Back in Overbrook in the late fifties and early sixties, we used to play “tape ball.” We’d get some masking tape, wrap it into a baseball shape, and play with it that way. You’d pitch it like a baseball, since obviously it didn’t bounce, and if you caught it well with your stick, it would really fly! The ultimate example of creative use of materials at hand…
We used to play Chinese handball waiting for the school bus in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Actually it was all the time, just give us a wall and a spaldeen, whether it was at the cement wall at ps 200 playground, or mark twain or the side of the building building near cropsey and 20th avenue. Ace, king, queen, jack, ten , nine…..
I grew up in East New York and Howard Beach. We played punchball in both neighborhoods,but not as Peter B. described above. Punchball, which we prefered the Pensie Pinkie for due to it’s being softer was basically played the same as baseball (on the street, in parking lot, even a driveway between houses when we were younger (in this version if you hit the wall on the fly you were out). The “batter” punched the ball (anyway he pleased), but overhand produced longer hits. In H.B. we played a game called “slapball” which was similar to Peter’s version of punchball, but played with out 2nd base. The field was a small triangle, the pitcher who stood in the center of the triangle had to pitch the ball over the plate, underhanded, on one bounce. The batter could wait for a pich he like, when the ball was hit, openhanded, it could not pass the line between 1st and 3rd or the batter was out. All other rules were the same as baseball (no stealing). The Spaldeen was our preferred ball for stickball since it was more durable. Of course most of the time we played with any ball we could fish out of a sewer, or pull out of a drainpipe that we’d climb up to.
This is in response to Celia Curtis’s email asking about Russian or 7 up. I remember the game 7 up as we played it in Michigan in the 70’s. I am looking for the rules for this particular game as well. I remember some of the levels, but not sure of the order. You play against a wall and each person takes turns bouncing the ball against the wall with different techniques used for each level. May or may not be this order. 1. Bounce against wall and catch 2. Bounce on ground and then wall and catch 3. Bounce on ground and then wall and turn around and catch 4. Bounce on ground and then wall and clapping once before you catch it 5. Throw under leg to bounce on ground and then wall and then catch Not sure of the other two levels All who are playing take turns as in: Player 1 does #1 from above then, Player 2 does #1 from above then, Player 1 does #1 and #2 then, Player 2 does # 1 and # 2 then, Player 1 does # 1, # 2 and #3 then, Player 2 does # 1, # 2 and #3 then, Player 1 does # 1, # 2, #3, #4 then, Player 2 does # 1, # 2, #3, #4 then, and so on. If a player misses. They have to stop their turn and continue their next time. This is what I remember. If anyone has the official rules please respond. My email is: