Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 75

TEAMS.--Any number of players may take part. They are divided into two equal teams, one of which stands around and outside of the circle; the other team is grouped promiscuously within the circle. There are no officers of the teams, but for match games a referee is necessary, who should also act as score keeper.

OBJECT OF GAME.--The object of the game is for the outer or circle team to hit the players of the inner team with a basket ball, any player so hit being "out" and having to leave the game. With one slight exception, explained farther on, only the inner players score, and this on the basis of the number of players left in the circle when time limits are called. There is no retaliatory play from the inner team.

START.--The game starts on a signal from the referee with the ball in the hands of the outer circle. The referee blows his whistle for play to cease whenever an inner player is fairly touched with the ball, and again for play to resume. He also signals for time limits explained under "Score."

RULES AND POINTS OF PLAY.--The players in the outer team must not step within the circle when throwing. A center player hit by such a throw is not out.

A ball that does not hit a center player is usually recovered by the outer circle by rolling or otherwise making its own way to the opposite side of the circle. If a ball remains in the circle or rebounds into it, one of the outer team may run in to get it. He may throw it while within the circle to one of his teamsmen who is in place outside the circle; or he may return with it to his own place and throw from there; but he may not throw at one of the inner players while himself within the circle.

The inner team does not play the ball: it only dodges the ball. Any tactics may be used for this except leaving the ring. The dodging may be done by stepping quickly in one direction or another, by twisting, stooping, jumping, or any other methods that suggest themselves.

A player of the inner team hit on any part of his person or clothing by a ball is out. This may be either from the ball on the fly or on a bounce, or rolling. Only one player may be put out for one throw of the ball. Should two players be hit by one throw of the ball, the first one touched by the ball is the one to go out. When a player is. .h.i.t, the referee blows his whistle, the play ceases, and the player hit quickly leaves the circle. The referee blows his whistle again for the play to resume; but should the hit player not then have left the circle so that he may be hit a second time, such a second hit scores one point for the opponents.

SCORE.--The game is played in two halves of ten minutes each, the teams changing places at the end of the first half. The main scoring is done by the inner team, which scores one point for each player left within the circle at the end of its half. The only other scoring is by the outer team whenever a player is. .h.i.t a second time before leaving the circle, each such hit scoring one point for the throwing party.

The team wins which at the end of the second half has the highest score from these two sources together.

The game as here given was developed by Mr. William A. Stecher.

DOUBLE DODGEBALL

_20 to 60 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

_Basket ball._

The game is played by two opposing teams in a three-court field, instead of by three teams in such a field as in Progressive Dodgeball. One team takes its place in the center court, and the opposing team is equally divided, one half going to each of the end courts. The teams must be of equal numbers, and for match games have sixteen players on each.

The game is played in two halves of ten minutes or less each. At the end of the first half the teams change courts.

The rules for play are exactly the same as for Progressive Dodgeball.

The main difference in the games is in the smaller number of opponents in the end courts.

This game was devised by Mr. William A. Stecher

PROGRESSIVE DODGEBALL

_15 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

_Basket ball._

GROUND.--The ground is divided into three equal courts, each 30 30 feet. The end courts may be shorter if full s.p.a.ce be not available.

[Ill.u.s.tration Diagram: PROGRESSIVE DODGEBALL]

TEAMS.--The players are divided into three equal teams, which for convenience may be designated by colors, Red, White, and Blue. There are no officers for the teams, but one referee for the game, who should also act as score keeper, is desirable, and for match games necessary. At the opening of the game the two outer teams line up, each on its inner boundary line, each player standing with one foot on the line. The center team is grouped promiscuously near the middle of the center court. The teams change courts at the end of each inning, and the formation or line-up just described is resumed at the opening of each inning.

OBJECT OF THE GAME.--The game consists in hitting players with a flying ball (not a bounce), any player so hit being out and leaving the field. For this purpose the two end teams play against the center team (but not against each other); and the center team also plays the ball in a retaliatory or aggressive game, trying to hit players on either of the end teams.

