Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 29

p.u.s.s.y kneels in front of any player and miaous. This person must stroke or pat p.u.s.s.y's head and say, "Poor p.u.s.s.y! Poor p.u.s.s.y! Poor p.u.s.s.y!" repeating the words three times, all without smiling. If the player who is petting Puss smiles, he must change places with Puss.

The Puss may resort to any variations in the music of the miaou, or in att.i.tude or expression, to induce the one who is petting to smile.

This may be made one of the most amusing games for adults at a house party. The writer has seen some of the most dignified professional people laughing until the tears came while playing this simple little game.

POTATO RACES

Four forms of Potato Race are here given as follows:--

POTATO RACE I. Individual compet.i.tion; rules of Amateur Athletic Union of the United States. Placing potatoes on marked spots; gathering them up not a part of the game.

POTATO RACE II. Team compet.i.tion. One player places the potatoes on spots; the next gathers them up, etc.

POTATO SHUTTLE RELAY. Rules of Girls' Branch, Public Schools Athletic League, New York City. Alternate placing and gathering up.

POTATO SPOON RACE. Only gathering up of potatoes.

POTATO RACE--I

(For individual compet.i.tors)

_2 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The simpler and usual Potato Race is played in two forms: (I), the players competing as individuals; and (II), competing as teams. The following description is for individual compet.i.tion; the team game is described as Potato Race II. There are other forms of playing the individual game; the one given here is according to the rules of the Amateur Athletic Union.

The compet.i.tors should each wear a large number pinned across the shoulders on the back, where it may be read plainly by the judges. The compet.i.tion is carried on in heats, as many players as the playing s.p.a.ce will allow playing in each heat. Potatoes should be used, or blocks of wood are officially permissible. These wooden blocks may be secured of potato shape, and are better than those of cubical form, as the latter are apt to land on the corners and bound.

A starting line is drawn across the ground. At right angles to it a row of potatoes is placed for each player in the heat. The potatoes should be two yards apart and eight in number. (This is the official number and distance for the Amateur Athletic Union; the number varies in unofficial games, but should be equal for the different rows.) The first potato should be two yards from the receptacle, which is usually placed on the starting line, one beside each compet.i.tor. This receptacle should be a pail, basket, box, or can. The official dimensions of the A. A. U. call for its being not over two feet in height, with an opening not over thirty-six inches in circ.u.mference.

In handicap events the starting mark is paid from the rear of the can.

The potatoes are replaced on the marks before the beginning of each heat, the game in this form consisting solely of gathering them up, not in placing them. There is no rule against tossing a potato into the receptacle, but it is poor policy to do so, as it increases the risks of failure.

The contestants start, as for a race, in response to the starter's signals, "On your marks!" "Get set!" "Go!" The game consists in picking up the potatoes one at a time and placing them in the receptacle. The potatoes may be picked up in any order desired. A potato dropped, however, must be picked up before another potato be touched, or the player is disqualified. Similarly, a potato missing the receptacle or bounding out of it must be placed in it before the next potato be touched, or the player is disqualified. When all the potatoes have been placed in the receptacle, the player finishes by dashing across a finish line, a tape, or strand of worsted, stretched five feet back of the receptacle. As in all races in athletic form, a player is disqualified for interfering with any other compet.i.tor, or for touching the finish tape with the hands or arms: the tape should be breasted. The winners in each heat play a final race; or, with large numbers competing, semi-finals before the finals. Where small numbers are competing, those finishing first, second, and even third, may be entered for the final trials. In case of a tie, both compet.i.tors are entered for the next (final, or semi-final) heat, or, if tied in the final heat, the tied compet.i.tors play again.

POTATO RACE--II

(Team compet.i.tion)

_10 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; seash.o.r.e._

The first description here given is for an informal game. This is followed by the rules for strict athletic procedure.

The ground is marked off with a starting line. At right angles to it are marked two or more rows of spots according to the number of teams competing, the spots being from three to six feet apart, each row containing from six to ten. On each spot is placed a potato; or a stone, block of wood, or any other object may be subst.i.tuted; on the seash.o.r.e bathing slippers may be used. Potato-shaped blocks of wood may be had as subst.i.tutes for potatoes, and are better than cubical blocks, which are apt to land on the corners and bound.

