Tether Ball (1897)

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   Jon Stewart's THE DAILY SHOW (catch the Comedy Central re-run at 7 p.m.)
had a tether ball joke.
    Who invented tether ball, and when?
    OED and Merriam-Webstger have circa 1900.


   2 November 1897, FORT WAYNE NEWS (Fort Wayne, Indiana), pg. 4?, col. 4:
(Also the same day in MARION DAILY STAR, Marion, Ohio--ed.)
      _Tether Ball._
   The new game of tether ball requires two tennis rackets and a ball
fastened to a post about eight feet high by a string.  When evenly matched, the
rounds last a good while, and the game becomes most exciting.  The ball is far from
easy to hit, as it comes with great force in a circular direction, but if you
miss it once, several more chances are afforded you.  The tope's length and
the height of the post should be arranged by rule.  The rules of play are
rather elastic, and may be formulated by the players.  The game has this much in
its favor--it can be played in any ordinary yard, even a small one.

   21 April 1900, TRENTON TIMES (Trenton, New Jersey), pg. 4, col. 3:
   _Do you play tether ball?_  You should  lots of fun and exercise: a ball
on the end of a long string tied to the top of a long pole; two of you with
tennis racquets try to wind it up in opposite directions.  Sounds simple  try it.
(Wanamaker's of Philadelphia ad--ed.)

   31 October 1900, DAILY HERALD (Delphos, Ohio), pg.2?, col. 2:
      _A New Game._
   Tether ball is in high vogue.  It affords amusement and outdoor exercise.
It is played by means of a pole nine feet long, to which a rope and tennis
ball are attached.  Two play the game; one hitting the ball with a tennis racket
in one direction, while the other hits it in an opposite direction.  Whoever
succeeds in winding the rope entirely around the top of the pole has won the
game.