Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Most cultures in some form had "sports" they played amongst themselves or against opposing villages. The vikings had "knattleikr" a ball game that is unclear as far as rules of play but one can make assumptions. The Scottish had (and still have) "Shinty" a field hockey style game. The Irish have "Hurling", also a field hockey game. Native American's have "Lacrosse" and so on. So would the Dunedain have had a sport such as this. Like all the above cultures who used these games as a way to train for battle I would think it is almost a given that they would have had a stick ball game, along with wrestling and other tests of strength. Here is a link to a groups attempt at recreating the viking game I mentioned before.
http://www.hurstwic.org/history/article ... tleikr.htm

What are your thoughts? Lets discuss!

All cultures had their games, with Rangers, I would assume, if it were to be a team sport, the teams would comprise of no more than four men each. I suspect it could be less due to the small population and having enough around at any one time for a game.

Now for the real speculation, due to the marshall nature of the rangers, I'd suggest the game consisted of 2 goals, a ball (made from hide and stuffed with rags). Useing hands and feet, each team attempts to get the ball into the opposing team's goal.

This is an offensive game with little in the way of defending one's goal.
Picture american football and soccor with a little the lacrosse/hockey attitude and subsequent injuries.

Peter Remling wrote: Picture american football and soccor with a little the lacrosse/hockey attitude and subsequent injuries.

so perhaps something more like rugby then american football? and along the lines of futsall as well?

Keeping in mind that games evolved from generation to generation the game would have probably varied over time but also from village to village. This village might play by slightly different rules than that village etc.
I think with places like Gondor games would be much bigger due to population. And since Gondorians are kin to the Dunedain we can assume that they played a similar game.

I think this is what the Dunedain played.

Other kids' games are all such a bore!
They've gotta have rules and they gotta keep score!
Calvinball is better by far!
It's never the same! It's always bizarre!
You don't need a team or a referee!
You know that it's great, 'cause it's named after me!

As much as I love Calvin and Hobbes I doubt that the Dunedain ever had a score of Q to 12 or Oogey to Boogey.

Can we at least play stickball with bandit masks on?

I think they probably had several games. A rugby style game, wrestling and probably some kind of a stick and ball game. And like I said before historically rules and style of play may have changed from village to village. I've read about Shinty games in Scotland being 100 to a side and the game would last all day. And also games of that sort didn't become organized with leagues and set rules until the 19th Century. So from the 18th Century on back to ancient times games were not formal. Also games were played on holidays. And Shinty was played in fields, on Ice and many experts say that Shinty is where golf comes from.

Although we all know that it was invented by a Hobbit...haha

I would think a big game for them (if they were even prone to playing games) would be something of a hide-and-seek variant to test their skills. It would be both entertaining and informative, would allow less skillful individuals to improve and would be a good way of maintaining those skills during peaceful times.

I also second the suggestion of Calvinball. Hehe

I have been "Roving" lately in the wilderness areas around here, my friend and I set up a "course" back on our friends land and we walk it and shoot at all types of interesting archery chalenges, I am making a life size half a gator and a wild boar out of duct tape and open cell foam (that should make him loose his bowls!) It is a very ancient Archery game and it is said that the game of golf was originally inspired by it!

I will say that one great thing about larping is that it taught me how to work in duct tape and foam sculpture like the bear boss on my shield. I will have to put up a thread on some of the cool things one can make with it! If I can retrieve my pics from my computer.

The Dunedain do not play stick ball games.....

We play rugby sevens!

As a side note.....I played rugby, both 15 and 7 a side, all through college and a year after with the local men's club.

Well, since we've gone wide of stick ball with this thread, I'll throw in the obvious, (to me, anyway!) option of Capture the Flag!

But full contact capture the flag to be sure!

As a kid, we used to play a lot of Muckle, though we used to call it "kill the guy". Played for fun, it's a lighthearted way to work on dexterity, stamina, and taking a punch. >_>

It's amazing we all survived growing up.

Yeah we called it smear the... not very enlightened as kids but well.