Venture

Wicket Good

by John Ross

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JAMES CHANCE PHOTO

By the time the sun sets on a nondescript patch of grass in the Short North and I've started to grasp the basics of backyard croquet, the Doo Dah crew that invited me to their impromptu match has begun to discuss building a moat around their court.

King Charlie, Ms. Doo Dah and Doug, Emperor of the Short North"three wickedly fun and mischievous ol' hippies"insist they've got the tools. Hell, they could flood a nearby culvert in no time, making things quite interesting for the 20-odd teams scheduled to compete this weekend in their bracket-style Urban Croquet tournament.

"Every court is different," Doug argues. "That's what makes it fun and funny."

Sunday's event, a picnic and fundraiser for the group's annual July 4th parade, should be both. Like most things Doo Dah, the group's version of the button-down sport involves the basics"and a lot of extra trimmings to make it their own.

Adapted from the English countryside pastime, their game involves using wooden mallets to strike hard, softball-sized balls through U-shaped goals called wickets, with somewhat tricky rules governing play, turns and scoring. Games will be played between three teams of four, which can register online at urbancroquet.com.

And rules will remain intact"kind of.

"Cheating is legal, as long as you don't get caught," Ms. Doo Dah insists proudly. "I'd suggest keeping some change in your pockets to bribe the judges."

Basics of Doo-Dah's Urban Croquet

Games are played among three four-person teams. Each plays two balls, so two players take turns striking one ball.

From the starting stake, players take turns striking their ball through a series of U-shaped goals called wickets. When they reach the opposite stake, they work back to the starting position.

A player gains strokes by passing though wickets, hitting another's ball or reaching a stake. For example, if player A passes through a wicket, he is given another stroke"a chance to reach the next goal. A player can carry a maximum of two strokes.

A roquet shot is made when a player's ball strikes another team's ball. After such a shot, a player can strike his ball where it lies, or move it one mallet's head from the opponent's ball and then shoot. A player can make one roquet between wickets.

Games are won when a team's two balls navigate the wickets and return to the starting stake.

Source: UrbanCroquet.com

October 4th, 2007

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