It is time to pay homage to the great game of Cup & Ball. It cannot be doubted that this wonderful invention is a delight to all ages and could also have wonderful health benefits in maintaining and improving hand eye coordination and general mental condition.  The Cup & Ball has entertained people through the ages. Providing a wonderful combination of intellectual and physical exercise.

So what is the Cup & Ball. Well put simply it is a cup in fact a short rod with 3 cups, a spike and a ball with a hole that fits over the spike. The ball is attached to the handle on a string usually about a metre long. There are three cups on the rod. A small cup and a large cup. The third cup is at the end of the short rod and called the 'centre cup'. Refer to the diagram to the right.

The very first move is to jerk the ball into the air and land it in one neat move on the end of the spike.

Here are some tips. Keep the ball hanging from the handle absolutely still. You will have to wait until the ball stops spinning at the end of the string and concentrate on bringing the ball into the air in one neat move.

This should be an upward jerking movement not too sudden but strong enough to bring the ball into the air  without turning or rolling it.

After this has been achieved if you reflect back on what has just occurred you will be aware that you were in a state of intense concentration and control but somehow free of other thought. A type of meditation without meditative intent. This will take some practice but once perfected can be a very satisfying experience.

The Cup & Ball was a popular Victorian Game

The Cup & Ball pictured left can be purchased at this site.

Before you start to use your Cup & Ball check out what a first move looks like

Are you averse to commerce and got a bit of time to spare and want to amuse the kids? Why not make one of you own Cup & Ball toys. May be not as good as the one featured but should give everyone a bit of harmless fun. Click on the thumbnail to the left and have a look at this reproduced website. It is a copy of the Victoria and Albert Museum For Kids in the UK. Alternatively you can go directly to the original site here

FROM LIGHTHOUSE TO AIRPLANE

One of the more innovative moves is to carefully balance the rod upright on the ball. In the next move one must launch the handle into the air turning it at the same time so that the spike at the end skewers the ball by landing neatly in the hole of the ball.

FROM LIGHTHOUSE TO AIRPLANE

Move 1 - Grip the ball and put the centre cup on the ball.

The starting point for this move when the rod is balanced upright on the ball is called the Lighthouse. In the second move in which you upend the rod to spike the ball, the finished position is called Airplane.

The operation must be a clean and swiftly completed move that makes a comforting 'chocking' sound upon completion.  It will take some practice to be able to achieve this regularly.

Move 2 - While holding the ball throw the stick away from the ball and thrust the ball on to the stick.

We're still working on this page in our spare time so please come back again soon

The record for continuous and uninterrupted ball on spike captures is 9 which occurred in 1982 somewhere in Weka Weka Vally, Hokianga New Zealand. Seriously this record has not been very widely published and may have been superseded in other localities. Do you have a claim that you would like to file?