Post by Admin on Aug 15, 2020 3:02:11 GMT
Quidditch Through the Ages!
Quidditch is an extremely rough, but very popular, semi-contact sport, played by wizards and witches around the world. Matches are played between two teams of seven players riding flying broomsticks, using four balls and six elevated ring-shaped goals. Quidditch holds a fervent following similar to the position that association football holds as a globally popular sport.
History of Quidditch
Quidditch is explained to be derived from an amalgamation of several fictional ancient games:
Stichstock: Originating in Germany and consisting of a single wizard acting as a guardian or goalkeeper, trying to protect an inflated dragon bladder. A number of other players mounted on broomsticks would attempt to pierce the bladder, with the first who successfully did so being declared the winner; the goalkeeper could attempt to hex the other players; if nobody was able to pierce the bladder, the goalkeeper won.
Aingingein: An Irish game which required broomstick-mounted players to fly through a number of burning barrels set in the air, whilst all the time clutching a ball with one hand. At the end of this fiery course was a goal into which the ball had to be hurled. The wizard who completed the course and scored a goal in the shortest time, without catching fire along the way, was the winner.
Creaothceann: An exceptionally violent and often fatal game originating in Scotland. A large number of boulders were charmed to hover in the air and each player had a cauldron strapped to the back of his/her head. A horn was sounded, the rocks were released, and the players would fly around on their broomsticks trying to catch as many rocks in their cauldron as possible. The winner was the player who caught the most rocks.
Shuntbumps: A very simple form of broomstick jousting where one flyer attempted to knock the other off his broom.
Swivenhodge: Rather like tennis on a broom, this involved hitting an inflated pig's bladder back and forth across a hedge.
Evolution of Quidditch
The name "Quidditch" is supposedly derived from Queerditch Marsh, the location of the first recorded game. The first ball to be introduced was the Quaffle, then a leather ball quite similar to the modern Quaffle, and hence the only playing positions were Chaser and Keeper. Soon afterwards were included in the game flying boulders that had been enchanted to attack players – the first Bludgers.
At first, the bludgers had no human opponents on the pitch, but Beaters were introduced not long afterwards. As the heavy bats had the unfortunate tendency to shatter the boulders into flying gravel, the first metal Bludgers replaced them almost immediately. They were originally made of lead, but in the 15th century, magically reinforced beaters bats were introduced. They are currently made of iron. The final modification to the original "Kwidditch" was to set up three half-barrels at either end of the pitch as scoring targets (previously trees had been used for this purpose). The one missing element from this ancient game was the Golden Snitch.
History of the Snitch
The back-story of the Snitch is the most elaborate of all the Quidditch balls, and its introduction (so it is described in Quidditch Through the Ages) came as the direct result of a game played in 1269 in Kent. By this time, the game had attracted a cult following, and large crowds regularly attended matches.
Barberus Bragge, the Chief of the Wizards’ Council, attended the 1269 game. As a nod to the sport of Snidget-hunting, which was also popular at the time, Bragge brought a Snidget to the game and released it from its cage. He told the players that 150 Galleons – then an enormous sum of money – would be awarded to the player who caught the bird. As the promise of such a large reward would suggest, the players thence totally ignored the game, and simply went off in pursuit of the Snidget, which was kept within the arena by the crowd using Repelling Charms.
A witch named Modesty Rabnott took pity on the Snidget and rescued it with a Summoning Charm, but the connection with Quidditch had been made, and soon a Snidget was being released at every game. Each team added an extra player – originally called the Hunter, later re-named the Seeker – whose sole job was to catch and kill the Snidget, for which 150 points were awarded in memory of the 150 Galleons offered by Bragge in the original game. The popularity of Quidditch led to quickly declining Snidget numbers, and in the middle of the 14th century it was made a protected species by the Wizard's Council. This meant that the bird could no longer be used for Quidditch purposes. The game, however, could not continue without a substitute.
Whilst most people looked for a suitable alternative bird to chase, a metal-charmer called Bowman Wright from Godric's Hollow invented a fake Snidget which he called the Golden Snitch: a golden ball with silver wings, the same size and weight as a real Snidget, enchanted to accurately follow its flight patterns. An additional benefit was that the ball was also charmed to stay within the playing area. The Snitch was also given a "flesh memory", allowing it to remember who touched it first in order to leave no dispute as to who caught it. The Snitch quickly became the approved replacement for the Snidget, and the game of Quidditch has remained largely unchanged ever since.
History of the Quidditch pitch
At the time of the introduction of the Golden Snitch, a standard Quidditch pitch consisted of an elongated oval playing area 500 feet (150 m) long and 180 feet (55 m) wide. It had a small circle at the centre, approximately 2 feet (61 cm) in diameter, from which all the balls were released at the start of the game. The early barrel-goals had been replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst these were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed dramatically from pitch to pitch.
By 1620, scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch, and an additional rule in the game dictated that only one Chaser was allowed in these areas at any given time. In addition, the size of the baskets themselves had reduced considerably, although there was still a certain amount of variation between pitches. Regulations were finally introduced in 1883, which replaced the baskets with hoops of a fixed size.
Players and equipment
Pitches
Quidditch matches are played on (or rather over) an oval-shaped, 500 feet (150 m) long and 180 feet (55 m) wide pitch, with a small central circle approximately 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter. At each end stand three hooped goal posts, each at a different height: one at 30 ft (9.1 m), one at 40 ft (12 m), and one at 50 ft (15 m), comprising the scoring area. There is also a line that shows mid-field, which is 180 ft (55 m). Quidditch fields have white shaded areas around the goalposts, to mark the scoring area and the bounds in which keepers must stay. These are on very few Quidditch fields. Since Quidditch is an aerial sport, Quidditch pitches are shown to feature spectator seating at high vantage points, either in towers (such as at Hogwarts) or in a fully-encircling platform, and the "top box" is considered the most prestigious place for a spectator to be seated. Both the Hogwarts and World Cup pitches have been shown turf with grass. The surface is used primarily for launching off at the beginning of the game, and on occasion for falling onto when players are dismounted from their brooms. Seekers, who sometimes fly close to the pitch surface, can be tricked into crashing into the surface occasionally at great speed (when tricked into doing so by the opposing seeker, it is known as theWronski feint).
Quidditch Balls.
Quaffle
The Quaffle is spherical in shape (although it is shown with four large dimples in the films, appearing more as a tetrahedron), bright red in color, and approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter, and about the weight of a soccer ball. It is explained in Quidditch Through the Ages that the Quaffle is enchanted to fall very slowly through the air when dropped to prevent players having to continuously dive to retrieve it. The backstory of Quidditch explains that the red color was instituted to create a stronger contrast between the Quaffle and mud. The Quaffle is also enchanted to make it easy to grip with only one hand. There is only one quaffle, unlike the bludgers.
Bludgers
The two Bludgers are big, hard, iron balls, approximately 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter. They are described as being bewitched to fly without any visible means of propulsion, although they do retain inertia, which makes them unable to change speed or direction swiftly. Their purpose in the game is to be an obstacle: they fly around attempting to hit players off their brooms indiscriminately. While it is possible to enchant them to seek out specific targets, it is illegal in the rules of the game.
The Golden Snitch.
The Golden Snitch, often referred to as simply the Snitch, is a small golden ball the approximate size of a walnut (roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter).Developed by Bowman Wright (1492–1560) In the films, the wings on the Snitch are gold, although in the books it is described as having silver wings. The winged Snitch is enchanted to hover and dart around the pitch, avoiding capture while remaining within the boundaries of the playing area. Each team has a designated Seeker (most seekers are the lightest, fastest, and smallest players on their team), whose only task is to capture the Snitch. The team who catches the Snitch scores 150 points, and strictly speaking, only the capture of the Snitch will end the game. (However Quidditch Through The Ages describes an instance in which the team captains agreed to end the game without the capture of the Snitch, as the game had gone on for several months, and the captains were unhappy with their respective Seekers' performances.) Games have been known to last for months, so it is of key importance to catch the Golden Snitch as quickly as possible. The Snitch has a "flesh memory", able to recall the first person who has touched it, and will respond only to the first person who caught it. This helps when there is a dispute about who caught the snitch first. Bowman Wright of Godric's Hollow was the first person to fashion a Golden Snitch, replacing the Golden Snidget bird, a magical creature resembling a hummingbird also mentioned in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which was previously used in the game, but was replaced due to animal cruelty issues. No other player aside from the Seeker is allowed to touch the Snitch, and referees and Snitch makers wear gloves when handling them.
