Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 30

The first runners start on signals, "On your marks!" "Get set!"

(or "Get ready!") "Go!" There should be a judge to score fouls for each division of each team, and two judges at the finish.

In case of a tie, the tied teams play again.

Fouls consist in: 1. Placing a potato otherwise than on the mark. 2. Leaving a potato outside the receptacle instead of in it, whether it be dropped outside or bound out. 3. Starting over the line without the "touch off." Any foul corrected before going on with the next step in the game does not score as a foul. Teams win in the order of finishing, plus consideration of the record on fouls. Thus, a team finishing fourth, with no fouls, would get first place, if the teams finishing first, second, and third all had fouls.

Teams Order of Finishing Number of Fouls Order of Winning

A 1 8 Fourth place B 3 3 Third place C 4 0 First place D 2 3 Second place

POTATO SPOON RACE

_6 to 60 players._

_Parlor; playground; gymnasium._

This is a form of potato race that may afford much amus.e.m.e.nt, especially for indoor companies. The players are divided into two or more groups which compete against each other. Each group lines up in single file, so that the leaders all toe a starting line. Placed on the floor in front of each group, and stretching ahead in the same direction, should be a row of potatoes at intervals of two or three feet apart, one for each player in the file. The larger and the more irregular in shape the potatoes the better. There should be from six to ten potatoes for each row. Each leader should be furnished with a teaspoon, and beside the leader of each file should be a pan, box, or basket, in which the potatoes are to be placed. At a signal each leader starts forward, takes up a potato on the spoon, carries it to the box or basket beside his first standing position, and places the potato in it; he then hands the spoon to the next player, and pa.s.ses off the playing field, not lining up again with his team. The second player picks up the next potato, puts it in the box, and so on, until all have played, the last one standing beside the box with the spoon held aloft as a signal that he has finished.

It is not allowable to touch the potato with anything but the spoon.

Should a potato be touched otherwise, the player must replace it and pick it up again on the spoon. Should a potato drop from the spoon, it must be picked up on the spoon where it dropped, and the play continued from that point.

PRISONER'S BASE

Prisoner's Base is one of the most popular games for both boys and girls who are beginning to care for team organization, and is capital for adults. It gives opportunity for vigorous exercise for all of the players, for the use of much judgment, prowess, and daring, and for simple team or cooperative work.

The game is found under many different forms. Several, which offer marked or typical differences, each possessing distinct playing values, are given here. These differences are in (1) the arrangement of the ground, and (2) the rules governing the players and game.

The differences in the grounds may be cla.s.sed as follows:--

I. The entire playground divided in two divisions, one belonging to each party, each division having a small pen for prisoners at the rear. (Diagram I.)

II. The main part of playground neutral territory, with home goals for the opposing parties at opposite ends, with prisons in, near, or attached to them. (Diagrams II, V.)

III. The main part of playground neutral territory, with home goals for both parties at the same end, attached or separate, and prisons at the opposite end, either (1) on the same side of the ground as the home goal, or (2) on the enemy's side of the ground. (Diagrams III-IV.)

The rules for play for the second and third types of ground are fundamentally the same, though differing in details, and they differ from those for Diagram I. The playing qualities of the games for the last three diagrams, however, are very distinct because of the different methods of the enemies' approach to each other (which make differences in the risk of "dares"), and because of the differing risks in rescuing prisoners and taking the enemy's goal by entry.

It has seemed best to make a selection of the typical forms, and leave the leader of games free to choose his own. The first form is the simplest for beginners and younger players, and makes a good introduction to the game for such players.

Stealing Sticks is still another form of Prisoner's Base. The main difference lies in the carrying away of the enemy's property.

Prisoner's Base and related games are supposed to have descended from the days of border warfare. They are very old, and Strutt mentions a "Proclamation at the head of the Parliamentary proceedings early in the reign of Edward the Third, ... where it [Prisoner's Base] is prohibited in the avenues of the palace at Westminster during the sessions of Parliament, because of the interruption it occasioned to the members and others in pa.s.sing to and fro." The game at that time was played by adults.

