Modern rules of Schlagball

Schlagball (“bat-ball” or “hit-ball”) was once very popular in schools and as an amateur club game in Germany, at one time having an organized national championship. A member of the longball family, an early form was described by Gutsmuths in 1796 as the “German Ballgame;” to this day it is still sometimes called simply Deutschball (“German ball”). Today it is still played by clubs in the lower Rhine and North Sea coastal regions, especially on the Frisian islands of Langeoog and Spiekeroog, as well as in Silesia where it is recognized as the German name for what Polish-speakers call Palant.