Thursday, September 4, 2008

The games we played in school


Games Played by Boys in Baldwyn Elementary School
Circa 1946-1950

-OR-

WHY Couldn’t I Beat Joe Murray?

By Dave Heflin

During the school sessions we had two Recesses lasting fifteen minutes each and a wonderful one hour noon-lunch break. If we jumped rope with the girls, nothing else was going on. However, there seemed to be fads that were short lived such as marbles, yo-yos, tops, paper or balsa wood planes, and etc. in elementary grades.

First, marbles were played under bushes or on level ground with about two foot circles drawn. One set of rules was for a “loser” marble shot into the circle and then in turn, we shot at that marble. If “it” was knocked out and the “shooter” remained, we continue knocking out other’s marbles and keeping them---our “shooter’ had to remain if it failed to knock one out. As I recall we had to stay in our original location around the circle. Remember “dubs one mine” or the rule on using a “steely” as a “shooter” ? I can’t remember why it was claimed, but Joe Murray abused these rules plus several others to eventually capture your best marble, the “shooter.” By the way, we were warned to NOT keep others’ marbles via “tattle tales.”

Tops. Same size ring in the hard-packed dirt was etched, but out in the open in order to use full standing coordination. Basic game was to choose a “starter” and he tried to spin his top successfully into the ring and back out. If it stopped in the circle, the guys to your left had the opportunity to knock it out keeping your top; usually, more than two tops were stuck there. When your time came again, you could do some damage. I remember a pretty red top getting split in half by “you know who.”

Yo-yos. Cheap up to fancy brands were somewhat competitive, but you got to keep it if you lost the challenge. All types of tricks such as “walk- the- dog, round-the-world, swing set,” and others were popular.

Other schoolyard fads included pitching pennies (mainly, losing pennies), sword fights, pea (usually spit balls) shooters (always hidden from the teachers), “King of the Mound,” dodge ball, washers, chase tag, and a big hit, pull riders off of “horses.”

In secret places out of sight from Mr. Baker or teachers, we had some forbidden games played with pocketknives and slingshots. For “stretch,” each had a knife facing each other attempting to force a side-to-side stretch with only a shoe length target stickup until you missed; then, your opponent had the same chance. The game was over when one could not stretch any more. Sling shots games were limited to breaking Coke bottles, “going out for a pass” (Ouch!), and gathering around touching the shooter and scattering wildly when the rock was shot straight (?) up.

Girls, I challenge you to finally reveal your recess games. So-o-o much pleasure came from the common bonds of “boy stuff” and our frequent ecstasy of being included. Winning was not assured, but we waited a few days for a possible chance to find our niche, even if it were a simple toy purchased at Epting’s or the Golden Rule store.

I REPEAT, “Why couldn’t I beat Joe Murray?”

5 comments:

  1. Nice synopsis, Dave. You forgot about mumble peg, though. I can't remember all the rules but I'm sure it is on the web.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joe Murray was hard to beat in any game due to his distractions and sleight-of-hand in some instances.
    Now, given, he was rough and tumble and capable as a ball player.
    He used Coca-Cola signs to learn and practice head-butting for football!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lots of other things we did to occupy time at and after school. Some of us learned to play poker pretty well at school. We played in the back of the woodworking and technical shop among other places.
    another game was hide and seek with cars. We had an "it" who would hide and when found, race back to the school parking lot and try to beat the other.
    How many people did we get into Billy Wayne Houston's Crosley station wagon once/ 16 I believe...
    TMG

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the reminders, Dave.
    Don't forget rock/scissors/paper with the loser of each play getting whacked on the wrist! Didn't hurt at all at first, but after 20-30 whacks, the poor guy had to give in.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Doesn't look like the girls are gonna answer, Dave!
    They played Hopscotch, tag, jacks, and badminton at school.
    Do ya'll remember when the school put two ping-pong tables at the auditorium entrance portico?
    There was a long line to play at the tables when they were new. Lots of tempers flared when some folks spent an entire lunch period waiting to play and didn't get to.

    ReplyDelete