The players are divided evenly into competing groups which line up in single file behind the starting line, each file being in line with one of the rows of potatoes. Beside the leader of each file is a box or basket; or a circle may be drawn on the ground instead. At a signal each leader runs forward, picks up a potato, brings it back and puts it in the box, goes for another, etc., until all the potatoes in his row have been gathered in. He may pick them up in any order that he chooses. Immediately that the last potato is placed, this player touches the outstretched hand of the next player in his file, and at once leaves the playing s.p.a.ce; he should not line up again with his team. The next player in the file starts out immediately on receiving the "touch off," replaces the potatoes one at a time, and touches off the next player, who gathers them in, and so on, alternately, until each player has had his turn. The team wins whose last player is the first to dash back over the starting line.

For an athletic contest for adults, the following rules are typical:--There should be eight potatoes for each team, placed two yards apart, the first potato two yards from the receptacle. The receptacle should be either a pail, basket, box, or can, not over two feet in height, having an opening not over thirty-six inches in circ.u.mference. The finish line is a "tape" (strand of worsted) stretched parallel with the starting line and five yards back of the receptacle. There should be a judge of fouls for each team and two judges at finish. Fouls are:--

1. Not placing a potato accurately on the spot.

2. Leaving a potato outside the receptacle instead of in it, whether it be dropped there or bound out.

3. Starting over the line without or before the "touch off."

A foul corrected before the next step in the game be taken does not score as a foul. The teams win first, second, third, and fourth places in the order of finishing, if there be no fouls.

Where fouls have been scored, the team finishing first, with the fewest number of fouls, has first place, etc. In case of a tie, the tied teams must play again to determine the winner.

Teams Order of Finishing Fouls Order of Winning

A 2 0 First place B 1 4 Third place C 4 6 Fourth place D 3 3 Second place

POTATO SHUTTLE RELAY

_20 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; seash.o.r.e._

This first description is for an informal game. This is followed by rules for an athletic contest.

This is a form of potato race suitable for large numbers. The ground is marked off with two starting lines, one at either end of the ground. At even intervals between these two lines a row of from four to ten spots should be clearly marked on the ground, each row forming a line at right angles to the starting lines. There should be as many rows of this kind as there are teams.

On the first spot of each row should be placed a box, basket, or pail, and in it three or more potatoes, according to the number of spots.

Stones may be used, blocks of wood, or any other uniform objects as a subst.i.tute for potatoes, but the latter are best.

The players are divided into two or more equal groups, and each group is subdivided as for a shuttle relay into two divisions. One division of each group stands in single file behind the starting line at one end of the ground, the other division facing it in single file behind the opposite starting line. Between the two divisions should stretch the row of spots. The receptacle should be on the spot near the first runner.

At a signal, the first runner of each team starts over the line, takes a potato from the box, places it on the first spot, returns, gets another potato, places it on another spot, and so on until all are placed; he need not observe strictly the consecutive order of the spots. He then runs forward and touches the outstretched hand of the first runner in the opposite file of his team. This runner must pick up the potatoes and replace them in the box one at a time, and then "touch off" the player facing him in the opposite file. Each player, as he finishes his part ("touches off" the next runner), should leave the running s.p.a.ce entirely and not line up with his team. The line nearest the box serves as a finish line, and the team wins whose last runner, having replaced the last potato, is first to get over this line.

If a potato be dropped, the runner must pick it up and replace it in the box or on the spot, then make his play over again.

The above description is for a comparatively informal game.

For a strict athletic contest for junior players the following rules, used by the Girls' Branch of the Public Schools Athletic League, New York City, are given:--

The laying out of the grounds should be for four spots in each row, two yards between each, with the starting lines two yards back of the first and fourth spots. The receptacle is placed on the spot nearest the first runners, and should be a pail, basket, box, or can, not over twenty-four inches in circ.u.mference at the opening. Three potatoes are used.