This is the way I remember it: Everyone holds two fists out in front of them. "It" pounds each fist around the circle while all say the chant. The fist that hits on the rhyming word is out and goes behind the player. Last player left is the next "It". One potato, two potato, three potato, FOUR Five potato, six potato, seven potato, MORE. Round and round you go until all hands are out. This game could also be played with the following rhymes: 1) Eeny meeny miney mo 2) Baa Baa Black Sheep 3) Hickory, Dickory, Dock 4) Pease Porridge Hot Other Choosing Games are: Wire, briar, limber, lock: When choosing up sides for games or picking who's going to be "It" for the next round of a game, many times children gathered in a circle to perform a choosing procedure. This constituted, in effect, another game. One member of the circle recited a chant, pointing at each person in the circle in turn, including him or herself in the proper turn. The person chosen was the one at whom the chooser was pointing on the last word of the chant. Sometimes the last word was spelled out, with the chooser pointing at a different person for each letter of the last word, in order to prolong the choosing. Wire, briar, limber, lock, Three geese in a flock. One flew east, One flew west, One flew over the cuckoo's nest. Inky, inky, spill your spew, Nobody stinks but Y-O-U. One ending to a choosing game could be: My mother told me to pick this very one. And if you wanted to make the choosing take even longer, add: You old dirty dish rag, you. Blacksmith - a tag game: Everybody played. One person was it and as you were caught they were it with you until everybody was caught. In regular Hide and Seek, the person that was It caught everybody. Then the next round, the first person caught was it. The kids in the whole community played, 20-25 people playing. We counted 1-100 by ones. After counting, and before looking up, the person who was It yelled: Bushel of wheat, bushel of rye, Who ain't hid holler "I". If anybody hollered "I", the counting started again, so the ones that weren't hid could hide. Then they they yelled: Bushel of wheat, bushel of clover, Who ain't hid can't hide over. Then, that's when you went around looking for where the other kids had hidden. Red Rover The game of Red Rover was played with quite a few children, and could last a long time. First, two team captains were selected, then they picked their teams according to who had the sturdiest grip. The two teams lined up facing one another, about twenty feet apart. They stood far enough apart from their team members so that, extending each arm straight out, they clasped hands, forming a stretched out rank. Quietly, so the other team couldn't hear, the starting group decided which member of the opposite team they wanted to be on their team. If they picked a child named Drewry, for instance, then they chanted: Red Rover, Red Rover, send Drewry on over. Usually there was some moaning and groaning from the other side, because the kids with the best grips were always picked to go first. But hopefully for them, the kid with the best grip was also the best runner, or at least big enough to scare a couple from the other team into losing their handholds. The team sending Drewry over pulled back on either side of him, giving encouragement and some advice on where the weak spots might be in the opposite ranks. Drewry took a run-and-go straight between the two children on the opposite team that he judge to have the weakest grips, or the most fear, and just barreled straight at their clasped hands. Now, a lot of times, if Drewry was a big kid or fast, the other kids knew it was going to hurt a lot when he ran into their hands and they just let go and let him pass. Or if they held fast, but he succeeded in breaking their grip on each other, he would get through their line. In either case, Drewry got to pick someone from the other team to return with him to his side, adding to the winning team's ranks and diminishing the loser's. If the line held and Drewry couldn't break through, he had to join their team. The teams took turns requesting a runner to come over. At times, they asked for someone they knew didn't have the strength to break through, just to increase their ranks without increasing their strength. When there was only one person left on a team, that person could choose to run at the other team and have a chance to rebuild his or her ranks, or to surrender. Some kids developed fancy handclasps that they judged to be practically unbreakable. You could clasp each other's wrists, but not above the wrist. And if you ran at the other team and, at the last minute, clasped your own hands together in front of you right at a level where their hands met, you could usually break through - or scare them into letting go and letting you through. Antney Over: This game needs at least two players, one stationed on either side of the house, with the house's roof line running across between you. Even numbers of player are best, but not necessary. A greater number of smaller or less skilled players can play against a fewer number of good players and still have a good game. The game is played with old socks that are beyond mending. They're rolled up into a ball and sewn to hold a round shape - or a SOFT rubber ball. The teams split up and station themselves on either side of the house. The serving