A Handbook of Bandy; or, Hockey on the Ice/Chapter III

A FEW hints as to preparation for play may be of use. First of all you must have the ice, and it must bear. And if only a hint could be given as to how the ice could be obtained, this would be a valuable chapter indeed, but we must content ourselves with seeing what is the best way of making use of the ice when the frost does appear. Ice is not safe for bandy when it is only just strong enough to bear one, or even two, persons standing together; when three persons can stand on the ice together with safety, the game may be indulged in without danger; that is presuming the space played upon is anything over, say, 120 yards by 60 yards, and there are only eleven players on each side. Having got ice sufficiently strong and good, we proceed to mark out the field of play. The first question is the size, an important consideration. Roughly speaking, for a full team the ground should not be less than 110 or 120 yards by 50 or 60 yards, and the larger it is up to 170 or 180 yards by 100 yards, the better will be the play, and the more enjoyable the game. Where the smallest size mentioned only can be obtained, it is a good plan to reduce the number of players, thus a six-aside-game can be well played on a space 80 yards by 40 yards. Having chosen the ground for play, the next thing is to mark it out. For this purpose a mark of some kind at each of the four corners is wanted, and it is well also to have one at the middle of each of the side lines. Flags suggest themselves, and there is nothing better if they can be made to stand. When the ice is three or four inches thick, this may be done by sticking them in holes in the ice, but when the ice is of less thickness it is objectionable to make holes, and even if made, the flag-staff will not stand in them, but slip through.

On the whole the easiest objects to obtain, and ones which will be found to answer very well, are large-sized flower-pots filled with earth, into each of which a flag-staff is stuck. If flags are not at hand, a bit of shrub, or a stick with a piece of coloured calico on it, may be used. Care should be taken that the pots are not knocked over, as the earth will spoil the ice where it falls unless picked up at once. Small barrels are better marks if they can be obtained.

Now as to the goals, which consist of a couple of posts, with a crossbar, or tape, 7 feet above the ice. Those used by the Bury Fen Club are as good as any, being sufficient for the purpose, and easily made. The base of each post is made of two arms of wood, each about a yard long, 6 inches thick, and 8 inches wide, joined together at right angles. The forms a solid stand, to which the upright may be nailed.

On the underside of one of the pieces there should be three of four spikes, projecting about a quarter of an inch beyond the wood, to prevent the arm from slipping out of its place. The uprights consist of a piece of wood an inch or inch a half-square, fastened to outside corners of these stands (see Plate), and standing perpendicularly to the ice. A lath of wood is carried from post to post at the proper height, and now your goal posts are complete. If goals such as these cannot be obtained, recourse must be had to our old friends the flower-pots. Two of these of the largest size, with flags stuck in them, will make a very good shift. In the above remarks it has been assumed that there is a sheet of ice free from snow. Unfortunately, frost seldom lasts a week or ten days without a fall of snow, the common foe of the skater and bandy player. If the ice is covered with fresh snow an inch or more deep, play is almost impossible, and even half an inch will spoil the game.

If possible, the snow should be cleared away directly it has fallen, as if a thaw comes whilst it still lies upon the ice, and it then freezes again, the frozen thawed snow upon the ice presents a surface so rough and uneven as largely to spoil the play, or even make it impossible, with the further disadvantage that by no amount of expense can it be made good again. The best and cheapest way of cleaning away the snow is as follows: - Take an inch board, 4 ½ ft. by 12 in., screw (not nail) hoop iron to the bottom of one side so as slightly to protect beyond the board, and then fix in the centre of this board a handle 5 ft. long. This will give you a cheap and useful tool (see Plate II.), which can be made by any carpenter in a short time. Six of these made at one time should not cost more than three shillings apiece.

The best way of using these boards depends upon how much snow has fallen. If the fall is light, one or two men can push all of the snow in front of them from the centre of the ground to the side, but when the fall is too heavy to do this it will be found best to start half way between the centre and the side, and push the snow of that part first, and then go to the centre and remove the other half.