PRISONER'S BASE--I

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: PRISONER'S BASE--I]

The ground is divided into two equal parts, with a small base or prison marked off at the farther end of each division. From five to fifteen players guard each side. They venture into the enemy's ground, and, if caught, are put into the prison, where they must remain until tagged by one of their own side who is free. Both prisoner and rescuer may be tagged and brought back to prison before reaching their own ground. The game is won when one side makes prisoners of all of its opponents, or when a free man enters the opponents' prison, but this last may be done only when there are no prisoners there.

This form of Prisoner's Base differs from others in greater simplicity, both as to the arrangement of the ground and the rules of play. It is therefore better for younger players or beginners in the game.

The differences in detail consist in:--

1. The ground being divided by a line through the center into two opposing territories. In other forms, the main playground is neutral territory, each party having a small home goal marked within it.

2. In this game (No. I) a player cannot "give a dare" without venturing into the opponents' territory, and any opponent may tag him. In other forms, the tagging, being on neutral territory, is controlled by limitations as to which player was last to leave his home goal, and makes a more complex game.

The rules about (1) a prisoner and his rescuer both being liable to capture on the way home, and (2) to winning by entering the enemy's prison, with the restriction that no prisoners must be there, are also distinctive features.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRISONER'S BASE]

PRISONER'S BASE--II

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: PRISONER'S BASE--II]

Two captains are chosen who select players alternately until all are disposed in two parties of equal numbers. A large goal is marked off at each end of the ground, with a small base or prison in one rear corner of it. The wide, open s.p.a.ce between the goals is neutral territory. The objects of the game are to enter the opponent's goal or to make prisoners of all of his men. The entrance of one player within the enemy's home goal means victory for his side. As one player advances for this purpose, or "gives a dare," the opponents send out a player to tag him, when the first side immediately sends out a second player to "cover" or protect the darer by trying to tag his opponent.

The first side then sends out a second player to "cover" their first man. He is at liberty to tag either of the other two players. In this way any or all of the players may be out at one time, though it is unwise to leave the goal unguarded. Any player may tag any man from the opposite side who left his goal before he did, but none who came out after he did. Whenever a player returns to his home goal, which he may do at any time, the man who went out to cover him must return also, and of course the man who went out to cover this second one, etc. The issuing forth of players, or their return to the home goal, is subject at all times to the direction of the captain, though much independence of judgment should be exercised by the various players.

The captain may also designate one player to guard the home goal and one to guard the prisoners whenever he chooses.

Any player caught (tagged) is placed in the opponents' prison ("prisoner's base"), where he must remain until rescued by one of his own side. The prisoner may reach as far out of the prison as possible, so long as one foot is within it. When there are several prisoners, they may take hold of hands or otherwise touch each other, as by the feet (this is optional with the prisoners), and reach forward as far as possible, to be tagged by a rescuer, so long as one of them (the last caught) keeps one foot within the prison goal. In such a line the first one caught should be farthest from the prison, the next one caught holding his hand, and so on in the order of capture. A guard should always be at hand to intercept any attempts at rescue. A prisoner and his rescuer may not be tagged while returning home, but the rescuer may be tagged before he touches the prisoner. One rescuer may free only one prisoner at a time. Whenever a player is caught, all of the others return to their home goals (except prisoners), and a fresh start is made in the game.

Much finessing is possible by engaging the enemy on one side of the ground, while a good runner is held in reserve to dash into the enemy's goal on the other side. Or one player may, by a wide detour, creep around unnoticed to the rear of the enemy's goal and enter it from that side.

Each side should have a captain to maintain discipline, to take general direction of the game, and to decide with the opposing captain any disputed points.

This game is more complicated than the one of the same name previously described. It is well for beginners to start with the first game. The author can testify from vivid recollections the hold which this form of the game may have for successive seasons on its devotees. Sometimes a "dare line" is drawn a few feet in front of each home goal, which challenges the opponents to a special thrill of venturesomeness. The game in this form, as a small boy said to the author, is "the national game of Minneapolis."