team has the sock and chooses the first person to serve; afterwards each person gets a turn to serve as the game progresses. The server judges height, distance and angle, then yells, "Antney over!" as he releases the ball. This lets the other team know the sock is coming, but because of the roofline, they can't see it until it's already on the way down. If the opposite team catches the ball, they get a point and the next serve; if they don't, the server's team gets the point and the serve. This continues to an agreed upon point limit, or as long as the players hold up. Tiskit-a-tasket: A game young children liked was Tiskit-a-tasket. Someone was chosen to be in the middle and given a handkerchief or a piece of folded paper to hold. The others spread out in a circle and held hands. Then, while they sang: A tiskit-a-tasket, A green and yellow basket. I wrote a letter to my love And on the way I dropped it. I dropped it, I dropped it, And on the way I dropped it. the child in the middle exited the circle, bending underneath the clasped hands of two players and began skipping around the outside of the group. Sometime during the song, the child with the handkerchief or paper would drop it behind the feet of one of the circle and continue skipping along around the group. This was how the next "It" was chosen. Players couldn't let on when they saw who was chosen. If the song ended before the person selected realized they had been selected, then they became It. If the person selected caught on that they had been chosen, they had to grab up the handkerchief and run it back to the person who dropped it. The original person would have to be It again, in that case. London bridge: London Bridge was also a game popular with the smaller children. It was a game of elimination. Two children were chosen to be the London Bridge towers and bridge span, standing facing each other. Their outstretched arms and clasped hands were the bridge's span. All the other children marched in a circle passing under the span. Beginning with the first verse: London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, Falling down. London Bridge is falling down. My fair lady. The children playing the span held their hands as high up as they could reach together. On the word "lady" they brought their arms down on either side of whoever was passing under the span when the verse ended - creating the same sort of excitement as when the music ends in a game of musical chairs. The captured person was eliminated from the circular march, the span was lowered to about shoulder height for the next verse, and the marchers then crouched slightly to pass under the bridge: London Bridge is half fell down, Half fell down, Half fell down. London Bridge is half fell down. My fair lady. Another child was captured and, I think, they were thrown in "jail" or maybe the "tower" with the previous captured player. I seem to recall the idea that they were under arrest or in a confined area. This capture is more difficult, since the prey is bent over and can scoot out from under the "bridge's" arms. For the next verse, the span was apart, with each child playing the bridge holding their hands at their sides: London Bridge is all fell down, All fell down, All fell down. London Bridge is all fell down. My fair lady. The capture was even more difficult this time, because the bridge players had to reach up and clasp hands before bringing their arms down around the victim, and often the prey escaped. Then the span was back at shoulder height for the next verse: London Bridge is half built up, Half built up, Half built up. London bridge is half build up. My fair lady. And all the way up for the last one: London Bridge is all built up, All built up, All built up. London Bridge is all built up. My fair lady. The verses were repeated until all the children were captured, and the last two captured played the bridge for the next round. One variation had each person that was captured immediately becoming a part of the bridge and carrying on the song, letting the previous bridge member join the march. This gave the game a faster pace, since the bridge was changed completely after each two captures and the majority of players didn't have to stand together in confinement for much of the length of the song. Thanks Robert Parker robert_parker@msn.com Solving a mystery, even if another is opened, is still progress... -----Original Message----- From: William E. Carroll [mailto:wcarroll2@houston.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 11:58 AM To: TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Fw: A tough nut Date: Thursday, August 22, 2002 12:54 PM Subject: A tough nut Everyone seems to be having trouble with this one. The kids are in a circle, each holding a fist in front of him/her. The procedure may have been used to choose sides. The leader taps each on fist in succession as he/she chants: One potato, two potato, three potato, four. Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more. Then follows one or the other of the following, or maybe both, but if so, in what order? My mother told me to take this one, tapping each one on fist (or/&) O, U, T spells out goes you, you dirty old dishrag, you. Some say that it ends: "My mother told me to take this one, you dirty old dishrag you" & that "O,U, T spells out-goes-you" belongs to something else. Bill Carroll