It will often be found that the quickest way to work with these clearers is to use three of them end to end, so as to form a continuous length, the centre board overlapping the side ones.

The snow should be left at the side, as it forms an excellent boundary; it prevents the ball going out the field of play, and at the same time does not hurt the players when they skate into it. For this reason it is well to clear part of the snow from off the ground upon the goal line. The ice will thus be bounded all around with a bank of snow, except, of course, between the goal-posts.

It is as well at once clear as large a space as is likely in any case to be wanted, as after the snow has lain for a day or two it becomes difficult, sometimes impossible, to enlarge the space by moving it again.

The rules require a solid india-rubber ball. A lacrosse ball should be used. These can be obtained at a cost of 1s. 6d. apiece; they should be painted red, as the dark lacrosse ball is often difficult to see on a winter's afternoon.

The players have now only to be provided with the proper dress, skates, and bandies to be ready to start; and as it is desirable to be well-equipped, a few words on this subject will not be out of place. The question of dress is of small importance, and all that need be said is that clothes should be warm and light, and, therefore, chiefly of flannel or wool. They must be stouter and more substantial than those used for cricket, or even football, as the game is played in the coldest weather. Some warm colour, such as red or brown, looks much better than white. And if the players do not wear a shirt or jersey of the club colours, they ought, at least, to have a piece of bright coloured ribbon (red and blue are best) tied round their right arms, and also on their bandies, to enable players to distinguish friend from foe, and the referee one side from another. As regards skates, it is of importance to have good ones, still there is much difference of opinion as to which kind are best. The fen men stick to the old fen skate, often called the 'Whittlesea Runner', whilst those outside the fens mostly use one or other of the figure skates. Many figure skaters cannot get on with the fen runners, still some have taken to, and prefer them. On the other hand fen men will not use a figure skate, and it is doubtful if there is a single fen bandy player who has given up his fen skates and adopted figure ones. This would seem to show that either the fen skate is the best, or that fenmen are most pigheaded. After all it is a question which each skater must decide for himself. If he uses a fen skate he should use a 'Standard Bandy' or 'Standard Racer', which has on the blade one or other of the marks shown in Plate IV. These skates were designed by Mr. Albert Goodman, and every skate with either of these marks upon its blade has to be made up to an approved standard of quality and shape, and constructed in a manner most carefully worked out by that gentleman, who knows more about running skates than any other living man. The skates are made by Messrs. Colquhoun and Cadman and Messrs. Marsden Brothers, and can be obtained through most ironmongers at a cost of 16s. 6d.

In regard to the best figure skate to use, it is difficult to form an opinion, as many of the best players differ considerably in their ideas; but all agree upon one point, namely, that whatever blade is used it should be screwed on to the boot.

A member of the Pinner Club has designed a blade, having a larger radius than the usual figure skater blade, viz., 12 feet as against 9 feet radius; it is also made narrower, and projects one inch in front and behind the boot. The blade was mounted on the Mount Charles frame and screwed to the boot.

This skate, it is said, was found to be faster and steadier than those generally used, and figure skaters with very little practice became accustomed to them. The skates were made by Henning, Coventry-street, Piccadilly, London, and sold at 21s. a pair.

As regards the stick, usually called the 'bandy', it is important that it should be of the right shape, and as broad as I allowed by the rules. Mr. C. G. Tebbutt a year or two back gave a London firm the exact shape and size of a bandy which had been for some years in the possession of his family, and the bandies made were the most perfect yet seen, and gave universal satisfaction. They were called the 'Bury Fen Bandy'. The firm afterwards altered the shape, making it much more like the hockey stick, at the same time charging more money. So you now have the questionable advantage of a worse article at an increased price. Mr. Gray, of Cambridge, however, is now making a stick of the correct shape, which has been given him by the same gentleman, and these are being sold at a very moderate price. We also understand Messrs. Slazenger and Co. are making these bandies at a reasonable price.