What is Pärk and where is it played?
Pärk, also spelled Paerk, is an outdoor sport played for centuries on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. It resembles baseball but aims to gain ground like American football.
Questions about Pärk
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many players are on a Pärk team?
Pärk is played by two teams of seven people each. They compete on a field that is thirty metres wide and varies in length.
What is the Pärk ball made of?
The Pärk ball is made of a tight ball of yarn that has been dressed in sheepskin. Players hit it with their hands or feet rather than a bat.
What are the dimensions of the Pärk serve area?
The paerk, or serve area, is marked off with wooden laths and measures 2.1 by 0.7 metres. The playing field around it is thirty metres wide with a length that can vary.
Is Pärk part of any competition?
Pärk is one of the disciplines at the annual Stånga Games, known in Swedish as Stångaspelen.