START.--The game is played in three innings, each of five or more minutes' duration. Each inning begins with the teams in the formation shown in the diagram and described under "Teams," except that the different teams will be in different courts for each inning.

The referee puts the ball in play by tossing it to the center team (say the Whites, as shown in the diagram), and at the same time blows his whistle as a signal for the game to open. The referee also blows his whistle whenever a player is. .h.i.t so as to be out (_i.e._ hit by a ball "on the fly," not on a bounce). The hit player at once leaves the field, and play is resumed by the referee's whistle and tossing of the ball to the center team as at the beginning. The referee also calls time for the close of innings. After the ball has been put regularly in play, teams may only secure the ball when it is "dead," _i.e._ when it has not just been played by an opponent, but has stopped, rolled, or bounced into its own court.

RULES AND POINTS OF PLAY.--After the referee has put the ball in play by tossing it to the center team, the player catching it runs to either the left or right boundary line of his field and throws the ball at one of the opposing players (Red or Blue). These players, meanwhile, immediately upon hearing the whistle to start, should have run toward the rear of their respective courts to lessen the chances of being hit. Should the White player succeed in hitting a player on the Red or Blue team, the referee's whistle is blown, the hit player leaves the field, and the game starts over again as at the beginning.

Should the White player fail to hit one of the opponents, the latter try, in turn, to secure the ball before it rebounds or rolls back into the center court. The player who gets it either runs up to the boundary line and throws at the Whites, or pa.s.ses the ball to some other player of his own team who does this. The Whites naturally scatter to the farther boundary line of their court to avoid being hit. Should the ball fail to hit a White player, it is most likely to go entirely across to the Blue court, where one of the Blue team should catch it, and in turn try to hit the Whites.

[Ill.u.s.tration Diagram: SCORE CARD FOR PROGRESSIVE DODGEBALL WHITE TEAM WINS]

The end teams (in this case Red and Blue) play against the center (White), but not against each other. The center team plays against both end teams. Thus, a player in either of the end teams may be hit by a player on the center team, but it is not a part of the game for these end teams to try to hit each other. A ball thrown by either end team across the center court may be caught, however, by a player on the opposite end.

A player is not out if hit by a ball that rebounds, whether from the floor, another player, a wall, or any other object.

A player is not out if the thrower of the ball overstepped the boundary lines while throwing.

The only kind of a hit that puts a player out is one from a ball "on the fly" thrown from behind a boundary line.

Players may dodge in any way they choose, but a hit from a flying ball on any part of the person or clothing puts a player out.

At the close of each inning (of five or more minutes) the teams progress or change courts in regular order, from right to left. That is, the Blue team moves to the center, the White team to the left court, and the Red team to the right court. For the third inning another change is made in the same direction, the Reds going to the center, the Blues to the left court, and the Whites to the right court. Thus, in the three innings each team will have played in each court.

When a new inning is started and the teams change courts, all players who have been hit and are out return to their teams. Each inning begins, therefore, with full teams.

SCORE.--A score is made for each team for each of the three innings, and consists of a count of the players who have been hit (put "out") during the inning. The team wins which at the close of the three innings has the smallest score; that is, has had the smallest number of players. .h.i.t.

It adds much to the interest of a game to have the score posted on a bulletin in sight of the players. But whether on a bulletin or card, the accompanying form is desirable.

This game was devised and developed by Mr. William A. Stecher.

SCHOOLROOM DODGEBALL

_10 to 60 players._

_Gas Ball._

The players are evenly divided into two teams. One team takes its place around the outer edge of the room; the players of the other team scatter through the aisles or seats, which latter should be turned up if possible. The outer team tries to hit the inner team with the ball, any player so hit taking his place in the outer team and joining in its play. The player who remains longest in the center is considered to have won.