This makes an especially interesting game when dumb-bells are used instead of bean bags, as they are harder to pass.
[Illustration diagram: PASS AND TOSS RELAY (Single Line)]
The players stand in two or more even ranks, facing sideways. The players at either end step one long pace forward of the ranks, to the points marked 1 and 10 respectively, as they are to catch the bag tossed from some other player. Player Number One has a bag and at the signal for starting runs toward the rear, and as he runs tosses the bag to Number Ten. The line immediately moves forward one place, Number Two stepping into the place vacated by Number One. As soon as Number Ten has caught the bag, he takes his place in line with the rank and passes the bag to his next neighbor, Number Nine. The bag is then passed rapidly up the line until it is received by Number Three, who tosses it to Number Two. Number Two, in his turn, as soon as he receives the bag, dashes for the rear, tossing the bag as he goes to the player standing at 10, who in this instance will be Number One. The line again moves up, Number Three now stepping out to the place marked 1.
This play is continued until Number One is back in his original position. The rank which first gets the bag around to Number One after he returns to his original position wins the game. Number One should hold the bag up at arm's length as soon as he gets it as a signal that his rank has completed its play. As this feature adds much to the facility with which an umpire may judge of the winning rank, it may well be a required part of the play, the rank winning whose Number One is first to raise aloft his bag.
It adds much to the interest of the game to have a general umpire and scorekeeper who shall decide which is the winning line, and post the score where the players may see it.
The players are divided into two equal groups which compete against each other. Each group is divided into two lines or ranks which stand facing each other. There should be from ten to twenty feet of space between the two ranks.
[Illustration diagram: PASS AND TOSS RELAY (Double Line)]
The game consists of passing a bean bag up one of these lines to the end, when the last player runs across to the opposite line, tossing the bag as he goes to the end man in that line, who catches it and passes it down the line. The same play is performed at the other end, the last player running across to the opposite line, tossing the bag as he goes to the last player there. The lines move up or down one place each time a player runs across to the opposite rank. The game in detail will be as follows:--