To Sharon, Your one two three alera sounds something like what we palyed in Belmont, Mass. in the 40’s. Our game was with one ball and called “Ten, nine, eight” You had to bounce the ball against the wall ten times, then nine, then eight and so forth. Each round got harder with “clapsies”, double Clapsies”, then the alera where you threw the ball under your arm, then your leg between bounces. I’ve never met anyone from any other place in the States who’d heard of it. Any of you out there remember it?

Flea (flea), Flea-fly (flea-fly), Flea-fly-flo(flea-fly flo), Vista (vista). Kumalada, Kumalada,Kumala-vista (repeat). Oh, no, no, no, not the Vista(repeat). Eeny-meeny, dessa-meany, ooh wah wahla-meany (repeat). Dessa-meany, sala-meany ooh wah wah (repeat). Beat Billy oten, boten, bo-boten, beaten-botten Shhh (repeat).

bo bo ski wat-un tot-un ah ah ah ah boom boom boom bo bo ski wat-un tot-un ah ah ah ah boom boom boom itty-bitty wat-un tot-un bo bo ski wat-un tot-un bo bo ski wat-un tot-un freeze please american cheese (at which point both players would hold still until someone said “unfreeze”)

i’m 20..and remembered playing these games in elementry school in the 80’s and 90’s… i remembered playing one with colors.. where each person would have a color..and one person through the ball in the air while calling a color and the person who’se color it was would have to catch the ball