act-dog

Every summer at the Choctaw Indian Fair in central Mississippi, hundreds of men, women, and children gather to take part in the fair’s main event: the Choctaw World Series of Stickball. [ A ] This multiday tournament in summer¹ celebrates the fast-paced, aggressive game of stickball (also called toli or ishtaboli), possibly the oldest sport in North America. Players come not only for the sport but also for the sense of community that stickball affords.

In stickball, players work to move the towa—(ball)—down² the field to their opponents’ end, where a narrow twelve-foot-high post stands. [ B ] To catch, carry, and throw the towa, they hold two kabocca, these are sticks made³ of hardwood with a netted scoop at one end. For each question, choose the alternative you consider best and fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document. Read each passage through once before you begin to answer the questions that accompany it. For many of the questions, you must read several sentences beyond the question to determine the answer. Be sure that you have read far enough ahead each time you choose an alternative. Kabocca are used to catch and throw the ball.⁴ Players score a point by either touching the post while carrying the towa or launching the towa and hitting the post.

Teams can be any size as long as both sides⁵ have the same number of players.⁵ In fact, the sport is nicknamed “the little brother of war” because communities frequently settled disputes by playing stickball instead of waging battle. These contests were fierce and physical, and there was almost no⁶ rules. The playing field had no boundaries, and the length of the field varied greatly—sometimes a significant amount.⁷

Modern-day stickball has inherited the game’s intensity. True to the legacy of the game, players do not wear pads or helmets, also⁸ many play barefoot. However, there have been some changes. The game today is usually played on a football field. New rules have been added for safety. For example, only participants making a play on the towa are permitted to be tackled. [ C ]

[ D ] For the Native people at the Choctaw Indian Fair, stickball is much more than an exciting game; it’s a way to honor their heritage and keep it thriving. Through the centuries, stickball has remained a central part of Choctaw culture. Thomas Ben, the stickball commissioner, said, “This is us. This defines the Choctaw people.”