The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CRACK THE WHIP

THIS GAME WAS PLAYED WITH ROLLERSKATES, AND THERE WAS NO LIMIT TO
THE PLAYERS. IT BEGAN WITH THE LEADER WHO SKATED ALONG, AND THEN
SOMEONE GRABBED ONTO HIS HAND, AND THIS CONTINUED UNTIL A CHAIN OF
PEOPLE FORMED. BUT IN ANY TIME OF THE GAME, THE LEADER MADE A
QUICK HALF MOON TURN, WHICH CAUSED A WHIP THAT USUALLY THREW THE
LAST PERSON OUT OF LINE AND WITH A GOOD BRUISE.

Submitter comment: MY DAD LEARNED THIS GAME IN HAMTRAMCK AS A YOUNG BOY. HE ENJOYED
PLAYING IT THEN, BUT NOW THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF ROUGH WHEN THE LAST
PERSON ON THE WHIP SCRAPED HIS LEGS BAD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK

Date learned: 00-00-1940