What is "stoolball"

Stoolball \Stool"ball`\, n. A kind of game with balls, formerly common in England, esp. with young women.

Nausicaa With other virgins did at stoolball play.
--Chapman.

n. An old English sport resembling cricket.

Stoolball is a sport that dates back to at least the 15th century, originating in Sussex, southern England. It may be an ancestor of cricket (a game it resembles), baseball, and rounders, in fact stoolball is sometimes called "Cricket in the air". Traditionally it was played by milkmaids who used their milking stools as a " wicket".

The game's popularity has faded since the 1960s, but is still played at a local league level in Sussex, Kent, Surrey and the Midlands. The National Stoolball Association was formed in 1979 to promote and expand stoolball. The game was officially recognised as a sport by the Sports Council in early 2008. The National Stoolball Association changed its name to Stoolball England in 2010 on the advice of the Sports Council and was recognised as the National Governing Body for stoolball in England in 2011. Some variants are still played in some schools. Teams can be ladies only or mixed. There are ladies' leagues in Sussex, Surrey and Kent and mixed leagues in Sussex.