Oh yeah. I think the sequel was called "Slams and Shoeshines: how to stay on top in a cutthroat world." It's weird that the sequel was a documentary, but that's just how things were back then.
Oh! And how about wall ball? That’s what my kids played in elementary school. A version of playground “friendly” handball with a large playground ball.
We definitely played some version of wallball, and quite possibly a version like dodgeball, but where you were pinned up against the wall. That was... less fun than the other types of dodgeball.
🤣 why do boys enjoy pummeling their friends (and enemies) with objects? My boys exchange slaps on the back of their necks All. The. Time. Nerf. Dodgeball. Even keep away would turn into dodgeball!
I’m a bit older than you, Andrew, and stopped playing four square in fifth grade, so my memory of the game is fuzzy at best. I recall (vaguely at best) that we made four square a bit of a word game. We’d combine the hitting of the ball with having to say a word relevant to the topic selected by the server, e.g., names of birds, state capitals, words that start with “j”… playground rules were first round was “around the world” where the server hit to the square on the right, and each player had to go the same direction until it returned to the server, who could then hit to what square of their choosing (and however they wanted to send that person out of the game). In your games, did you get “out” for not returning a hit (and a new player rotated in)? The way we played, you had to make it to the serving square to be the server. So everyone was after the person in the square in front of them so they could move up closer to the serving square.
How about freeze tag? Kick the can? Those were big neighborhood games at all ages of kids played in the summer.
Hopscotch was my cohorts before school warmup. At recess and lunch it was four square or handball or tetherball and then in 5th and 6th basketball took over. Handball was the one with the litany of rules. After school it was caroms. Playing was serious work and it had to be done in order.
We did all the other stuff, though. Basketball was always there, but never dominant for me. Football kinda took over, but I blame puberty for that. That led me to rasslin' eventually.
Hopscotch definitely brings me back, though> We're into elementary days now, but I can recall drawing with chalk on sidewalks and hopping on one leg.
We've gotten our kids playing 4 square so that's been a blast.
That's great! Do you let the server set the rules?
Not yet.
This is NOT me asking you to run experiments on your kids, but...
We are getting them to understand, follow, and not lose their minds on the basic rules. Then we can add in the special rule making!
Wasn't "Indecent Serve" a movie? I'm pretty sure it was about a man asking to spend a night playing four square.
Oh yeah. I think the sequel was called "Slams and Shoeshines: how to stay on top in a cutthroat world." It's weird that the sequel was a documentary, but that's just how things were back then.
When is four square going to get a pro league?
Gamification ruins it within three years, IMO.
Oh! And how about wall ball? That’s what my kids played in elementary school. A version of playground “friendly” handball with a large playground ball.
We definitely played some version of wallball, and quite possibly a version like dodgeball, but where you were pinned up against the wall. That was... less fun than the other types of dodgeball.
🤣 why do boys enjoy pummeling their friends (and enemies) with objects? My boys exchange slaps on the back of their necks All. The. Time. Nerf. Dodgeball. Even keep away would turn into dodgeball!
Short answer: very, very rigid social programming.
That said, I am pretty sure there were a few sociopaths at my school.
I’m a bit older than you, Andrew, and stopped playing four square in fifth grade, so my memory of the game is fuzzy at best. I recall (vaguely at best) that we made four square a bit of a word game. We’d combine the hitting of the ball with having to say a word relevant to the topic selected by the server, e.g., names of birds, state capitals, words that start with “j”… playground rules were first round was “around the world” where the server hit to the square on the right, and each player had to go the same direction until it returned to the server, who could then hit to what square of their choosing (and however they wanted to send that person out of the game). In your games, did you get “out” for not returning a hit (and a new player rotated in)? The way we played, you had to make it to the serving square to be the server. So everyone was after the person in the square in front of them so they could move up closer to the serving square.
How about freeze tag? Kick the can? Those were big neighborhood games at all ages of kids played in the summer.
Yes to the rotation into four square! Once you were in there, you still had to climb up and above each of the remaining three squares.
We never played the word game, but I think I would have liked it. Or, we played it and I have long forgotten; not sure.
Freeze tag was awesome. It was up there with hide-and-seek tag.
Hopscotch was my cohorts before school warmup. At recess and lunch it was four square or handball or tetherball and then in 5th and 6th basketball took over. Handball was the one with the litany of rules. After school it was caroms. Playing was serious work and it had to be done in order.
I never got to play handball! What was it like?
We did all the other stuff, though. Basketball was always there, but never dominant for me. Football kinda took over, but I blame puberty for that. That led me to rasslin' eventually.
Hopscotch definitely brings me back, though> We're into elementary days now, but I can recall drawing with chalk on sidewalks and hopping on one leg.