The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pall-mall \Pall`-mall"\, n. [OF. palemail, It. pallamagio; palla
   a ball (of German origin, akin to E. ball) + magio hammer,
   fr. L. malleus. See 1st Ball, and Mall a beetle.]
   A game formerly common in England, in which a wooden ball was
   driven with a mallet through an elevated hoop or ring of
   iron. The name was also given to the mallet used, to the
   place where the game was played, and to the street, in
   London, still called Pall Mall. [Written also pail-mail and
   pell-mell.] --Sir K. Digby. --Evelyn.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

pall-mall
    n 1: a 17th century game; a wooden ball was driven along an
         alley with a mallet