Does anyone remember a game…
Original author: Denise Terry
Does anyone remember a game called Russia? We played it in Newark, N.J. in the 50s with a pink rubber ball.You went from onsie to tensie. I can’t remember the rules.
Tag Archives: Russian 7/10/12 (the game)
Well, I’m from Chicago and…
Original author: Antoinette Thiele [e-mail]
Well, I’m from Chicago and we played may of the games mentioned here. I want to actually write about these games in my Family Tree book so that my grandchildren would know how their grandmother played when she was young. I especially, like playing with the spauldeen and used it to play the Russian Ten, O’Leary, and Roly/Poly. Does anyone know the verses, order, and directions on how these games were played? I would love to know, since I’ve forgotten a lot! Thanks. thiele007 [at] hotmail [dot] com.
I grew up in Astoria, Queens…
Original author: Marjorie Nemeth [e-mail]
I grew up in Astoria, Queens 60’s – 70’s went through countless number of spaldeens (most lost on roof of P.S. 85). Played Ace King Queen, Punchball, Stickball and Russia (Russian). Have 3 spaldeen balls a 60’s, 70’s and one of the new ones probably 90’s. Moved to Malvern, PA in ’74 and nobody knew what a spaldeen was.
Regarding the queries about…
Original author: Leonore McClean [e-mail]
Regarding the queries about Russian and 7 Up. When I grew up in Brooklyn in the early 1960s, we called the game Russian 10. You had to do task 1 one time, task 2 two times etc. until the 10th task which you had to do 10 times. Unfortunately I don’t remember all the tasks. Following are the tasks I can remember, but the order may be incorrect. 1. Throw Spalding against wall and catch on fly. 2. Throw ball at wall, let it bounce once and catch 3. Throw ball at wall, clap and catch on fly. 4. Throw ball under your leg and catch on fly. 5. If right handed: put left palm against the wall and hold arm straight. Hold ball in right hand and toss it from under your left arm over your outstretched left arm and catch it. 6. Throw ball at wall, spin around and catch on fly. 7. Throw ball at wall, clap hands in front of body, behind body and in front again and catch ball on fly. (You have to clap very quickly!) I believe a player’s turn lasted until she missed catching the ball. On her next turn she had to start from the step she missed on. This is as much as I can remember. If someone out their in cyberspace remembers all 10 tasks, please e-mail! …
Hey..52nd street.. I grew…
Original author: Susan Harvey (guttenberggirl) [e-mail]
Hey..52nd street.. I grew up in Guttenberg NJ (Hudson County) we also played ringalerio and box ball etc… Being a girl I played that game mentioned above called Russia.. I cannot for the life of me. I just came inside from my porch trying to teach one of my daughters and was searching the internet for the rules of that game.. Anyone else know??
In the Bronx, New York,…
Original author: avra wing [e-mail]
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.
This is in response to Celia…
Original author: mrsflame [e-mail]
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: mrsflame [at] yahoo [dot] com …
In Chicago in the 40’s we…
Original author: Karen Traxler (ktraxbay) [e-mail]
In Chicago in the 40’s we played a game called “Russia,” bouncing a tennis ball against a wall. I think #1 was to throw the ball onto the wall and catch it, #2 was to throw the ball and let it drop and then catch it, and #3 was to throw the ball and clap once. Beyond that, I’m not sure. Other tricks were throwing the wall and clapping twice, putting a hand on the wall and throwing the ball over the arm and catching one-handed (both arms?), and slamming the ball onto the ground in front of the wall to let it carom off and then catch it, and throwing the ball under a leg (both) and catching it. Can anyone help?
I grew up in Chelsea in…
Original author: Gloria
I grew up in Chelsea in NYC and we played a game called Russia. It was played against a wall with a “spaldine”(as we called it). Has anyone played that game?
Okay, couldn’t sleep tonight,…
Original author: sandy2wheels
Okay, couldn’t sleep tonight, my mind racing on the many games I loved playing in my youth in Deepdale (Little Neck) Queens in the 1950’s-early 60’s. Want to document some of these for my grandkids, who probably won’t know a street game from a milk machine (‘member those, anyone?). Thrilled to find this website – way to GO! …So, the girls in my “court” (WWII veterans’ garden apartments, with sections built around a central grass area, all over Queens, especially Glen Oaks & Little Neck) loved both Spauldeens AND Pensie Pinkies. I remember at one time each costing about a quarter at our local candy store. And fishing them out of the sewers could be a whole day’s frustrating & exhilirating challenge – mainly with unbent hangers, made into a fishing circle at one end. Anyone remember a game played by throwing the ball high against a brick wall, and doing a variety of activities before catching it? Like 1 = clap one time; 4 = 4 jumping jacks, etc? Can’t remember what it was called – maybe Russian ______????