Hi, I grew up on Long Island, and I can still smell that new ball smell of the Pinkie. Spaldeens just didn’t smell as good. If anyone still wants to find any pinkies, (the spaldeens are now at Sports Authority, and Modells) I would suggest cruising the old neighborhoods and look for older run-down homes. Then ask permission and check those gutters!!
I grew up in Brooklyn and we called them pinky balls. At one point I remember inserting the ball into (god this will age me here!) tube sock, standing against a brick wall and whacking it against the wall between our legs and under our arms to the tune of “hello, hello, hello sir”. Does anyone have any recollection of this? Also, will the new principal at PS 236 please check the roof…there must be a zillion pinky balls up there…unless Mr. Rahinsky got them first!
In Suburban St. Louis town of Webster Groves in the 80’s we played a version of “Off the Wall” called BIP.. Using either a pink ball or tennis ball.I found 1 referance to in in a Yahoo Search.It was a basic off the wall type game where a ball,or multiple balls,were thrown against a wall.Any thrown ball must hit the wall before hitting the ground,a person or object in the field of play and the ball can only be fielded with one hand,no 2 handed catches or pickups.These were the basic rules.If a ball was caught in flight the intial thrower also to run and touch the wall.The inital thrower as a consequence could have the ball(s) thrown directly at them,but this violates the off the wall rule,so in turn the person who directly hit the inital thrower would have to touch up to the wall, thus becoming a target.Any person that caught a ball 2 handed must DROP the ball and run and touch up.Any ball fielded uncleanly (dropped or uncleanly 1 handed pickup off the ground) or hit by the ball in flight, must DROP the ball,if held, and touch up.If it was a multi-ball game, you could only handle 1 ball at a time.There were variations of the touch up rules. for instance a ball that was tossed away or kicked instead of dropped would be assesd a 10 touch where the person had to run up and stand at the wall and touch up (slap the wall alternating right and left hand) 10 times. Thanks.. Z P.S. If you remember this game or lived in Webster Groves in the 80s, drop me a line!
We played that gme in Brooklyn in the 50’s, but we called it “Russia”. One- agianst wall without bounce Two- against wall one bounce then catch (2x) Three- against wall clap once catch without bounce (3x) Four- against wall, twirl arms around catch without bounce (4x) Five- Throw under leg against wall, catch without bounce (5x) That’s all I remember right now
A variation of corner ball which was played at the intersection of two streets was “triangle” which was played across any single street (less traffic and required fewer players). You had home and essentially first and third. A pitch bouncing on home was a strike-out. The hit had to land between the curbs or it was out. The pitching was similar to box baseball with lots of english.
Well….. I like to think, and I dont care what Mooney says, that I was The King of BOXBALL. Why?! Because if you hit it (with your fist after being pitched) down the pisshole(a flight of marble steps leading down to a ground floor door of the school,Creighton, which was also used for draining of the you know what)you could, and should, take third. And if fat Herbie was playing the pisshole; you’re home!And man could i find that pisshole. I’ll line up to buy pimple balls!!!!!!!! ZMAN
Hello Ballfolk I have Jack Russell Terriers and I bought a Spalding Hi Bounce for my favorite one to play with. She will fetch as many times as I will throw it. When she brings it back she bites it hard and shoots it from her mouth like a bulletand sometimes I can even catch it like she is throwing it. From a 55 year old man to your youth be brave and strong seek power and wisdon