Small circles are formed with not more than fifteen players to a circle, one of the players being in the center. Someone in each circle is given an Indoor baseball and at the starting signal throws it across the circle to another player. If the one in the center catches the ball while it is going through the air the one who threw it becomes “It,” and takes the place in the center. Moreover, if “It” can touch the ball while it is still in some player’s hand, that player becomes “It.”
The one object of the game is to get the ball out of one’s hands before “It” can touch it.
Picnic Stagecoach.
A grassy plot is essential for this boys’ game. It is played very much like “Stagecoach,” in that each player, all of them seated on chairs, is given a part to represent. One may be a wheel, another the brake, another the door, etc., etc. The leader, who is on all fours, tells the story of an eventful ride on the stagecoach and as he calls out the name of the different parts they line up behind him on all fours. Finally all parts are assembled and the stagecoach moves off on its journey around the grassy plot. Suddenly an awful accident occurs and with an awful “Bang!” the whole thing falls apart, and all parts must hurry back to their chairs still on all fours.
It must be remembered that the leader was on all fours at the beginning of the game and had no chair. Therefore there will be someone who will be left without a chair. That person is the next story teller and tells the tale of what happened to the stagecoach, all the players having in the meanwhile changed parts with each other.
Tag Games.
Sing Tag.
This is one of the funniest tag games that ever left a person breathless from laughing. “It” is chasing some great big fellow and this big fellow cannot run another step, so to save himself from being caught he starts to sing at the top of his lungs and—he is safe! The minute “It” starts to go away, he may stop singing but that is the only way any player can be safe, to loudly sing some song no other player is singing!
Cripple Tag.
“It” must clasp his hands behind him and tag with his shoulder only.