The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PICKLE

YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST THREE PLAYERS FOR THIS GAME. TWO PEOPLE WITH
MITTS ARE CATCHERS. THEY THROW THE BALL BACK AND FORTH LIKE
THEY'RE PLAYING CATCH. WHILE THEY'RE THROWING IT, THE RUNNERS
TRY TO RUN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER BEFORE THE CATCHERS CAN
CATCH THE BALL AND TAG THEM. THE FIRST RUNNER TO TAG BASE THE
NUMBER OF TIMES DECIDED UPON AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME
(USUALLY 25 TO 35) GETS TO BE THE NEW CATCHER AND CHOOSE WHOMEVER HE
WANTS TO BE THE OTHER CATCHER. MM
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY RUNNERS THERE ARE. THEY CAN ALL RUN AT
THE SAME TIME, BUT THE MORE THERE ARE THE EASIER IT IS FOR THE
CATCHERS TO TAG SOMEONE. A RUNNER IS OUT WHEN HE HAS BEEN TAGGED
THREE TIMES. MM
THE GAME IS CALLED "PICKLE" BECAUSE RUNNERS OFTEN GET CAUGHT IN THE
MIDDLE AND MUST TRY RUNNING EACH WAY MANY TIMES UNTIL ONE OF THE
CATCHERS EITHER TAGS THEM OR MISSES THE BALL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS
THE RUNNER IS SAID TO BE IN A "PICKLE."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Date learned: 11-00-1982