According to Fray Diego Durán's description of the Mesoamerican ballgame as it was played by the Aztecs, it seems to have been a combination of handball and volleyball. Opposing teams faced each other across a center line and volleyed the rubber ball back and forth. They could use only their hips, buttocks and knees to hit the ball (although elbows and forearms may have been allowed in other versions). If it struck the ground, a point was scored for the other team.
Ballplayers used pads and thick clothing to protect themselves from both the hard rubber ball and contact with the ground, which was inevitable given the limitations of what part of the body could make contact with the ball. They also wore leather belts called "yokes" which were often fitted with wood or stone pieces that could be used to keep the ball in play.
The ball could be played on the carom off the walls, and if it happened to pass through one of the stone hoops located high above, the game was over. Evidently the game was played with a great deal of enthusiasm, and players frequently had to have blood drawn from bruises on their thighs and legs.
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