The going out of the Old Year in 1924 was marked by dreadful weather and it was bitterly cold. By the time for The Boys’ Ba’ to start the wind and snow had eased up but the conditions underfoot were described in The Orkney Herald report as ‘disagreeable’.
At 10am as the Ba’ was thrown up for the 1925 Boys’ Ba’ there were few spectators on the streets of Kirkwall. The number of players were less than in previous years but some girls and women joined in. The Doonies quickly gained ground.
“About five minutes from the start, however, the Ba’ was carried over the parapet wall on to the Kirk Green. But here again the Down-the-Gates were having were having the best of the play when suddenly one of the Up-the-Gates players, Jim Findlay, got away with the ball, running with it to the head of Broad Street. He had outstripped the other players, and was almost in Victoria Street, when a Down-the Gate, not hitherto in the melee, punched the Ba’ out of his hands.
As soon as the leather touched the ground it was kicked downwards to Messrs. J & W Tait’s by a Down-the-Gate, Philip Brass, after which it was lifted, but even then it was at times over the heads of the players. Excitement now became intense and players of both sides, of both sexes, and of all ages, joined in the fray, and the Ba’ was carried into Victoria Street. ‘
At this point in the 1925 Boys’ Ba’ the game was stopped by the blacksmith, William Sutherland, who was the ‘official collector’ of the Ba’s . Too many adults had joined in and so the Ba’ was collected, taken back to the Mercat Cross, and it was again thrown up.
Play was fast and by 11 o’ clock the Ba’ was in the basin with Philip Brass being declared the best player.
The Uppies were disappointed that play had been stopped in Victoria Street and the game restarted but ‘recognising the unfairness of grown-ups joining in their game, they took their defeat in good part, resolved to turn the tables another day.’
The Men’s Ba’ started exactly at 1pm. The game remained at the Market Green for some time ‘as the mass of players swayed backwards and forwards.’
After 40 minutes both sides were hugging the wall at the North of Scotland bank. Play continued to the Post Office and back to Broad Street.
‘By this time the excitement was at very high pitch and occasionally spectators who were close to the scene of the ‘scrum’ were drawn into it and carried for several yards before they were again breathing freely.’
After about an hour and a half the Ba’ was carried into Harbour Street. It was thrown into the water on the wall side of the Harbour. ‘Arthur Finlayson, seaman, dived into the ice-cold water, and brought the coveted trophy to safety.’
It was awarded to Mr James Bews, baker.
Reference: The Orkney Herald 7th January, 1925.
It may appear to those watching that the Ba’ has no rules – but although they are few – they are there, and observed, so that play is fair, and wins justified.
Fiona Grahame