The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

AGAINST THE WALL

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, A GAME WE COMMONLY PLAYED WAS CALLED
AGAINST-THE-WALL. IT WAS PLAYED USING A SMALL RUBBER
BALL AND THE WALL OF A HOUSE. THERE ARE TWELVE BASIC
FEATS WHICH (CAN)BE DONE IN SEVERAL POSITIONS. THE
FIRST POSITION IS USING BOTH HANDS AND MOVING WHERE EVER
YOU WISH. NEXT IT IS DONE IN STATIONARY POSITION. THEN
IT IS DONE WITH THE RIGHT HAND AND THEN WITH THE LEFT
HAND. THEN (WITH) RIGHT HAND STATIONARY AND LEFT HAND
STATIONARY. THE FEATS ARE 1-THROW THE BALL AGAINST
THE WALL AND CATCH IT. 2-THROW THE BALL AGAINST THE
WALL AND LET IT BOUNCE ONCE, DO THIS TWICE. 3-THROW
THE BALL AGAINST THE WALL AND CLAP YOUR HANDS THREE
TIMES, DO THIS THREE TIMES. 4-THROW THE BALL INTO THE
AIR AND CLAP FOUR TIMES; DO THIS FOUR TIMES. 5-THROW THE
BALL UNDER YOUR LEFT LEG AND HIT THE WALL WITH IT; DO THIS
FIVE TIMES. 6-THROW THE BALL AGAINST THE WALL AND CLAP
SLAP YOUR RIGHT LEG AND CLAP AGAIN BEFORE YOU CATCH THE
BALL; DO THIS SIX TIMES. 7-THROW THE BALL AGAINST THE
WALL AND CLAP IN FRONT OF YOU, BEHIND YOU AND IN FRONT
OF YOU AGAIN BEFORE YOU CATCH THE BALL; DO THIS SEVEN
TIMES. 8-THROW THE BALL ON THE GROUND AND IT MUST HIT
THE WALL AND BOUNCE OFF OF IT BEFORE YOU CATCH IT; DO
THIS EIGHT TIMES. 9-PLACE ONE OF YOUR ARMS OUT TO THE
WALL AND OUTSTRETCH YOUR HAND AGAINST THE WALL. WITH
YOUR OTHER HAND THROW THE BALL SO THAT IT WILL ENCIRCLE
THE ARM AND CATCH IT WITH THE SAME HAND, WITHOUT REMOVING
THE OTHER HAND FROM THE WALL. 10-THROW THE BALL AGAINST
THE WALL AND ROLL YOUR ARMS FORWARD FOR FIVE TIMES.
THEN YOU MUST SAY REVERSE AND REVERSE YOUR ARM DIRECTION
FOR THE NEXT FIVE TIMES. 11-THROW THE BALL AGAINST THE
WALL AND REVOLVE IN A CIRCLE BEFORE THE BALL IS CAUGHT;
DO THIS ELEVEN TIMES. 12-BOUNCE THE BALL ON THE GROUND
ALTERNATING HITTING THE BALL WITH THE TOP SIDE AND THE
BOTTOM SIDE OF THE HAND; DO THIS TWELVE TIMES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN