The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE GAME OF JACKS

PARTS: 10 OR MORE JACKS AND A SMALL RUBBER BALL.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: TWO OR MORE, BUT NOT MORE THAN 12.
OBJECT OF GAME: TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER TO FINISH THE GAME OF JACKS.
RULES: THIS GAME CAN BE PLAYED ON ANY FLAT SURFACE.
TWO OR MORE CHILDREN CAN PLAY THE GAME.
HOWEVER, THE GAME IS RATHER COMPLEX IF MORE THAN 12 PLAYERS PLAY.
THE FIRST STEP IN JACKS IS TO DECIDE WHO GOES FIRST.
ACCORDING TO AGE, THE YOUNGEST PLAYER GOES FIRST
AND THE ELDEST PLAYER GOES LAST.
THE FIRST PLAYER PUTS HIS HANDS TOGETHER,
AND LEVEL WITH THE PLAYING SURFACE, BUT AT LEAST
A FOOT OR SO OFF THE GROUND.
THE BACKS OF HIS HANDS ARE FACING HIM.
THE SECOND PLAYER PILES THE JACKS ON THE BACKS OF THE FIRST
PLAYER,S HAND
THE FIRST PLAYER THEN DROPS HIS HANDS AND THE JACKS FALL.
NOW THE OPPONENTS HAVE A CHANCE TO SPY A LOSS OF TURN FOR THE
FIRST PLAYER.
IF ANY JACKS ARE STACKED ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER, THE OPPONENTS
YELL OUT, "STACKS."
THE FIRST PLAYER WOULD LOSE HIS TURN TO PLAY.
IF ANY OF THE JACKS ARE TOUCHING ONE ANOTHER, THE
OPPONENTS WOULD YELL OUT, "TOUCHIES."
MEANING THAT THE FIST PLAYER LOSES HIS TURN.
IF NO RULES ARE BROKEN, THE FIRST PLAYER TAKES A SMALL
RUBBER BALL AND BOUNCES IT.
BEFORE HE CATCHES THE BALL, HE MUST GRASP OR SWIPE ONE JACK
AND SAY, "ONEZIES."
THEN, BEFORE THE BALL REACHES THE PLAYING SURFACE, HE
MUST CATCH THE BALL OR HE LOSES THAT TURN.
IF THIS IS DONE CORRECTLY BY PLAYER NUMBER ONE, THE PLAYER HAS
NOT LOST HIS TURN AND MAY PLAY AGAIN.
THIS TIME HE MUST GRASP TWO JACKS AND YELL OUT, "TWOZIES."
THE FIRST PLAYER MUST PLAY IN THIS FASHION UNTIL HE EITHER
HAS LOST HIS TURN OR GAINED THE ABILITY TO GRASP 10 JACKS.
UPON GRASPING 10 JACKS AND YELLING "TENZIES," THE PLAYER NOW
MUST GRASP 9 JACKS, THEN 8 JACKS, UNTIL HE HAS
GRASPED ONE JACK CORRECTLY. UPON DOING SO HE HAS WON THE GAME.
BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY TO LOSE A TURN IN THIS GAME, IT IS
A VERY RARE THING FOR A PLAYER TO WIN THE GAME
WITHOUT THE OTHER PLAYERS GETTING A CHANCE TO PLAY.
SO IN SUMMARY IF THE FIRST PLAYER LOSES HIS TURN, THE SECOND
PLAYER MUST TRY TO GRASP AS MANY JACKS WITHOUT ERROR AS HE
CAN. IF HE FAILS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS GAME, THEN IT IS
THE THIRD PLAYER,S CHANCE AND SO ON.

Submitter comment: I FOUND OUT THAT THIS GAME IS PLAYED ON THE PORCHES OF HOMES
IN THE DETROIT AREA MOST OF THE SUMMER TIME.
THE GAME IS USUALLY PLAYED BY YOUNG GIRLS, BUT THIS DOES
NOT MEAN THAT YOUNG BOYS CAN NOT PLAY THE GAME.
I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT FROM THIS INFORMANT THAT MORE RULES ARE
ADDED IF THE GAME IS PLAYED SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE SITTING.
ALTHOUGH OTHERS MAY KNOW DIFFERENT RULES TO THIS GAME, THE RULES
MUST BE STATED BEFORE THE GAME IS TO BEGIN.
ALSO THE PARTS FOR THE GAME, THE JACKS AND THE BALL,
MAY BE PURCHASED AT ANY DRUG STORE OR GAME STORE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT