Chapter 7

The first runners, having been called by their respective captains to the starting bases, run on a signal; the players may reach the club together and go through many false moves and dodges before one snatches the club and turns back to his goal. Should he succeed in reaching the goal before the other player can tag him, his team scores one point. Should he be tagged before he can return with his trophy, the opponent scores one point. The club is replaced after each run. In either case both players return to their original teams.

When each runner has run once, the teams exchange goals and run a second time. The team wins which has the highest score at the end of the second round.

For large numbers of players there may be several clubs, each having corresponding starting bases on the goals, so that several pairs of runners may compete at once. One club for twenty players, ten on each side, is a good proportion. For young players the club may be placed nearer one goal than the other at first, as shown in the diagram.

This is a capital game as here developed with the feature of scoring, and may be made very popular.

COCK STRIDE

_3 to 15 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This game is usually played with boys' caps, but knotted handkerchiefs or balls of crumpled paper may be used. One player is the cock; he is blindfolded and stands in a stride position with his feet wide apart sideways. The other players stand in turn at a point five to ten feet behind him, and throw their caps forward as far as possible between his legs. After the caps are all thrown, each player moves forward and stands beside his own cap. The cock then crawls on all fours, still blindfolded, until he reaches a cap. The player whose cap is first touched at once becomes an object of chase by the other players, who are at liberty to "pommel" him when he is captured. He then becomes cock for the next round of the game.

CROSSING THE BROOK

_5 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

This game is a great favorite with little children. A place representing a brook is marked off by two lines on the ground. For little children in the first year of school (about six years old) this may start with a width of two feet. The players ran in groups and try to jump across the brook. Those who succeed turn around and jump back with a standing jump instead of a running jump. On either of these jumps the player who does not cross the line representing the bank gets into the water and must run home for dry stockings, being thereafter out of the game. The successful jumpers are led to wider and wider places in the brook to jump (a new line being drawn to increase the distance), until the widest point is reached at which any player can jump successfully. This player is considered the winner.

This game is printed by kind permission of the Alumni Association of the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics, from the book _One Hundred and Fifty Gymnastic Games_.

CROSS TAG

_5 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

One player is chosen to be It. He calls out the name of another player, to whom he at once gives chase. A third player at any point in the chase may run between the one who is It and the one whom he is chasing, whereupon this third player becomes the object of the chase instead of the second. At any time a fourth player may run between this player and the chaser, diverting the chase to himself, and so on indefinitely. In other words, whenever a player crosses between the one who is It and the one being chased, the latter is at once relieved of the chase and ceases to be a fugitive. Whenever the chaser tags a player, that player becomes It. Considerable sport may be added to the game by the free players trying to impede the chaser and so help the runner,--getting in the way of the former without crossing between the two, or any other hindering tactics.

DO THIS, DO THAT

_10 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom; parlor._

All the players stand facing one of their number who is the leader. The one who is leader assumes any gymnastic position or imitates any action, at the same time saying "Do this!" and the others immediately imitate. Should the leader at any time say "Do that!" instead of "Do this!" any player who imitates the action performed must be seated, or pay a forfeit, whichever form of penalty has been decided on at the beginning of the game. Three mistakes of this kind put a player out of the game, even when forfeits are the penalty.

The leader may choose any gymnastic positions that are familiar, such as chargings, head bendings, trunk bendings, arm movements, knee bendings, hopping, jumping, dancing steps, etc.; or imitate familiar actions such as hammering, sawing, washing, ironing, sewing, stone cutting, shoveling, riding horseback, etc.

DOUBLE RELAY RACES

_10 to 100 players._

_Schoolroom; playground; gymnasium._

First two rows (Nos. 1 to 14) stand in aisle II and give way to rear to starting point. Third row (Nos. 15 to 21) stand in aisle III, march forward and around to right into aisle I, bringing entire 21 pupils into formation, as indicated for Team A on diagram. Fifth and sixth rows (Nos. 22 to 35) stand in aisle VI and give way to rear to starting point. Fourth row (Nos. 36 to 42) stand in aisle V, march forward and around to left into aisle VII, bringing entire team, Nos. 22 to 42, into formation as indicated for Team B on diagram.

FIRST RELAY

At commands, "Ready, go!" Nos. 1 and 22, the two leaders of the two teams, walk to wall in front of them at W/A and W/B, touch the wall, return down aisles III and V respectively, and continue up aisle IV to teacher's desk. When the two leaders, 1 and 22, touch the wall, Nos. 2 and 23 start at the "exchange points," X and X, 1 and 2 touch left hands across desks, and 22 and 23 touch right hands across desks. At the starting point, 1 touches left hand of 3, who starts as soon as touched, 22 touches right hand of 24, who also starts as soon as touched; so on to the last of each team, who finish the game by touching the desks where the leaders started. Both teams then "about face" and march back, Team A through aisles III, II, and I, and Team B through aisles V, VI, and VII, when they are ready for the next relay.

SECOND RELAY

Same as First Relay, but this time running.

THIRD RELAY

Same as Second Relay, but this time each leader starts with an eraser, if in the schoolroom, or a dumb-bell in playground, in his hand and gives it to the next pupil at "exchange point," each successive pupil repeating the exchange at that point. The third and succeeding pupils must wait at each starting point until "touched" before starting.

FOURTH RELAY

Same as Third Relay, except that a handkerchief, knotted once in the middle, is substituted for the eraser with which each leader starts.

FIFTH RELAY

Same as Fourth Relay, except that the leader of each team and the pupil behind him each have an eraser (or dumb-bell), and when meeting at "exchange points," exchange erasers, the leaders giving the second erasers to the pupils on the starting points, and so on.

SIXTH RELAY

Same as Fifth Relay, except that two handkerchiefs are used instead of two erasers.

SEVENTH RELAY

Same as Sixth Relay, except that the handkerchiefs may be _thrown_ and _caught_, instead of being _handed_ or _passed_ to the next pupil.

CAUTIONS

The value of these games lies in two things, _i.e._ in the fact that after the first two pupils of each team have started and the game is really under way, there are four pupils on each team actually in motion, and the game moves so fast that each member of each team has little time to do anything besides attending strictly to the game; if his team is to have any chance to make a good showing, he must be constantly on the alert. The second, and still more important, valuable feature of the games, lies in the constant exercise of _inhibition_. Therefore there should be absolutely no "coaching" except by the teacher during training; care should be taken in the First Relay to see that all children actually _walk_; no running; when hands are to be touched, they _must be touched_; when erasers or handkerchiefs are dropped, they must be picked up by the ones who dropped them before proceeding with the game; if to be exchanged, they must be exchanged.

The intermingling of the two teams in aisle IV does not affect the game in the least.

Diagram 2 is for a schoolroom of seven rows of seats, and six (more or less) deep. The numbers indicate a convenient division, and the pupils fall in as before.

A division of the class into three teams may be made if desired, and if there be sufficient aisles.

These games are suitable for boys or girls or mixed classes.

Diagram 1 should be used for schoolrooms seating 42, if seven deep; 48, if eight deep; 54, if nine deep.

Diagram 2 should be used for schoolrooms seating 42, but facing as indicated; 49, if seven deep.

Diagram 1 for a schoolroom with five rows and ten deep, using only the outside and next to the outside aisles.

These games may also be played in the gymnasium or playground. They were originated by Mr. J. Blake Hillyer of New York City, and received honorable mention in a competition for schoolroom games conducted by the Girls' Branch of the Public Schools Athletic League of New York City in 1906. They are here published by the kind permission of the author, and of the Girls' Branch, and of Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Brothers, publishers of the handbook in which the games first appeared.

DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

All of the players but one stand in a circle. The odd player runs around on the outside of the circle, carrying a handkerchief, which he drops behind one of the circle players. The main idea of the game is to take the circle players unaware with this. Those who form the ring must look toward the center, and are not allowed to turn their heads as the runner passes them. The one who runs around with the handkerchief will resort to various devices for misleading the others as to where he drops it. For instance, he may sometimes quicken his pace suddenly after dropping the handkerchief, or at other times maintain a steady pace which gives no clew.

As soon as a player in the circle discovers that the handkerchief has been dropped behind him, he must pick it up and as rapidly as possible chase the one who dropped it, who may run around the outside of the circle or at any point through or across the circle, his object being to reach the vacant place left by the one who is chasing him. The circle players should lift their hands to allow both runners to pass freely through the circle. Whichever player reaches the vacant place first stands there, the one left out taking the handkerchief for the next game.

This is one of the oldest known games and is found throughout the world. The writer has heard it described by Cossacks, Japanese, Italians, and people of many other nationalities.

DUCK ON A ROCK

_5 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

Each player is provided with a stone, called a "duck," about the size of a baseball. A large rock or post is chosen as the duck rock, and twenty-five feet from it a throwing line is drawn. On this duck rock one player places his duck and stands by it as guard. This guard is selected at the outset by all of the players throwing their ducks at the duck rock from the throwing line. The one whose duck falls nearest to the rock becomes the first guard. The other players stand behind the throwing line and take turns in throwing at the guard's duck on the rock with their stones, trying to knock it from the rock. After each throw a player must recover his own duck and run back home beyond the throwing line. Should he be tagged by the guard while trying to do this, he must change places with the guard. The guard may tag him at any time when he is within the throwing line, unless he stands with his foot on his own duck where it first fell. He may stand in this way as long as necessary, awaiting an opportunity to run home; but the moment he lifts his duck from the ground, or takes his foot from it, he may be tagged by the guard. Having once lifted his duck to run home with it, a player may not again place it on the ground.

The guard may not tag any player unless his own duck be on the rock. Before he may chase the thrower, he must therefore pick up his own duck and replace it should it have been knocked off. This replacing gives the thrower an opportunity to recover his own duck and run home; but should the duck not have been displaced from the duck rock, the thrower may have to wait either at a safe distance or with his foot on his own duck if he can get to it, until some other thrower has displaced the duck on the rock, and so engaged the time and attention of the guard. Several players may thus be waiting at once to recover their ducks, some of them near the duck rock with a foot on their ducks, others at a distance. Any player tagged by the guard must change places with him, placing his own duck on the rock. The guard must quickly recover his duck and run for the throwing line after tagging a player, as he in turn may be tagged as soon as the new guard has placed his duck on the rock.

A stone that falls very near the duck rock without displacing the duck may also prove disastrous to the thrower. Should a stone fall within a hand span (stretching from finger tip to thumb) of the duck rock without knocking off the duck, the guard challenges the thrower by shouting "Span!" whereupon he proceeds to measure with his hand the distance between the duck rock and the stone. Should the distance be as he surmises, the thrower of the stone has to change places with him, put his own duck on the rock, and become the guard. This rule cultivates expert throwers.

When used in a gymnasium, this game may best be played with bean bags, in which case one bag may be balanced on top of an Indian club for the duck on the rock.

The modern Greeks play this game with a pile of stones instead of the one rock or stake with the duck on top. The entire pile is then knocked over, and the guard must rebuild the whole before he may tag the other players. These variations make the game possible under varied circumstances, as on a flat beach, or playground where no larger duck rock is available, and add considerably to the sport.

DUMB-BELL TAG

_5 to 30 or more players._

_Gymnasium; playground; schoolroom._

The players stand, scattered promiscuously, one of their number, who is It, being placed in the center at the opening of the game. A dumb-bell is passed from one player to another, the one who is It trying to tag the person who has the dumb-bell. If he succeeds, the one tagged becomes It.

A great deal of finesse may be used in this game; in appearing to hand the dumb-bell in one direction, turning suddenly and handing it in another, etc. Players may move around freely, and the action is frequently diversified with considerable running and chasing.

In the schoolroom this may be played either with the players seated or standing.

EVERY MAN IN HIS OWN DEN

_5 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

Each player selects for himself a den; a post, tree, or other objective point may serve for this, or the corner of a building, or if in a gymnasium, a piece of apparatus.

One player opens the game by running out from his den. The second player tries to catch (tag) him. The third player may try to catch either of these two, and so on. The object of the different players is to make captives of the others, as any player caught must thereafter join his captor in trying to catch others, thus eventually aggregating the different players into parties, although each starts separately, and any one may be the nucleus of a group should he be successful in catching another player. The players may only be caught by those who issue from a den after they themselves have ventured forth. For instance, Number Two goes out to catch Number One. Number Three may catch either Two or One, but neither of them may catch him. The last player out may catch any of the other players. At any time a player may run back to his den, after which his again issuing forth gives him the advantage over all others who may then be out, as he may catch them. As the players are gradually gathered into different parties, the game becomes more concentrated, and the side wins that captures all of the players.

One player may catch only one opponent at a time.

EXCHANGE

(Numbers Change; French Blind Man's Buff)

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Parlor; gymnasium; playground._

One player is blindfolded and stands in the center. The other players sit in chairs in a circle around him. It is advisable to have the circle rather large. The players are numbered consecutively from one to the highest number playing.

The game may start with the players sitting in consecutive order, or they may change places at the outset to confuse the blindfold player, although the changing of places takes place very rapidly in the course of the game. The blindfold player calls out two numbers, whereupon the players bearing those numbers must exchange places, the blindfold player trying meanwhile either to catch one of the players or to secure one of the chairs. Any player so caught must yield his chair to the catcher. No player may go outside of the circle of chairs, but any other tactics may be resorted to for evading capture, such as stooping, creeping, dashing suddenly, etc.