RE: childhood games of ours or of our ancestors: What about kite string strung between two tin cans for the old telephone trick?

----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Stovall" <sds41@yahoo.com> To: "Tony" <lanagan@by-rite.net> Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 10:28 AM Subject: Re: Fw: Games > Come on and be honest! Can anybody remember playing > doctor? This was even before there were so many > specialists! > > > --- Tony <lanagan@by-rite.net> wrote: > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Bonnie & David Kaemmerling" <dckaemm@lcc.net> > > To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 11:08 AM > > Subject: Games > > > > > > > I remember a game that we called "I Spy" . You > > had to pick an object and > > give three clues. The other person got three > > guesses to try to find the > > object. > > > > > > I also remember spending many hours looking at the > > clouds and finding > > shapes of different things in the clouds. > > > > > > And don't forget "Hide and Seek". > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs > http://www.hotjobs.com >

Date: Thursday, August 22, 2002 12:54 PM Subject: A tough nut Everyone seems to be having trouble with this one. The kids are in a circle, each holding a fist in front of him/her. The procedure may have been used to choose sides. The leader taps each on fist in succession as he/she chants: One potato, two potato, three potato, four. Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more. Then follows one or the other of the following, or maybe both, but if so, in what order? My mother told me to take this one, tapping each one on fist (or/&) O, U, T spells out goes you, you dirty old dishrag, you. Some say that it ends: "My mother told me to take this one, you dirty old dishrag you" & that "O,U, T spells out-goes-you" belongs to something else. Bill Carroll

ENTERTAINMENT: Games, Stories, Others --- For - BOYS: 1. Marbles. 2. Mumble (sp?) Peg. 3. Roll an old tire, or roll a tire with someone inside of it. 4. Make roads under the house and use snuff bottles as cars. 5. Roll a metal wheel with a staff. For - GIRLS: 1. Paper dolls. 2. Jacks. 3. Tin Can Shinny. 4. Jump (or Jumping) board. 5. Jump the rope,(the faster the better). For - ALL: 1. Spin the bottle. 2. Pop the Whip. 3. Tell ghost stories in the dark. 4. Snipe hunting. 5. Tom Walkers made with blocks of wood, or tin cans nailed to narrow boards. 6. Tag. 7. Walk a railroad track and see who can walk the fartherest without falling off. 8.Sit in a circle --- one person starts a story with a sentence or more - stops, and the person next to him continues the story with a sentence or more - and on to the next person, etc. The last person in the circle ends the story. (It can hilarious!!) Knowing the activities of our ancestors in their youth is very important in building "Family Profiles". It can be as valuable as recording "Deed Records", or "Family Ghosts in the Closet". Thanks, Ray. Winnie

Does anyone remember the rest of this one: "One potato, two potato, three potato four---". Is it this one or another that ends: "out goes you, you dirty old dishrag, you"? Bill Carroll

Stephanie, This is a local historic project. Sorry about it, but just delete like I do on lots of group messages. Just read the title and if it fits open it and if it doesn't, delete it. Kind regards, Reecie ----- Original Message ----- From: <SEADOOGTS@aol.com> To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 12:03 AM Subject: No Games even though it is Fun -- Genealogy Only Please > Stick to Genealogy Pretty Please..... We all receive several Group e-mails > daily for various Counties or and Surnames - This becomes a pain when you > receive various topics other than Genealogy to open and find such things as > personnel e-mails or other wise!!! > > Thanks So Kindly- > Stephanie >

