Category Archives: Other Games

I have great memories of…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Mitchell D. Hirsch, Ph.D. [e-mail]
 

I have great memories of marathon hide-and-go-seek games in my neighborhood in southern California. I have a question, perhaps a bit offbeat. I have a passionate interest in languages and terminology, and that prompts me to ask: what is the origin of that strange phrase used in this game to bring all players (for whatever reason) out of their hiding places at once? I’m referring to the one that sounds to my ears like “Allie allie oxen free.” Oxen?? Referring to the animal? Seems unlikely. My best guess is that the meaning is: All _____ are free to come in without becoming “it” or befalling some other “penalty.” But what really goes in the blank and what is its origin?

I remember playing in the…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: kevindaley
 

I remember playing in the middle of the street in Queens (one kid had to watch for the cars) in the late 50’s and early 60’s. We would wait for the macadam in the street to get soft from the heat and then we would make a permanent skelsies board in the street.

I agree. I grew up on the…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Charles Holt [e-mail]
 

I agree. I grew up on the Carlton Ave side of Ft. Greene. There was truly a sense of family Skelzies,punchball,co-co-levio,rollerskating were some of the regular games. On our side we had the Willoughby Center, were we shot pool, played ping-ping, and spades till 11:00 at night

I too am from the Ft Greene…

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Charles Holt [e-mail]
 

I too am from the Ft Greene Projects born in Cumberland hopsital. I remember late spring/early summer was the season for Crack Top. I remember that we never played “stringies” you had to be able to pick the spinning top up in your hand and bring it over to the pot, if you missed the pot on the fly. Getting “color” from other tops on your top was a badge of honor.

Wow. this brings back memories….

Streetplay Discussion Archive Posted on by
Original author: Randy Lisk [e-mail]
 

Wow. this brings back memories. I grew up on Bowers Street and Milton avenue in Jersey City NJ and we had a board cut into the street with our pocket knives. I use to love kicksies and we called the game simply bottle caps and played for hours on end, games like wiffle ball, fly’s up and of course nerf footballs kept us out of trouble and parents never wondered where you were because the world was a much safer place. I just had a bottle cap lying around and decide to show my kids what we did with them and now they want to play. I would love to see a big tournament somewhere. I would go get some glass bottles and make my “Glassies” We did that by finding a sewer plate and rolling the top of the bottle around over the ridges until it fell off, rub it into the strret to make it smooth and you had one heck of a cap to play with. Thanks for the memories Thanks