Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 66

The players line up in two or more single files, which compete with each other, and must therefore contain an equal number of players. The captain or leader of each file toes a line drawn across the ground and holds a basket ball (a bean bag or other object may be used). At a given signal he pa.s.ses the ball backward over his head to the player next behind, who in turn pa.s.ses it backward as rapidly as possible, and so on until it reaches the last player in the line. He at once runs forward, carrying the ball to the front of the line, which moves backward one place to make room for him. He toes the line and pa.s.ses the ball backward over his head. The play continues until the captain reaches the end of the line, and runs forward with the ball to his original place at the head of the file. As he takes his place there, he holds the ball aloft as a signal that he has finished. The file wins whose captain is the first to return to his place.

The game may be made very enlivening by pa.s.sing several articles in rapid succession, each of a different and contrasting character, such as a basket ball, tennis ball, Indian club, heavy medicine ball, bean bag, light dumb-bell, three-or five-pound iron dumb-bell, etc. In this form of the game the last player must acc.u.mulate all of the articles before running forward with them, or the score may be made on the arrival of the last article at the rear of the line.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.--See also _Hand over head bean bag_, in which the entire cla.s.s plays at once.

The players raise their seats where this is possible, and stand between the desk and the seat. Where the seats cannot be raised, the players may sit in the seats or on the desks. An even number of players should be in each line, and only alternate lines play simultaneously, so as to leave clear the necessary aisle s.p.a.ce for running. Those at the front of the lines should hold a ball or any subst.i.tute for pa.s.sing backward over the head, such as a bean bag, eraser, foot rule, or book. At a given signal the object is pa.s.sed backward over the head to the next player in the rear, who in turn pa.s.ses it backward, and so on down the line until the last player receives it. He runs forward on the _right_-hand side of his desk to the first seat. At the same time the other players in his row step into the aisle at the _left_ of the desks and move backward one place.

The line wins whose original leader first gets back to the front.

As in all games in the schoolroom in which part of the players are seated while others run, care should be taken that there are no feet in the aisle over which the runners might trip.

ARCH GOAL BALL

_10 to 60 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

_Basket ball._

The players are divided into groups, and line up in single file in two or more lines facing a basket ball goal or any subst.i.tute. Each line has a basket ball. At a signal each leader pa.s.ses the ball backward overhead, the next player catches it and pa.s.ses it in the same way, and so on to the end of the line. When the last player receives the ball, he runs forward and tries to throw it into the basket, standing on a line marked from five to ten feet from the goal. He is allowed but one throw, when he quickly takes his place at the front of his line (which moves backward one place to make room for him), and at once pa.s.ses the ball backward overhead. The last player, in turn, runs forward, throws for goal, etc. This is repeated until each player in a line has thrown for the goal. Each goal made scores two points for the team. The team wins which has the highest score when all of the players have thrown.

This may also be played on time. Then each player throws until he succeeds in getting the ball into the basket. The team wins whose last man finishes first.

BALL CHASE

_4 to 20 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

_Hand ball or subst.i.tute._

A row of caps is set against a wall or fence, or a series of holes dug in the ground. At a point ten or twenty feet from these all of the players stand, and one selected as thrower throws a ball into one of the caps or holes. Any subst.i.tute may be used for a ball, such as a small block of wood or a stone. Should he miss, he repeats the throw until he succeeds. As soon as a ball lands in a cap, the owner of the cap runs away, and all of the others chase him until caught.

It will be seen that this game may best be played where there is opportunity for considerable dodging around and behind obstacles. The player being chased is exempt if he can get back to his own cap before being caught by the others. If caught, however, he becomes thrower for the next round; otherwise the first thrower continues in that position.

In a gymnasium a series of circles may be drawn on the floor in place of the holes or caps, and a bean bag tossed into them.

BALL DRILL

(See _Hand Ball Drill_ and _Wall Ball Drill_.)

BALLOON BALL

_10 to 60 players._

_Schoolroom._

_Inflated balloon._

There are two goals, each consisting of a string stretched on opposite sides of the room from front to rear, at a height of six feet. There may be any number of players, who are divided into two teams.

The teams are seated in alternate rows. The A's represent the players on one team, the B's the players on the opposing team. The balloon is thrown in the air in the center by the teacher, and the players of both teams strike it with open hand.

Object.--The players of team A try to bat the balloon over goal A; the players of team B try to send it over goal B.

Fouls.--Fouls are called for the following:--

Standing more than half erect.

Leaving seat entirely.

Raising desk (if movable).

Striking ball with clinched hand.

Score.--Each goal made counts two points. One point is also awarded to the opposing team for each foul.

This game may be varied by having a goal keeper for each team whose duty shall be to prevent the balloon from crossing his or her goal line. This goal keeper should stand, and should have a free use of the aisle in front of the goal.

This game was originated by Mr. Henry J. Silverman of New York City, and submitted in a compet.i.tion for schoolroom games conducted by the Girls' Branch of the Public Schools Athletic League of New York City in 1906. This game was one that received honorable mention, and is here published by the kind permission of the author, and of the Girls' Branch, and of Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Brothers, who published the handbook in which the game first appeared.

BALLOON GOAL

_10 to 100 players._

_Schoolroom; parlor; gymnasium._

_Inflated balloon._

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: BALLOON GOAL]

The game is played with two toy balloons, preferably twelve inches in diameter, one red and one blue, which are struck with the open hand only. When the gas of the balloon is exhausted, the rubber bag may be refilled with the breath, when it will be found still to float sufficiently in the air for the purposes of the game.

The cla.s.s is divided into two teams, preferably designated by colors corresponding to the b.a.l.l.s, worn on the arm or otherwise. The teams are a.s.signed by rows across the room from side to side, the first row of pupils belonging to the red team, the second to the blue, the third to the red, etc. Four goals are formed by stretching a tape diagonally across each of the four corners of the room about five feet from the floor, the goals in the diagonally opposite corners having the same colors, two of red and two of blue. The game consists in hitting the balloon with the open hand so that it will float down behind a goal tape, the red balloon scoring when it enters the red goals, and the blue balloon when it enters the blue goals. There are no goal guards, but it is the object of all players belonging to the red team to get the red balloon into the red goals, and of the blue team to keep it out. Similarly, the object of the blue team is to get the blue balloon into the blue goals and of the red team to keep it out.

The game starts by the teacher putting the balloons in play by tossing them up in the center of the room, when each side immediately begins to play for them. It has been found that with two balloons and four goals, and the interference offered by fixed seats and desks, it is unnecessary to limit the players to any given area. This, however, may be done should play become rough.

A score keeper scores one for each team making a goal with its balloon, but the game continues without interruption, the balloon being at once put in play again by the teacher.