Stick to Genealogy Pretty Please..... We all receive several Group e-mails daily for various Counties or and Surnames - This becomes a pain when you receive various topics other than Genealogy to open and find such things as personnel e-mails or other wise!!! Thanks So Kindly- Stephanie

Bonnie, we did all that and wasn't it fun??? Mother, Daddy, my brother and I used to lie on a blanket in the front yard and look at the stars at night. Mother knew a lot of the constellations and we would spend hours listening to her tell us about them over and over. That probably wouldn't be classified as a game but to us it was one of the most precious times we had with our parents. Nothing on TV can ever match it. Mary C. Moore aof1@arn.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bonnie & David Kaemmerling" <dckaemm@lcc.net> To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 11:08 AM Subject: Games > I remember a game that we called "I Spy" . You had to pick an object and give three clues. The other person got three guesses to try to find the object. > > I also remember spending many hours looking at the clouds and finding shapes of different things in the clouds. > > And don't forget "Hide and Seek". > > >

Here's one I haven't seen on the list yet. We loved playing "Farmer in the Dell". All the children would hold hands in a circle with the "Farmer" in the center. We would sing: "The Farmer in the Dell, The Farmer in the Dell, Hi-Ho-the dairy-o, The Farmer in the Dell. The Farmer choose a wife, The Farmer choose a wife, Hi-Ho-the dairy-o, The Farmer choose a wife." Then the farmer would choose a girl from the circle to be his wife. The circle of children would then sing: "The wife choose a child, The wife choose a child, Hi-Ho-the dairy-o, The wife choose a child." This would continue through "Child choose a nurse, nurse choose a dog, dog choose a rat, rat choose the cheese, and I don't remember how it ended, unless the rat ate the cheese." Any one remember the rest of it? Boy, I feel old!! Mary C. Moore aof1@arn.net

Another of my favorites was PIGGY BALL. louis ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary & Don" <aof1@arn.net> To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 10:26 PM Subject: Fw: Red Rover > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mary & Don" <aof1@arn.net> > To: "Ray Jackson" <rayjac@rjackson.ipbizmail.net> > Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 2:36 PM > Subject: Re: Red Rover > > > > <<<<<There was one where you threw the ball over the roof of the house to > a > > > second team and that is all I can remember. I thought that was " Red > > Rover">>>> > > > > > > > > > That one was called Ante Over. The child on one side of the house > hollered > > "Ante!!" ( or Aunty??) and the other hollered, "Over!!", then the one who > > hollered "Over!" would throw the ball over the roof and the other child > > would catch it. My younger brother and a neighbor girl were playing this > > one day and when the ball came my brother's way, he dodged it and hit his > > forehead on the rim of a 55 gal. drum and cut a gash requiring several > > stitches. The ball was a jackball and was used in another of my favorite > > games, jacks, when we were not playing hopscotch. I would love to have a > > copy of your games booklet. > > > > Mary C. Moore > > aof1@arn.net > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Ray Jackson" <rayjac@rjackson.ipbizmail.net> > > To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 11:39 AM > > Subject: Red Rover > > > > > > > Thanks to all that furnished the rules of "Red Rover" > > > You may ask "why" -- > > > We are putting together a booklet of all known games that were played in > > the > > > early 1900's before TV. > > > > > > If you have or know of any unusual- outdoor or indoor-- please submit. > > > There was one where you threw the ball over the roof of the house to a > > > second team and that is all I can remember. I thought that was " Red > > Rover" > > > > > > Shelby County Texas Rootsweb Coordinator > > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~txshelby > > > rayjac@ktsnet.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

I remember a game that we called "I Spy" . You had to pick an object and give three clues. The other person got three guesses to try to find the object. I also remember spending many hours looking at the clouds and finding shapes of different things in the clouds. And don't forget "Hide and Seek".

