Seminole ball game, ca. 1897. Pine Island, Florida. (P18926). © Courtesy of National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian Institution.	Lacrosse game between the Seneca and Crescent Athletic Club Teams, 1902. Crescent Athletic Club, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Joseph Keppler. (N23109) © Courtesy of National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian Institution.

Goals were generally of three types. There was a single post that the ball had to either hit directly, carried or thrown past to score. This was often a tall, straight tree stripped of bark. There was the double post goal through which the ball had to be carried in order to score as well as an enclosed goal that consisted of two upright poles with a crossbar attached near the top, (or a single arching pole). Points were scored by either carrying or throwing the ball between the goalposts.

Order was kept by respected elders, chiefs, or medicine men who started play, watched for fouls and activity that might become too violent, and kept score. Score was often kept by inserting a stick into the ground for each goal.

Seminole making ball game sticks. Florida. (P08230) © Courtesy of National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian Institution.	Tally Sticks for Ballgame. Seminole Oklahoma. Collected by M.R Harrington. © Courtesy of National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian Institution.

The field used in NAIG competition is 100 meters (110 yards) long by 55 meters (60 yards) wide. The rules used in NAIG competition are those instituted by the International Lacrosse Federation.

Historically, the balls came in two different varieties. One type was that made of wood and often burnt so that the charred portion could be scra ped away to make a more suitable surface. Sometimes, the ball was perforated so that it would whistle as it flew through the air. Others were made of some type of hide such as buckskin and stuffed with hair, grass, sand or a similar substance. The contemporary lacrosse ball is made of hard rubber and is about 20 cm in diameter (7-8 inches), and weighing about 141.7 grams (5oz).