The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

RED ROVER

TWO TEAMS ARE CHOSEN. THE TWO TEAMS STAND ABOUT TWENTY YARDS
APART WITH HANDS CLASPED AND FACING EACH OTHER. TEAM1 THEN CHANTS RED
ROVER RED ROVER SEND BLANK RIGHT OVER,INSERTING THE NAME OF A
PLAYER ON TEAM 2 IN THE BLANK. THAT PLAYER THEN RUNS TOWARD
TEAM1 AND ATTEMPTS TO BREAK THROUGH THE CLASPED HANDS AT SOME
POINT ALONG THE LINE. IF HE BREAKS THROUGH HE IS ALLOWED TO
TAKE ONE OF THE TWO PLAYERS WHOSE GRIP HE BROKE BACK TO HIS TEAM.
IF HE DOES NOT BREAK THROUGH HE BECOMES A MEMBER OF TEAM1. EACH
TEAM TAKES TURN CALLING PEOPLE. PLAY CONTINUES UNTIL ALL OF ONE
TEAM IS CONSUMED BY ANOTHER.

Submitter comment: THIS GAME IS BEST PLAYED WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN. ALSO
IT SEEMS TO BE MORE APPEALING TO YOUNG BOYS BECAUSE OF THE PHYSICAL
NATURE OF THE GAME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MILFORD

Date learned: 00-00-1979