Two more... Blind Man's Bluff - Tie a blindfold over someone's eyes...turn them around 10 times or until dizzy then everyone had to stand still while the person walked and felt around for the other players. Once found the person must be identified by feeling facial features hair etc. First one "caught is "IT" then identify them. Drop the "Hanky" - Players stood in a large circle and one player with a handkerchief would walk around until they "dropped the "Hanky" behind someone. The player who had the "hanky" dropped behind them must pick it up and Chase the other player around the circle trying to catch them before they got back around to the "chasers" place in the circle. These type games were usually played late in the evening in someone's yard (usually with a parent observing or supervising), at school recess or at birthday parties. Seize the day! ET Mesquite, TX ----- Original Message ----- From: Ed Towns To: Ray Jackson Sent: August 18, 2002 11:30 AM Subject: Re: Red Rover I believe that was "Annie Over"...you threw the ball over the house then ran around and tried to catch the person with the ball before they got back to the side where you were. We played a game called "Little White House on Top of the Hill" Two teams each had a "goal line" and came to a center line with one team calling in Unison..."bum, bum. bum,...here we come". The other team would come to the center line and ask "where are you from?" First Team: "Little white House on top of the Hill" 2nd Team: "What's your occupation?" First Team: "Making signs" 2nd Team: Let's see some" Then team one would take turns giving "Charade type" clues as to what occupation or event etc the they were mimicking. Once Team Two guessed the right answer, team one would sprint back to their "goal line" while the 2nd team chased them. If caught before they got back to their goal. Team two would capture the caught team one member and take them back to their side. Turns were alternated until one team had all it's members "captured". Also, there was "I Spy"...ridda-maridda-marie I spy something thing that starts with a...(whatever letter of the alphabet the object started with) "Hide the Comb" ..in a selected room of the house, take turns hiding a comb (you had to leave just a tiny piece of the comb exposed...from behind a picture, a lamp etc. "Momma May I" One person is "Momma" and tells a player to take so many "Baby steps, giant steps, Scissor steps etc" whichever player is chosen must ask "Momma may I?" and receive permission before taking a step. If they step before asking "Momma May I" they have to return to the start line. The first player to reach "Momma's Base" Gets to be "Momma" "Red Light/Green Light"... Person that is "IT" (The Leader) calls Greenlight then covers eyes while others try to move up to home base. When the leader says "Redlight" the players must stop and "freeze". If the leader detects any movement before saying greenlight again, the player must return to the "Start line" The first player to reach "Home Base" becomes the "Leader" I look forward to your final compilation....I think it would be great to pass on to my kids and grandchildren. It might make them less addicted to TV and Video games :O) Seize the day! ET ----- Original Message ----- From: Ray Jackson To: TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com Sent: August 18, 2002 11:39 AM Subject: Red Rover Thanks to all that furnished the rules of "Red Rover" You may ask "why" -- We are putting together a booklet of all known games that were played in the early 1900's before TV. If you have or know of any unusual- outdoor or indoor-- please submit. There was one where you threw the ball over the roof of the house to a second team and that is all I can remember. I thought that was " Red Rover" Shelby County Texas Rootsweb Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~txshelby rayjac@ktsnet.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary & Don" <aof1@arn.net> To: "Ray Jackson" <rayjac@rjackson.ipbizmail.net> Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 2:36 PM Subject: Re: Red Rover > <<<<<There was one where you threw the ball over the roof of the house to a > > second team and that is all I can remember. I thought that was " Red > Rover">>>> > > > > > That one was called Ante Over. The child on one side of the house hollered > "Ante!!" ( or Aunty??) and the other hollered, "Over!!", then the one who > hollered "Over!" would throw the ball over the roof and the other child > would catch it. My younger brother and a neighbor girl were playing this > one day and when the ball came my brother's way, he dodged it and hit his > forehead on the rim of a 55 gal. drum and cut a gash requiring several > stitches. The ball was a jackball and was used in another of my favorite > games, jacks, when we were not playing hopscotch. I would love to have a > copy of your games booklet. > > Mary C. Moore > aof1@arn.net > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Jackson" <rayjac@rjackson.ipbizmail.net> > To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 11:39 AM > Subject: Red Rover > > > > Thanks to all that furnished the rules of "Red Rover" > > You may ask "why" -- > > We are putting together a booklet of all known games that were played in > the > > early 1900's before TV. > > > > If you have or know of any unusual- outdoor or indoor-- please submit. > > There was one where you threw the ball over the roof of the house to a > > second team and that is all I can remember. I thought that was " Red > Rover" > > > > Shelby County Texas Rootsweb Coordinator > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~txshelby > > rayjac@ktsnet.com > > > > > > > > > > >