This game may be one of the merriest possible games for an informal house party. The writer recalls one such occasion when a prominent manufacturer was blindfolded and had located two players whose numbers he called for exchange, one of them a newly graduated West Point lieutenant, the other a college senior. The business man stood in front of the chair occupied by the lieutenant and close to it, taking a crouching attitude, with his feet wide apart and arms outspread ready to grasp the victim when he should emerge from his chair. Noiselessly the lieutenant raised himself to a standing position in his chair, and then suddenly, to shouts of laughter from the company, vaulted over the head of his would-be captor, while at the same moment the collegian crawled between his feet and took possession of the chair.

FARMER IS COMING (THE)

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

One player, chosen to be the farmer, is seated. The remaining players, standing at a distance, select a leader who taps some of them on the shoulder as an invitation to go with him to the farmer's orchard for apples. Thereupon they leave their home ground, which has a determined boundary, and approach as near to the farmer as they dare. The game is more interesting if they can do this from various sides, practically surrounding him. Suddenly the farmer claps his hands and all players must stand still, while the leader calls out, "The farmer is coming!" The players try to get safely back to their home ground, the farmer chasing them. He may not start, however, until the leader has given his warning. Any player caught by the farmer changes places with him.

For the parlor or class room.--This game adapts itself well to indoor use, the farmer sitting on a chair in the middle of the room if in a parlor, or at the teacher's desk if in a schoolroom. The players are home when in their seats, and the farmer, to catch them, must tag them before they are seated.

This is a particularly enjoyable game for an older person to play with children, the former enacting the farmer.

FENCE TAG

_4 to 30 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors; schoolroom._

This game is a great favorite with boys for outdoor play, but may also be used in the gymnasium, various pieces of apparatus being used in lieu of a fence.

A certain length of fence is chosen for the game. The one who is It gives the other players a slight start in which to vault over the fence, when he immediately vaults over and tries to tag them. This tagging may be done only when both players are on the same side of the fence.

The dodging is made almost or quite entirely by vaulting or dodging back and forth across the fence within the length or boundaries previously determined. Any player tagged must change places with the one who is It.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.--This game may be used in the schoolroom by vaulting over the seats. When played in this way, it is not allowable to reach across seats or desks to tag a player. The tagging must be done in the same aisle in which the tagger stands.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAINS

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

A number of stools are placed in a circle with considerable space between them, there being two stools less than the number of players. If played out of doors, a stone may be used to sit on in place of a stool, or the players may stand, each on a spot or base marked on the ground. One of the odd players is a leader, and sits or stands in the center; the remainder are circle men and take each his place on a stool or base, the other odd man standing anywhere in the circle between the bases. The object of the game is for the circle men to change places on a signal given by the leader, each player trying to secure a stool and avoid being the odd man. The longer the distance between stools or bases the greater the sport. The running must be done in a circle outside of the bases, and no crosscuts through the circle are allowed. The player in the center repeats in rapid time the following lines:--

"Fire on the mountain, run, boys, run! You with the red coat, you with the gun, Fire on the mountains, run, boys, run!"

At any time, at the close of the verse, or unexpectedly, by way of interruption to it, the center player will call "Stool!" or "Base!" when all of the players must change bases. There will thus be one odd player left out. This player then steps one side and is out of the game, taking with him a stool belonging to one of the players, so that the number of stools is reduced by one; if bases are used, one is crossed out to show it is out of the game. The center player, who remains caller throughout, then repeats the verse and the signal for changing.

For each round of the game one player and one stool are taken out of the circle, until but two players and one stool are left. These two finish the game by circling the stool and some objective point a couple of yards away; when the signal to change is then given, the last one of the two to reach the stool becomes the leader for the next game.

VARIATION.--This game may be played without eliminating a player for each round. In this form, each player who is left out when stools or bases are taken must pay a forfeit, but continues actively in the game. The forfeits are redeemed when each player has been odd man at least once.

In this form of the game, instead of having one leader throughout, the leader (center man) should try to secure a stool for himself when the others change, the odd man becoming leader. There should then be but one stool or base less than the number of players.

This is a Scotch game, the reference to signal fires on the mountains, to red coats, and guns, having an obviously historic origin.

FLOWERS AND THE WIND (THE)

_4 to 30 or more players._

_Indoors, out of doors._