Giornale Nuovo blog posted 8 fantastic paintings (circa 1626) by Adriaen van de Venne [wiki], a Dutch Baroque painter. This particular one above is A Game of Balloon, apparently a volleyball-like game of the Renaissance period.
Link – via Scribal Terror
John
Volleyball was supposedly invented in Holyoke, Mass. USA in 1895. Basketball was also invented in Holyoke by Dr. Gabler, but he allowed his colleague Dr. Naismith to take the credit.
Daniel Kim
So, this game is a lot like volleyball, except that there is no net, and you have to amputate your right hand.
Sid Morrison
Yeah, the hand-thing is pretty weird. it would be a good post-amputation game for convicted Arab thieves, though.
Alex
Look closer: there *is* a net – it’s that slack line down the middle between the two teams.
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