I’m not sure of the year but this photo shows a game of Bat and Trap being played/watched on The Level.
My great aunt Win (Winifred) Ashby is standing front left wearing the white coat. Photo is courtesy of my uncle, Michael Ashby.
The game of Bat and Trap is played between two teams of up to eight players. At any one time, one team is batting and the other is bowling. The game involves placing a heavy solid-rubber ball, similar to a lacrosse ball, on one end of a “trap”, which is a low wooden box 22 inches (560 mm) long, 5 inches wide, and 5 inches (130 mm) high, on top of which is a simple see-saw mechanism. Each player in turn on the batting side hits the opposite end of the see-saw lever (the “striker”) with his or her bat, so as to propel the ball into the air, and then, using the same bat, attempts to hit the ball between two 7-foot (2.1 m) high posts situated 21 yards (19 m) away and 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m) apart at the other end of the playing area, or “pitch”.(Courtesy of Wikipedia)
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I’ve heard they’re going to make it an Olympic sport!
It looks like my mum, top right standing on the wall. Lewes Road behind. If it is, this would date around 1951.
Lol Stefan, I think I’ll start training now!
This brings back memories Vaughan. The game was played between competing public houses. My parents pub, the White Hart – York Hill, used to take part. I think the game was played around Easter, not too sure.
I recall my father telling me that the tournament was played on Good Friday morning.
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