The Duck on the rock is a children’s game canadian that inspired James Naismith to create the initial game of Basketball (which would regulate with The original 13 Basketball).
The game could be played at any place. Only it was missing a stone for each player and the other placed on a rock or a tree stump.
When I was young, James Naismith lived in the Bennies Corners (Ontario, Canada). At the end of the NINETEENTH century, was reuniting with his friends in the neighborhood to play the popular game known by the name ‘Duck on the Rock’. Playing behind the blacksmith shop of the neighborhood, where there was a large rock (this was around the height of the knee. Each one of the boys chose a stone (about the size of a softball) to play the game.
The gesture of bowing the launch of the stone was what inspired James Naismith several years after conceiving the idea of throwing a ball to a basket of peaches hanging on the trellis of the gym (to 3.05 meters) to prevent the filing of any defender (Guardian in this game).
This is the game that inspired James Naismith to conceive of the Basketball.
- Found a good stone.
- Appoint one person to be the Guardian who will put your stone on top of a the top of a larger Rock (another way is to appoint the Guardian is that before you start the game, all players throw from the line and launch the player whose stone-ball ‘Duck’ is closer to the Rock to become the Guardian).
- All others should be aligned to about 15 feet (4,572 meters) away from the large Rock.
- Each person in line takes turns to throw the stone to the stone, the ‘Keeper’ trying to knock it down.
- If you demolish the stone of the ‘Guardian’, then the ‘Guardian’ would come at the end of the line and I would expect his turn to throw.
- If you fail you have to run and pick your stone before the ‘Guardian’ can that hits you.
- If you get caught, you become the ‘Guardian’.
Objectives
- Improve your aim.
- Work agility to pursue the launchers.
Recommended age
- From 6 years onwards (School and Minibasket: category alevín).
- The key is to remember that it is a game that goes by turns.
Number of players
- From 3 players forward.(1 warden and 2 launchers).
- You can play up to 12 in total.
Recommended time
- The rounds are quick. Just 20-30 seconds per round (depending on the number of players).
Equipment and facilities
- 1 stone per person, called a ‘Duck’ in the original game. Replaceable by a ball of malabar or a tennis ball).
- Note: Key to differentiate the balls by color (the best option), numbers, or letters are used to assign them to each player.
- 1 stone that will be the ‘Duck on the Rock’ of the Guardian Replaceable by a ball of malabar or tennis.
- 1 Rock, or 1 tree Stump -what remains of a tree after being cut down (original game). Replaceable by a cube or a cone on which you will place the ‘Duck’ of the Guardian.
Initial layout and description of the Duck on a Rock
Duck on the Rock (‘Duck on a rock’ (original name) is a game that combines persecution, and marksmanship. It is played by placing a stone large enough (known as ‘Duck’) upon a larger stone or a tree stump, known as the Rock.
The Rock is placed in the header of a triple-a half court. Thereupon, the Guardian placed the stone ‘Duck’ on the Rock.The half way line shall serve as a reference for line of launch.
The player who stays close to the Rock to guard the ‘Duck’ on the Rock will be the Guardian. From the line of release (the half way line), the other players throw by turns each one of your ‘Duck’, with the aim of hit-and-drop the ‘Duck on the Rock’ of custody of the Guardian.
In how much a player has launched its ‘Duck’, it shall overstep the line of launch to go retrieve his ‘Duck’. The Guardian can (and should) go to tag players that exceed the line of launch (while not neglecting his ‘Duck’ in the Rock).Meanwhile, the other players continue throwing shifts in and out after having launched.
Once the ‘Duck’ of the Guardian is hit and falls from the Rock, all the launchers rush to retrieve their ‘Ducks’.This is because while the ‘Duck’ of the Guardian is not again perched on the Rock, the Warden will not be able to pursue and catch the players who were in search of their ‘Ducks’.
You always have to relocate your ‘Duck’ in the Rock to go back to chase and catch,
The players who are going to pick up your ‘Duck’ can be stepping stone to avoid being caught by the Keeper. The Guardian will not be able to catch the player while it continues with your foot on his ‘Duck’. Once picked up the ‘Duck’ after you’ve trodden, you can not go back to step.
If a player is caught before picking your stone ‘Duck’ or while you are returning to the line release with the stone ‘Duck’ in the hand, then it will be the new Guardian. The player that made the Guardian happens to be player launcher.
Finally, it can be a very concrete.
It may happen that a player comes up with ‘Duck’ and I was too close to the ‘Duck’ of the Rock. It can be a disastrous situation for the launcher. If a stone ‘Duck’ falls within a measure of hand (corresponding to the distance desdee the tip of the finger to the thumb), then the Guardian can challenge the shooter yelling, ‘Span’.
In that moment, she proceeds to measure with the hand of the Keeper of the distance between the ‘Duck on the Rock’ and the ‘Duck’ released. If the Guardian is right in his estimation, then the player who threw it will be the new Guardian (will place his stone-ball ‘Duck’ on the Rock, and that he was the Guardian will leave with his stone-ball ‘Duck’ to the line release with the other pitchers. This rule prevents releases too soft.
Variants
- Fun-Run: in this version of the game, there is a points system. The challenge and the fun of the game is to try to avoid strategically be marked by the Warden by kicks accurate and strategic maneuvers to retrieve the ball ‘Duck’ released. The duration of this game can be as long or as short as you want.
- Three ducks in a row: in this version of the game, the first player crosses the line of launch three times, without being caught by the Guardian, is the winner. If a player is caught by the Keeper, he loses all his points. Then it becomes a Guardian, and you should try again to win points when you try to convert in launcher.
- Last man standing: in this version of the game, once a player is trapped by the Guardian, is eliminated from the game. The last pitcher to stay in the game, without being caught by the Guardian, is the winner.
Acknowledgements the end
Finally, thank you to Raul Barrera (coach and historian of the Museum of the Spanish Federation of Basketball) for helping me in the consultation documentation and by directing my search towards the digital Library of Springfield College.
Cedric Arregui Guivarch
National Coach of Basketball (CES 2014)
Related links
- The 13 rules original Basketball James Naismith
- ‘Duck on the Rock’s Rules’ by James Naismith (Springfield College Digital Collections)
- ‘Duck on a Rock’, the article of Dan Beard (The Inquiry Net –www.inquiry.net)
- ‘Duck on a Rock’ (Wikipedia)
- Newly found documents shed light on basketball’s birth (ESPN)
- Duck-on-the-Rock_Activity-Instructions (www.soccette.com)