The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

GAMES

MY INFORMANT TELLS ME OF A GAME WHERE YOU PICK TEN MEN FOR
EACH SIDE. YOU THEN DRAW A CIRCLE ON THE GROUND OF ABOUT
THIRTY FEET IN DIAMETER. THE OPPOSING TEAM STANDS WAY OUTSIDE
THE CIRCLE PLAYING THE FIELD. THE OTHER TEAM STANDS
JUST OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND ONE OF ITS
MEN PLACES HIMSELF DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CIRCLE.
THIS MAN HOLDS A BIG THICK STICK AND HAS TO HIT ANOTHER STICK
ABOUT SIX INCHES LONG. THIS SMALLER STICK IS PITCHED BY ONE
OF THE OPPOSING TEAM'S MEN IN THE FIELD. THE OBJECT OF THE
GAME IS TO HIT THE STICK AS FAR AS YOU CAN. IF THE HIT STICK
DOESN'T GET OUT OF THE CIRCLE OR IS CAUGHT BY A MAN IN THE
FIELD, THEN THE MAN IN THE CIRCLE IS OUT. ANOTHER MAN FROM THE
SAME TEAM TAKES HIS PLACE IN THE CIRCLE. PLAY CONTINUES UNTIL
ALL TEN MEN ON ONE TEAM ARE OUT AND THEN THE MEN FROM THE FIELD
COME IN TO HIT. NO POINTS ARE SCORED AND THE GAME IS CALLED
STICKBALL.

Submitter comment: (TCHELIKE IN GREEK)

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK

Date learned: 09-00-1972