Stoolball is an early sport that originated in England, dating back to the 14th century. It is believed that milkmaids in Sussex and Kent played this game in their leisure time. The game was played on a field, and a stool was used as a target, similar to the wickets in cricket. The stool was placed on the ground, and the objective of the game was to hit it with a ball. The stool was defended by a batter who used a bittle or milking bowl (the game was also called bittleball) to strike the ball before it made contact with it.
Stoolball was traditionally played on Easter Monday, a day off for most people. It was an opportunity for people to gather and have fun. The game was trendy among women, but men also played. It was played in villages and towns and was a way for people to socialize and have fun. Tansy cakes, usually produced and consumed around Easter time, were the traditional prize for the winning team.
Stoolball was not just a game but also a fertility ritual. It was believed that hitting the stool with the ball would bring good luck and fertility to the land. The game was played in the spring, a time of renewal and growth. It was a way to celebrate the coming of spring and the new life it brought. In the comedy The Two Noble Kinsmen, written by Shakespeare and Fletcher, they use the word Stoolball as a euphemism for sexual behavior. This adds evidence that Stoolball's origins came from a pagan ritual for fertility.
Originally played only by women, men returning from WWI with severe injuries could also play the game because the barrier to entry was lower to play Stoolball instead of other traditional sports. Stoolball was a folk game; therefore, the rules often changed depending on who or where it was played. Some versions did not use the milking bowl, and the ball was struck with the hand, which may be evidence of a French connection with their ancient sport, Jeu de Palme, a handball-style game. Other versions had no baserunning, similar to batting practice for baseball. However, the bat and bases version seems to be the most popular.
Stoolball may be the ancestor of most bat-and-ball games. It is believed that the game inspired the sport of cricket, which, in turn, would go from townball to baseball in the United States. The basic concept of defending a stool (wicket) could have originated from Stoolball. The game evolved, and the stool was replaced with a wicket or a base. There is a good chance that Stoolball was the first bat-and-ball game played by the settlers arriving at Plymouth Rock. Stoolball is an excellent game when studying Medieval Europe or even as an Eastertime sports celebration!
Materials:
· A gym or sizeable outdoor play space
o If you are outside, you will need something to mark the size of the playing area
· A stool, chair, or target for the pitcher
o I used a hula-hoop held upright by foam hoop holders
· Pickleball paddle and ball
· Jerseys and pinnies
Prior Knowledge: This lesson should be taught when the students study Medieval Europe. This game could also introduce bat and ball sports because this game is either the origin of many European bat and ball sports or it comes from the same common ancestor.
Lower Elementary Presentation
· There were many versions of Stoolball, so I took some creative license in how this game is played with lower elementary. Because we don’t want students waiting or sitting out the way they would have to for baseball, each player scores for themselves. All the other children will be the defenders, and when there is an out, we switch the batter.
· Set up the stool or target in the middle of the playing area. About twenty feet away, place another stool or target as the opposite base the batter is defending.
o I used hula hoops held vertically with foam holders. The batter was out if the pitcher could underhand toss the ball through the hoop.
· The batter uses a pickleball paddle as a bat. They may hold it with one or two hands.
· The pitcher will give each batter eight "legitimate" underhand tosses unless they get out. A legitimate throw is one that would have gone through the hoop or struck the stool. After eight pitches, the batter will switch.
o Depending on the students' skills, you can alternate them as pitchers after batting, or the instructor can be the "all-time pitcher" so that each batter gets consistently good pitches.
· Any hit is a good hit. There is no foul territory, which is similar to cricket.
· If the batter hits the ball, the goal is to run to the other stool (base), touch it with the paddle, and return to the original stool (base) before getting out. This would score one run.
· If the batter hits a ball that rolls over the designated play area, it counts as four runs.
o If you are playing inside a gym, I would make the boundaries the walls of the gym.
· If the batter hits a ball in the air and travels over the designated play area, it counts as six runs.
o If in a gym, if the ball hits the wall in the air, it is worth six.
o The batter does not have to run in both cases of scoring a four or six.
§ Both scoring mechanics are similar to cricket as well.
· The batter can get out multiple ways.
o After the pitch, if the ball hits the stool, goes through the hoop, or even touches the hoop, that is an out.
o If the ball is hit in the air and is caught, that is an out.
o If the ball from a defender, either in hand or thrown, touches the stool (base) that the runner is going to, the batter is out.
§ Touching a base a runner has already tapped with their bat does not get them out.
o Optional: If the batter is hit with the ball from a defender.
o Emphasize that the bat must be taken with the batter. If they throw or drop it, they are out if they don't retrieve the bat and tap the bases with it.
Upper Elementary Presentation
· The game dynamic stays relatively the same, but you may opt to split the students into teams and can keep a team score instead of an individual score. The offense and defense teams switch when every player on the batting team has received eight legitimate pitches or is out. However, your older students may prefer the lower elementary variation.
Aims:
Direct: For the students to play a bat and ball game called Stoolball from Medieval England.
Indirect:
Listening to directions
Teamwork and team building
Communication
Strategy
Sportsmanship
Physical skills practiced:
· Throwing from standing or moving
· Throwing at a target
o As pitcher – underhand
o As fielder – overhand at a target
· Catching from standing or moving
· Hitting a ball with a paddle
· Running to bases
Control Of Error:
The teacher will act as the umpire for the game and, if need be, the all-time referee.
Points of Interest: This ancestor game of cricket and baseball has playing elements, especially from cricket, but it is a more straightforward game to play and master. This makes it an excellent introduction to cricket in the future.
Age: All Ages
Bibliography
Masters, J. (n.d.). Stoolball & the origin of ancient bat and ball games. Stoolball and Stowball - Online Guide. https://www.tradgames.org.uk/games/stoolball.htm
Stoolball: A medieval baseball game. (n.d.). https://slumberland.org/sca/articles/stoolball.html
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, September 12). Stoolball. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoolball
YouTube. (2019, September 25). Exploring duncton - the ancient game of Stoolball. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mpmHn3dGJE&t=297s