a half to four
The extent of the playground was marked off by two pair of `` byes '' like those used in cricket , planted about thirty rods apart . But the goals of each side were only about thirty feet apart . At a signal from the oldest of the chiefs the contestants arranged themselves in two parallel lines facing each other , inside the area and about ten rods apart . Every man was armed with a strong stick three and a half to four feet in length , and curving toward the end . Upon this curved end was tightly fastened a network of thongs of untanned deerskin , drawn until they were rigid and taut . The ball with which they were to play was made of closely wrapped elastic skins , and was about the size of an ordinary apple . At the end of the lines , but about midway between them , sat the chiefs , who , besides being judges and stakeholders , were also score keepers .