Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium

by Jessie H. Bancroft

The two parties decide by counting out, holders, drawing lots, or some other form of choice, which shall commence. One member of this side then runs out to the middle of the ground and gives a "nominy," or "dare," calling, "Chevy, chevy, chase! One, two, three!" As soon as he has called this (but not before), he is liable to be tagged by the opponents, who try to catch him before he can run home again. Should he reach home in safety, the opponents take their turn in sending a man to the middle to give a "dare" in the same way. A player need not run home, however, but may remain at large, another player from his side running out to cover or protect him by trying to tag the opponent. Several players from each team may be out in this way at one time. A player may be caught by any man who left his home goal after he did, but by none who left before him. Each player must therefore keep a sharp watch on his opponents to know which of them may tag him and which he may tag. This is continued until a prisoner is caught, when he is taken by his captor to the prison belonging to the side capturing him. A captor may not be tagged while taking a prisoner to prison, and is allowed to go back to his goal afterward without tagging. If a player can reach the opponents' prison without being tagged by an opponent, he releases the first prisoner taken there. Both may return home without being tagged. The object of the game is to place all of the players of the opponents' side in prison, and when that is accomplished, to take possession of the opponent's home goal. When this is done, the two parties change sides and begin again, the losing side being first to send a man into the field.

PRISONER'S BASE—IV

Prisoner's Base—IV

This differs from the preceding game only in the laying out of the ground, the prison for each party being on the opponent's side of the ground instead of on the side of the home goal. This arrangement decreases the risk in rescuing prisoners. All of the rules for the game are the same as in III.

PRISONER'S BASE—V

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

Prisoner's Base—V