In Brooklyn in the 50’s we sang while bouncing a ball: Oh, I won’t go to Macy’s any more, more, more There’s a big fat policeman at the door, door, door He’ll grab you by the collar And make you pay a dollar So I won’t go to Macy’s Anymore, more, more We sang this while bouncing a ball and crossed our leg over the rhyming words..more, door, collar, etc.
I grew up in Woodside, Queens in the seventies and loved Red Rover, Red Rover, Red Light, Green Light, etc. I remember the boys playing stick ball,etc. Being a girl, we did alot of the jumprope games/rhymes, and also more “girlie” steet games. I recall one being called “germany”, where you needed four concrete “squares” and would have to step for “one”, hop for “two”, Skip for “three”, etc. I think it went up to nine, and you couldn’t touch any “lines” and couldn’t step into “germany”, or the third box. Sound familiar to anyone? WE also played “girls, girls, out” This one used six boxes and had different categories in each box like, colors, girls names, boys names, etc. You would have to hop into the box twice saying “girls, girls out”, then go over each box saying a different girl’s name twice, then go into the next category and do boys names, etc. If anyone has more info on these games, please share. Love this website – it’s so nostalgic!
Where and when I grew up (Casper, Wy — mid to late ’40s were my main jack-playing years) Jacks were a very big thing for girls — there were even tournaments. Not sure who sponsored the tournaments — I was never good enough to qualify, but my big sister was. The official game was played with only six jacks, and we “flipped” to see who went first. Beginners could “flip” with two hands, but once you were experienced, you were expected to use only one. The “official” game included babies, baskets. upcast, downcast, halves, wholes, up-picking-daisies and down-picking-daisies (if I’m remembering correctly). I’m not sure I can explain any of these in text — they almost have to be demonstrated. Sometimes we played other additional sets, but the only one I can remember is “around the world.” Even my brother played jacks, but we all agreed that was a secret we’d never tell his friends. My kids grew up in Southern California, and Jacks wasn’t played there, though I taught them the game I grew up with, and they loved it — my son included. There was no stigma for him, since it wasn’t known as a “girl” game in CA — and I know it helped improve his eye-hand coordination.
Wow! You really can find anything on the internet. I just started playing Jacks again after 45 years. I decided to teach it to my 2nd grade students to help them remember the combinations of 10 (my set has ten jacks),to improve their eye hand coordination, and to just have fun. I could only find plastic jacks in the stores, but I ordered some that work fine and are made of metal from Oriental Trading Company. The jacks are not as heavy as I remember them back in the 60’s but they are better than the plastic. I got a dozen sets for under $5. Thanks to all for the helps on this site.
In the Bronx, New York, in the 50’s we played a game called Russian 10 which sounds a lot like the games two of the other posters wrote about. First we would throw the ball up (or against the wall?) Then followed a series of claps. (Some behind the back?) I seem to remember the one hand against the wall position as well. No one I’ve ever mentioned this to had heard about it. I find it fascinating that a similar game with almost the same name was played in Chicago in the 40’s.
Does anyone know the clapping rhyme that starts My mother told me to open the door, I opened the door he sat on the floor it’s the old bald headed ________.Cha Cha Cha My mother told me to get him a drink I got him a drink he swallowed the sink, it’s the old bald headed _________. Cha Cha Cha And it keeps going….
I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN IT LIKE THIS… TWEET BAYBE TWEET BAYBE MY MAMA SAYS SHE ROCKS I THE TREE TOPS ALL DAY LONG HUFFIN AND A PUFFIN SINGIN DAT SONG! ALL LITTLE GIRLS ON JAY BIRDS STREET LOVE TO HEAR THE BIRDS GO TWEET TWEET TWEET… ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWALIE ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWALIE…MAMAS IN THE KITCHEN COOCKIN RICE DADDYS OUTSIDE SHOOTIN DICE BROTHERS IN JAIL RASING HELL AND SISTER OUT SIDE SELLING FRUIT COCKTAIL… ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWELIE ROCKIN ROBIN TWEET TWALIE!