This print was published in "Historical and Statistical Information respecting the History, Condition, and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States, Vol. II (1884 reprint)." Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, an early geographer, geologist and ethnographer was commissioned by Congress to develop a comprehensive reference work about American Indian tribes. The six-volume set was originally published between 1851 and 1857 by J. B. Lippencott and Co. Schoolcraft engaged Capt. Eastman, a career Army officer stationed at Ft. Snelling, as the illustrator. Eastman was known for his paintings and drawings of the Indian cultures of the Great Plains. The explanation of the game being played in the image is on page 78 and reads:
"This game is played by the northwestern Indians in the winter season, after the winter hunts are over, and during summer, when, the game being unfit to kill, they amuse themselves with athletic sports, games of chance, dances and war. The game is played by two parties, not necessarily equally divided by numbers, but usually one village against another or one large village may challenge two or three smaller ones to the combat. When a challenge is accepted, a day is appointed to play the game; ball-bats are made, and each party assembles its whole force of old men, young men and boys. The women never play in the same game with the men. Heavy bets are made by individuals or the opposite sides. Horses, guns, blankets, buffalo -robes, kettles and trinkets are freely staked on the result of the game. When the parties are assembled on the ground, two stakes are placed about a quarter of a mile apart and the game commences midway between them; the object of each party being to get the ball beyond the limits of its opponents. The game commences by one of the old men throwing the ball in the air, when all rush forward to catch it in their ball-bats before or after it falls to the ground. The one who catches it throws it in the direction of the goal of the opposing party, when, if it is caught by one of the same side; it is continued in that direction, and so on until it is thrown beyond the limits; but if caught by an opponent, it is thrown back in the opposite direction. In this way, the ball is often kept all day between the two boundaries, neither party being able to get it beyond the limit of the other. When one has caught the ball, he has the right, before throwing it, to run towards the limits until he overtaken by the other party, when, being compelled throw it, he endeavors to send it in the direction of some of his own party, to be caught by some one of them who continues sending it in the same direction."
Page 79 continues, "The ball is carved from a knot or made of baked clay covered with raw hide of the deer. The ball-bat, is from three to four feet log; one end bent up in a circular form of about four inches in diameter, in which is a net-work made of raw hide or sinews of the deer or buffalo."