I got a note from a ... MaxJacobs@aol.com ... that had a subject matter ... "another exciting game". ***And ... momentarily forgot ... that we were discussing these and the others. Bye the way, we also played Red Rover and Ante, Ante, Over ... and London Bridge ... and ... so far, the rules are stated just like we did them. ***Is Hop-Scotch a game???*** And ... several ways to jump rope; with one and/or two ropes. Any way ... this note from MaxJacobs ... I deleted it without opening ... :-( ... before realizing that it may be to the Shelby County list. Yep! It was in my deleted list ... so opened it ... and it was ... :-) 'more games of long ago'. I do not know how many of you got the 'klez' virus ... but someone recently used my yahoo.com account to send it to lots of people ... not even in my address book. And in the subject matter was ... "a really neat game you will like". I myself got it when I open a note ... from a priest in WI ... who did not send it ... and there was no attachment. The subject matter was ... 'W32.Elkern removal tool'. ***I am so ... un-caught up on these bugs ... I did not know that ... this name is a variation of the 'klez'. Thankfully ... after a lot of prayers ... and Sissy ... who knows how to do things ... we got rid of it. Sooooooo, be careful. The hackers are getting smarter and smarter. It is really a shame. My computer does so much good ... and gives me so much pleasure ... keeping in touch ... and getting and sending nice notes, prayer requests, and learning lots of new things. {{{Je t'aime for now, Macile}}}

How about hulleygull played with chinquapins? louis jones ----- Original Message ----- From: <Butch9436@aol.com> To: <TXSHELBY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 4:45 PM Subject: Re: Red Rover and Others Oooooooooops!!! > I got a note from a ... MaxJacobs@aol.com ... that had a subject matter ... > "another exciting game". ***And ... momentarily forgot ... that we were > discussing these and the others. > > Bye the way, we also played Red Rover and Ante, Ante, Over ... and London > Bridge ... and ... so far, the rules are stated just like we did them. ***Is > Hop-Scotch a game???*** And ... several ways to jump rope; with one and/or > two ropes. > > Any way ... this note from MaxJacobs ... I deleted it without opening ... :-( > ... before realizing that it may be to the Shelby County list. Yep! It was > in my deleted list ... so opened it ... and it was ... :-) 'more games of > long ago'. > > I do not know how many of you got the 'klez' virus ... but someone recently > used my yahoo.com account to send it to lots of people ... not even in my > address book. And in the subject matter was ... "a really neat game you > will like". > > I myself got it when I open a note ... from a priest in WI ... who did not > send it ... and there was no attachment. The subject matter was ... > 'W32.Elkern removal tool'. ***I am so ... un-caught up on these bugs ... I > did not know that ... this name is a variation of the 'klez'. Thankfully > ... after a lot of prayers ... and Sissy ... who knows how to do things ... > we got rid of it. > > Sooooooo, be careful. The hackers are getting smarter and smarter. It is > really a shame. My computer does so much good ... and gives me so much > pleasure ... keeping in touch ... and getting and sending nice notes, prayer > requests, and learning lots of new things. {{{Je t'aime for now, > Macile}}} > > > > >