Players
Each team is made up of seven players, consisting of three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper and one Seeker.
The Chasers progress up and down the pitch passing the Quaffle by hand amongst themselves while keeping it away from the other team, in an attempt to score goals by throwing it through one of their opponent's three goal hoops. In this respect, the game is similar, to "basketball on broomsticks with six hoops".
The Keeper will protect the three goal hoops, in much the same way as a goalkeeper in football (soccer).
The Beaters are armed with wooden clubs that are similar to, but shorter than, baseball bats. They are tasked with protecting their team-mates from the Bludgers by knocking these balls off course or towards opponents.
Finally, the Seeker, usually the lightest member of the team and equipped with the fastest broom, is charged with searching the pitch for, chasing down and eventually capturing, the elusive Golden Snitch. Seekers are the only players permitted to touch the Snitch. The seekers are usually small, agile, and stealthy.
Each team includes a Captain, who may play any of the four roles. The captain helps the team practice.
Broomsticks
Magical flying broomsticks are one of the forms of transportation for wizards and witches, as well as for playing Quidditch. Interestingly, Hogwarts Quidditch players are allowed to use whatever broomsticks they or their sponsors can afford, despite the fact that more expensive brooms often confer great (and arguably unfair) advantages in speed and manoeuvrability. The Nimbus model line has a reputation as one of the best in the Wizarding world. A Firebolt is an advanced professional-level flying broomstick and the most expensive and fastest racing broom in existence. It is said that they are the best in the world. They can even fly out of the atmosphere if the weather conditions are fair. Comets and Cleansweeps are cheaper than the Nimbuses and are more common. A Shooting Star is another brand of broom, but it is considered to be slow and out of style. Another broomstick series called The Bluebottle was introduced in the advertisements at the Quidditch World Cup, it was described as a family broom, with safety devices such as an anti-theft alarm. There is also another brand called Silver Arrows, as mentioned in Quidditch Through the Ages, along with the Tinderblast, Swiftstick, and Twigger 90, and the Oakshaft 79. The Oakshaft is the broom famed for its journey across the Atlantic and the Moontrimmer was popular because it was still controllable at extremely high altitudes.
Rules
The official rules of Quidditch are partially described in Quidditch Through the Ages. They are said to have been laid down in 1750 by the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Some of the more common rules are as follows:
Players must not stray over the boundary lines of the pitch, although they may fly as high as desired. The Quaffle must be surrendered to the opposition if any player leaves the boundary.
A time out may be called at any time by a team Captain. It may be extended to two hours if a game has already lasted for more than twelve hours. Failure to return to the pitch afterward disqualifies the offending team.
The referee can impose penalties if a foul occurs. A single Chaser from the fouled team takes a penalty shot by flying from the central circle towards the scoring area. The opposing team's Keeper may attempt to block this shot, but no other player may interfere, much like a penalty shot in ice hockey.
Contact is allowed, but a player may not grasp another's broomstick or any part of his or her body.
No substitution of a player is allowed, even if one is too badly hurt to continue (rare exceptions may be made when the game continues for a great length of time, and players become too fatigued to continue).
Players may take their wands onto the pitch, but they must not be used on or against any players, any player's broomstick, the referee, any of the four balls, or the spectators. (The right to carry wands at all times was granted during the height of wizard and witch persecution by Muggles, according to Quidditch Through the Ages).
Fouls
There are 700 Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, but most of these fouls are not open to the public, owing to the Department's supposed fear the wizards/witches who read the list of fouls "might get ideas". It is claimed that all 700 occurred during the very first Quidditch World Cup. Apparently, most are now impossible to commit as there is a ban on using wands against an opponent (imposed in 1538). The most common of those fouls which are described are enumerated below.
Blagging: No player may seize any part of an opponent's broom to slow or hinder the player.
Blatching: No player may fly with the intent to collide.
Blurting: No player may lock broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course.
Bumphing: Beaters must not hit Bludgers towards spectators, or the Keeper, unless the Quaffle is within the scoring area.
Cobbing: Players must not make excessive use of their elbows against opponents.
Flacking: Keepers must not defend the posts from behind by punching Quaffles out of the hoops – goals must be defended from the front.
Haversacking: Chasers must not still be in contact with the Quaffle as it passes through a hoop (the Quaffle must be thrown through).
Quaffle-pocking: Chasers must not tamper with the Quaffle in any way.
Snitchnip: No player other than the Seeker may touch or catch the Golden Snitch.
Stooging: No more than one Chaser is allowed in the scoring area at any one time.
Game progression
The game starts with the referee releasing all four balls from the central circle. The Bludgers and the Snitch, having been bewitched, fly off on their own accord; the Snitch to hide itself quickly, and the Bludgers to attack the nearest players. The Quaffle is thrown into the air by the referee to signal the start of play.
Chasers score by sending the red, football-sized Quaffle through any of the three goal hoops. Each goal scored is worth ten points. After a goal is scored, the Keeper of the team scored upon throws the Quaffle back into play. Capturing the Snitch earns the Seeker's team 150 points, equivalent to 15 goals scored by Chasers. Since the game ends immediately after the Snitch is caught, the team capturing the Snitch is very likely to win the game. However, teams are ranked according to points scored, not games won. For example, at Hogwarts, the team with the most points at the end of the year wins the Quidditch Cup. It is never explained why a Seeker would catch the Snitch in a situation where doing so would give the victory to the other team (i.e. the leading team's score exceeds the losing team's by 150 points), instead of simply waiting for the score to change. If teams are ranked according to points scored, however, a team that knows it cannot hope to catch up to the winning team might favour quickly catching the Snitch (also ending the game) so as to end the game before any more points are scored and hence reduce the lead in point difference obtained by the winning team, so that it is easier to win them back in subsequent matches.
All seven players must constantly avoid both being hit by the Bludgers (which attempt to attack them) and accidental contact with the Golden Snitch (which is a foul if anyone but a Seeker touches it).
The length of a Quidditch game is variable, as play can only end with the capture of the Golden Snitch by one of the Seekers or by mutual consent of the two team captains. The game length is therefore determined largely by the Seekers' abilities. The shortest game ever is described as lasting three and a half seconds, with the score obviously being 150-0 (Seeker Roderick Plumpton catches the Snitch at the mentioned time.) Some games can go on for days, and even months, if the Snitch is not caught. The longest game recorded supposedly lasted three months.
Quodpot: Quidditch in North America
Quodpot is a variant of Quidditch popular in the United States, the Western Hemisphere and, as a minority, Europe — a clear reference to American football and its relative, Canadian football. Quodpot has never been mentioned in the novels, but it is described in Quidditch Through the Ages. There are eleven players on a side, who throw the Quod, a Quaffle modified to explode after a certain amount of time, from player to player, attempting to get it into the "pot" at the end of the pitch before it explodes. Any player in possession of the Quod when it explodes is disqualified. Once the Quod is in the "pot" (a cauldron containing a solution which prevents it from exploding), the scoring team is awarded a point and a new Quod is brought onto the pitch.
Quidditch at Hogwarts
The team which accumulates the most points over the course of the school year is awarded the Quidditch Cup, a great honor. Special awards are given to the best players as well.
Robes:
Gryffindor – scarlet
Slytherin – green
Ravenclaw – blue
Hufflepuff - yellow
Play Rotation
Semi-finals
• Gryffindor v. Slytherin - The first match of the year, normally held in November
• Hufflepuff v. Ravenclaw - Held at the second weekend of November
• Ravenclaw v. Slytherin - January
• Gryffindor v. Hufflepuff - Normally held Feburary
• Hufflepuff v. Slytherin - Early March
• Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw - The last match of the pre-season, held in April
Finals (the best two teams from the semi-finals)
House v. House
The last match of the season, held in late May, usually before final exams