often violent. As a result, it was banned in England for over 300 years.