I remember a boy's game at Center Grammar School (usually discouraged by the teachers) named "Pile On". At mid-game there was a great heap, with working arms, legs, heads and other body parts sticking out. The idea was to run and jump as high as you could onto the pile. That done, the natural tendency was to work your way down to the bottom of the pile, as others jumped on. Pressure and bumping were dramatic and maneuvering near impossible in that dark and gritty place. At bottom, with great effort, you tried to crawl out. Then, if not badly hurt, you got to your feet and just stood there, somewhat dazed. When you regained your senses, you backed off for a running start to jump on the pile again. Oh well, we didn't have Game Boy back then. I don't remember Band Aids either.

I believe CWBrazell is correct with ball over the house being "ante-over" (coming over!). As I remember, Red Rover, 2 lines of kids face each other at a distance of about 40 yards. In each line, players clasp hands, sometimes wrists. Someone calls to the other line "Red Rover, Red Rover, send (name) over!" The one named releases hands and runs toward the other line, hard as he can go. At about 10 yards, he usually takes an angle for surprise, or picking what he feels is the weakest link. If he can break through the line, he can select a person from that line to return with him to his own. If he doesn't break through, he must join that line. Longest line wins. Max in Raleigh, NC

Some of the early childhood games have interesting histories. For example, the game "Ring-Around-The-Rosie" has its roots in the plague. It describes some of the symptoms (the "ring" was a distinctive pink ring-shaped rash, one of the first signs of the plague), and "ashes, ashes, we all fall down" refers to the deadly end of the disease. An innocent childhood game with an ominous history! Meg Gentry Bookout in CA CWBrazell@aol.com wrote: > For purposes of putting together a number of early 1900s games there is a > book you would find very interesting. Some years ago when I came across it > in my local library I thought I had found a bird nest on the ground. > It is Dorothy's World, Childhood in Sabine Bottom, 1902 - 1910 by Dorothy > Howard. Published by Prentice-Hall. > The book is long out of print but probably can be borrowed through > inter-library loan, that practice that is a good friend to genealogists. > Sabine Bottom is a community in Rains County which is separated from Van > Zandt County by the Sabine River. > Dorothy's version of "Red Rover" is somewhat different from the one I > played in Centerview Community in Sabine County. > The game you are wanting about throwing the ball over a house (In our > case it was a two room school building) is probably called "Ante Over" in > most places. We called it "Hellover" which I assume was a shortened version > of "Hail over" or perhaps "Hello, over on the other side." > There'll be a lot of versions to all the games I expect, depending on the > rules and methods the big kids taught to the younger. One of the games we > little girls played was to a song we sang, "London bridge is falling down, > falling down, falling down, London bridge etc." > My grown up self thought it had originated in England, I lived for more > than seven years of my adult life in England. I never encountered a person > there who'd ever heard of that game. > Charlene Walker Brazell > > >

For purposes of putting together a number of early 1900s games there is a book you would find very interesting. Some years ago when I came across it in my local library I thought I had found a bird nest on the ground. It is Dorothy's World, Childhood in Sabine Bottom, 1902 - 1910 by Dorothy Howard. Published by Prentice-Hall. The book is long out of print but probably can be borrowed through inter-library loan, that practice that is a good friend to genealogists. Sabine Bottom is a community in Rains County which is separated from Van Zandt County by the Sabine River. Dorothy's version of "Red Rover" is somewhat different from the one I played in Centerview Community in Sabine County. The game you are wanting about throwing the ball over a house (In our case it was a two room school building) is probably called "Ante Over" in most places. We called it "Hellover" which I assume was a shortened version of "Hail over" or perhaps "Hello, over on the other side." There'll be a lot of versions to all the games I expect, depending on the rules and methods the big kids taught to the younger. One of the games we little girls played was to a song we sang, "London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London bridge etc." My grown up self thought it had originated in England, I lived for more than seven years of my adult life in England. I never encountered a person there who'd ever heard of that game. Charlene Walker Brazell