Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 87

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

_Basket ball; hand ball; bean bag._

This is a game of zigzag ball (or bean bag) between concentric circles, two b.a.l.l.s being used, going in opposite directions. The players stand in two concentric circles, facing each other, each circle numbered by twos. The first Number One in the outer circle and the first Number Two in the inner circle have each a ball. These are put in play at a signal, the play consisting in throwing the b.a.l.l.s backward and forward in a zigzag line from one circle to the other, the Numbers One in the inner circle throwing to the Numbers One in the outer, and Numbers Two in the inner to Numbers Two in the outer. The inner circle should start its ball to the right; the outer circle should start its ball to the left. The Number One party or the Number Two party wins according to which first completes the circle three times.

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: CIRCLE ZIGZAG]

If desired, the Numbers One may each tie a handkerchief on one arm to distinguish them from the Numbers Two.

This game may be made more interesting and require much more alertness on the part of the players by putting more b.a.l.l.s into play. This may be done by the starters starting a second ball around the circle as soon as the first has reached the third player. In this way several b.a.l.l.s may be used at once.

As in all zigzag games, each player should observe closely before the game begins from which player he is to catch the ball, and to which player he is to throw. This will facilitate the rapidity of the play, a feature on which much of the sport depends. For very young or unskilled players the action should be rather slow, especially when the game is being learned.

LINE ZIGZAG--I

_20 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

_Any ball; bean bag._

The players are divided into two or more groups which compete against each other. Each group is divided into two ranks, the players standing side by side, with a distance of from two to five feet between each two players. The ranks of a group face each other, with a distance of five feet between them. One rank should stand farther to the rear than its _vis-a-vis_, so that each player is opposite a s.p.a.ce instead of a player.

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: LINE ZIGZAG--I]

The first player in one rank of each group has a ball. At a given signal this is thrown to the first player in the opposite rank. This player throws it quickly to the second player of the first rank, and so on in zigzag form to the end of the line, where the ball is immediately sent back again in the same way to the front. The group which first gets its ball back to the head wins.

When players have had a little practice with one ball, two or more should be used, the starters starting the second ball down the line as soon as the first ball has reached the third player. Where several b.a.l.l.s are used in this way, the last player of the line must hold the b.a.l.l.s until all are received before starting them on their return journey.

LINE ZIGZAG--II

_20 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

_Any ball; bean bag._

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: LINE ZIGZAG--II]

In this form of zigzag ball the players are all in two ranks, which comprise two competing teams, rather than in groups of two ranks each, as in the preceding game. The players of one team alternate with the players of the opposing team in each of the two ranks. The b.a.l.l.s will cross in starting and repeatedly thereafter unless one should outdistance the other.

The players form in two ranks which face each other, with five feet s.p.a.ce between. The players in each rank should be from two to five feet apart. Each rank numbers off in twos, the first player of one rank starting with number "one," and the first player of the second rank starting with number "two." The players stand so as to face each other directly, instead of facing a s.p.a.ce between the players of the opposite rank, as in the previous form of this game. This will bring a Number One facing a Number Two all the way down the ranks. If desired, the Numbers One may each tie a handkerchief on one arm to designate them, though this help to memory detracts much from the alertness demanded and cultivated by the game as well as from its sport, and may be dispensed with after players have become slightly familiar with the game.

The first player in each rank holds a ball. At a signal this is thrown to the first player of his own party in the opposite rank, who as quickly as possible throws it to the second player of his party in the rank from which he received it, etc.

For instance, the starter who belongs to the Number One team will throw to the first Number One player opposite him; this will be the second player in that rank. He, in turn, will throw to the second Number One player in the rank facing him; this will be the third player in that rank. In other words, the Number One party zigzags the ball between all of its members to the end of the line and back again to the front, and simultaneously the Number Two party does the same thing with another ball. The party wins whose ball first gets back to the front.

After some practice, more than one ball may be used, in which case the last player in each party will have to hold the b.a.l.l.s until the last one is received before starting them on their return journey.

LINE ZIGZAG--III

(Double Zigzag)

_20 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

_Any ball; bean bag._

This form of zigzag ball is a combination of the two previously described.

The players are divided into groups which compete against each other.

Each group is divided in turn into two ranks which stand facing each other at a distance of five feet, the individual players being from two to five feet apart.

The players in each rank number off in twos, beginning at the head with different numbers, so that a Number One in each rank will stand opposite a Number Two in the opposite rank.

One or more b.a.l.l.s are used and are thrown to alternate players, Numbers One throwing to each other all down the line, and the Numbers Two throwing to each other all the way back. There should be nothing to distinguish the players from one another, each being dependent on his own memory and alertness to know to whom he is to throw the ball and from whom he is to receive it. The particular success of this game lies in having a very considerable number of b.a.l.l.s in play at once. In this form the b.a.l.l.s do not have to acc.u.mulate at the foot of the lines before being returned to the head, as the last Number One player to receive the ball tosses it directly across to the last Number Two player, who begins at once to zigzag it up the line.

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: LINE ZIGZAG--III]

The group wins which first succeeds in getting all of its b.a.l.l.s back to the head of the line.

ZIGZAG OVERHEAD TOSS

_20 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

_Hand ball; basket ball; bean bag._

This game is a variation of Zigzag Ball, and is more difficult and interesting for older players. The players are divided into two parties, best distinguished by colors--say Red and Blue. The two parties stand in even ranks alternately about five feet apart; for instance, the Red party will form ranks one and three, and will play together, facing each other, while the Blue party will form ranks two and four, which will face each other and play together.

The first player in each party has a ball which is put in play upon a signal by being tossed over the heads of the intervening rank to Number One in the other rank of his party. This player tosses the ball back to Number Two in the first rank, and so the ball is tossed in zigzag form from one player to another in ranks of the same color until it reaches the end of the line, when it is zigzagged back to the starting point in the same way. This is all done over the heads of an intervening rank of the opposite color. Simultaneously the competing team is playing in the same way.

[Ill.u.s.tration diagram: ZIGZAG OVERHEAD TOSS]

The party wins which first gets the ball back to the starting point.