School, Church, and Home Games

by George Orrin Draper

The players on each team sit upon the ground in single file, with the head of each team behind the base line. The knees are bent so that the feet are near the hips. Each player reaches back with his two hands and grasps the ankles of the player next behind him. At the signal to go, the entire column moves forward, endeavoring to keep from breaking the column by any one losing his grip on the ankles of the next member of the team, behind. The caterpillar creeps forward across the distance line and returns. When the rear end of the column crosses the base line, the race is completed, provided the column is unbroken.

Potato Race

Two peach baskets and two potatoes, stones or blocks of wood for each contestant are needed for each team. One basket is placed before each team on the base line and one directly opposite on the distance line. The potatoes are placed in the basket on the base line. The first player takes a position on the right hand side of the basket behind the base line, with a potato in his hand. At the signal to start, he runs around the basket on the distance line, dropping his potato therein. He returns, running around the basket on the base line, picks up the second potato, which he carries and drops into the far basket, as he circles it. He then returns and tags off the next player on the team, who, after being tagged, picks up the first potato and carries it to the far basket, returning for his second. Each player in turn carries two potatoes, one at a time. Both baskets must be circled in carrying the potatoes forward. The player is not allowed to touch the basket in running around it. If his potato fails to go into the basket, he must pick it up and put it in before he goes for his second potato or touches off the next runner. The last player on each team ends the race by crossing the base line after having properly deposited his two potatoes in the far basket.

Apple Race*

A strawberry basket full of small apples is handed to the first member of each team. At the signal to go the basket full of apples is passed back over the heads of the players until it reaches the last player in the column. The last player, upon receiving the basket full of apples, runs forward on the right hand side of his line to the distance line, where an empty basket has been placed. He pours the apples from his full basket into the empty basket, leaving the basket which is now empty on the distance line. He returns with the full basket to the front of the column and starts passing the basket full of apples back over his head. When it reaches the individual who is then at the rear of the column, he runs forward, repeating the performance of the first. The race ends when the last man on the team to run returns across the base line after having changed the apples on the distance line.

Apple Race No. 2*

A basket full of apples and an empty basket are placed upon the distance line opposite each team. At the signal to go the first man on the team runs forward, empties the apples from the full basket into the empty basket. Should he spill any, he must pick them up. All of the apples must be in the basket before he leaves them. He leaves the empty and full baskets on the distance line and returns, tags off the next member on his team and takes his place at the rear of the line. When all members of the team have done this and the last member crosses the base line, the race ends.

Apple Race No. 3*

Peach baskets containing an equal number of apples (fifteen makes a good number) are placed at the front of each team. An empty basket is placed at the rear of the column. At the signal to go the first man on the team picks the apples out of the full basket, one at a time and passes them to the rear as rapidly as possible. Every man in the line must receive and pass back every apple. The last man in the column deposits the apples in the empty basket as rapidly as he receives them.

When the last apple has been passed back, the man in front of the column passes back the empty basket. When the empty basket reaches the last man in the column, he picks up the full basket, places the empty one in its place and runs to the front of the column with the full basket, places it in front of him on the ground and starts passing the apples back, one at a time, as before. The race continues until the last man on the team runs forward and places his full basket of apples on the distance line in front of his team.