et. The end courts may be shorter if full space be not available.

[Illustration Diagram: PROGRESSIVE DODGEBALL]

TEAMS.--The players are divided into three equal teams, which for
convenience may be designated by colors, Red, White, and Blue. There
are no officers for the teams, but one referee for the game, who
should also act as score keeper, is desirable, and for match games
necessary. At the opening of the game the two outer teams line up,
each on its inner boundary line, each player standing with one foot on
the line. The center team is grouped promiscuously near the middle of
the center court. The teams change courts at the end of each inning,
and the formation or line-up just described is resumed at the opening
of each inning.

OBJECT OF THE GAME.--The game consists in hitting players with a
flying ball (not a bounce), any player so hit being out and leaving
the field. For this purpose the two end teams play against the center
team (but not against each other); and the center team also plays the
ball in a retaliatory or aggressive game, trying to hit players on
either of the end teams.

START.--The game is played in three innings, each of five or more
minutes' duration. Each inning begins with the teams in the formation
shown in the diagram and described under "Teams," except that the
different teams will be in different courts for each inning.

The referee puts the ball in play by tossing it to the center team
(say the Whites, as shown in the diagram), and at the same time blows
his whistle as a signal for the game to open. The referee also blows
his whistle whenever a player is hit so as to be out (_i.e._ hit by a
ball "on the fly," not on a bounce). The hit player at once leaves the
field, and play is resumed by the referee's whistle and tossing of the
ball to the center team as at the beginning. The referee also calls
time for the close of innings. After the ball has been put regularly
in play, teams may only secure the ball when it is "dead," _i.e._ when
it has not just been played by an opponent, but has stopped, rolled,
or bounced into its own court.

RULES AND POINTS OF PLAY.--After the referee has put the ball in play
by tossing it to the center team, the player catching it runs to
either the left or right boundary line of his field and throws the
ball at one of the opposing players (Red or Blue). These players,
meanwhile, immediately upon hearing the whistle to start, should have
run toward the r