Ernest Franklin: My dad would play this game, and I guess my grandpa did too. It’s been handed down for generations. The last year I played was in 1929, which was also the last year I went barefoot to school. I was a sophomore in high school then. You’d have at least eight players: four on a side. The game was played with a ball made of yarn, and we always got our mother to sew around it to keep it from unraveling. If the ball was too light, sometimes we’d wrap the yarn around a core like a piece of wood to give it extra weight.
The object of the game is to get all the men out on one team by hitting each one of them with the ball. One team of four players mans the bases, and the other players get in the center or in the bullpen. One man on base throws the ball diagonally across the field to another base to get the ball into play. Then it is thrown around the bases. At any point, a man on base can catch the ball and try to hit a man in the center with it. The man in the center tries to dodge it. If the man who throws it misses, he is out of the game. If he hits the man he was throwing at, that man picks up the ball as quickly as possible and tries to hit one of the basemen, who by this time have scattered and are running in all directions. Though the basemen are allowed to run away, a man in the center cannot leave the bullpen unless the ball bounces or rolls out. Then he can leave the bullpen to retrieve the ball, but he has to throw it at one of the fleeing basemen from this point. He can’t run with the ball. If the man in the center misses the baseman he is throwing at, he is out. If he hits the baseman, that man is out, and the thrower can stay in the bullpen for the next round.
When a baseman is out leaving three men on base, those men can move from base to base at will. When there are two men left on base, those two, at the beginning of each round, meet together out to one side, and one conceals the ball so that the players in the center don’t know which baseman has it. They return to their bases, each one acting like he has the ball, and each moving from base to base to keep the players in the center confused until the ball is actually thrown at a man in the center beginning the round.
When there is only one man left on base, he can move along the baselines at will and throw at any time at a man in the center. The game ends when all the players on one team are out. Then those who were in the bullpen take the bases, those who were on the bases move to the bullpen, and a new game begins.
—Foxfire 6
A lot of you mentioned dodge ball yesterday. The game I shared today might have been the precursor to our modern game. I’ve never played bullpen and haven’t played dodge ball since I was a kid.
On our last church camping trip a big group of people played dodge ball. They had a lot of fun. I enjoyed watching the game. I especially liked the age range of the players—from three years old to early thirties.
Last night’s video: Meet My Gen Z Friend.
Tipper
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I would have loved playing dodge ball with a giant ball of yarn. We used a volleyball and it could get pretty wild, and sometimes painful.
In Elementary School in GA I played Softball and Soccer. We did the Presidential Fitness Program too. It was 1966. I was 8.
This sounds like it would have had the potential to remain more civilized. I agree that it is sad children seem to spend little time playing outdoors now. It seems they do spend their time on electronic devices and get so little exercise. Different times but not really better times for our children’s mental or physical health. Many of our children lack the skills to settle differences between a classmate now without violence. As a clinician, I was painfully aware of too many children coming to the Emergency Department because what used to be a school yard scuffle now involves weapons and serious risk to life. Several school systems have even had to ban metal drinking bottles, like Yeti’s because kids fill them up with rocks, etc, and use them as weapons to hit others. Gone are the days it seems of playing out without a care from morning until dark.
I played dodgeball but haven’t heard about the bullpen.
Last nights video with Taylor was interesting. She was so well spoken.
I just heard about a recall of some Outshine popsicles and immediately thought of you and Matt. They’re my favorite, too, but I threw out a box this morning. You might want to check yours.
Any and ALL of you needing prayer-you’ve got my word prayers are going up for you right now! My God is THE FIX IT MAN!!! It seems everybody is going through something be it health or emotional or financial. It’s tough times for sure. I know what can be shaken will be shaken and I mean EVERY SINGLE THING WE THINK WE KNOW will be shaken asunder. It’s time to armor up and realize we are in a daily battle against evil. We are all soldiers, like it or not. Any other outlook is not realistic. I mean look around and you tell me. I want to see EVERY PERSON (AND ANIMAL) IN THIS WORLD THRIVE AND LIVE IN MERCY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. Let’s dodge balls and trouble if we can… lol Blessings to all!!! I’m going to haul a little bird to the wildlife rehabilitation man this morning…LIFE IS GOOD. Let us live in love and kindness.
pray for me, my neck feels sore and swollen, I’m seeing the doctor today I don’t know what will be accomplished, thank you and God bless you very much
I’m sorry Norman I will keep praying!
I’ve never played or seen dodge ball played that way. We couldn’t get enough players together to play as described. At school we played it the way the teachers wanted it played, with a volleyball. It was so boring I would sit on the steps and do my homework.
Yesterday’s post regarding base made me remember games we played in grammar school. After several hours I suddenly remembered we called that Stink Base. When an enemy plater was caught he had to stand on the stink base until one of his teammates was able to circle the opponent’s line or get through to tag him.
Ahhhh…dodgeball lol I graduated from hs in ’76, so I got to play the “real deal” lol It’s been outlawed for years. We didn’t pick on the meeker girls. We got them “out” early and without sting, then the real game commenced. Glory Days as Springsteen sings about are fun to think about now & then. I greatly enjoyed my time back then but I’ve spoken to several classmates over the years with entirely different views. It saddens me to hear that but I’m grateful to see/hear that time didn’t define them. They moved on to become successful, thoughtful people and it’s interesting discussing our school days. John, Linda, Debbi, Helen and I still routinely visit with each other. With the exception of Debbi who came our freshman year, the rest of us have known each other for 63 years!!!! Lasting friendships are so special ♡
Kim, I have about 4 years on you, I graduated in 72. I mentioned the boys playing a version of dodgeball in the gym, we were 15-16 years old and had full intentions of making it sting if you got hit. We did use either a soccer or volleyball when playing dodgeball. I was not in one of the groups that thought they were a little better than the others but looking back I wish I could go back and be with ALL of my classmates again, the same thing goes for many of my coworkers throughout my working lifetime. I have knew some of my classmates my entire life or at least since the first grade. I do not understand how some people can be so cold, I know one person that says she does not want to see anyone she worked with at Michelin again. I think the reason is because of being a shame of what she was and the way she acted with them, the problem is not them but her. I have found this to be true in many cases.
I played dodge ball with my many cousins at my grandmother’s house when I was a kid & at school, too. I was SO skinny then (wish I was now ) that I would tell the other kids that if I turned sideways they couldn’t hit me with the ball. I remember I played, Red Light Green Light, and Mother May I. Of course freeze tag, Drop the handkerchief and just plain ole hide & seek were favorites, too. I never played kick the can, but I heard friends talk about it. I sure wish I could go back to those good ole days. Tipper, I hope you, your family and all the wonderful acorns have a blessed day.
Cheryl, nobody is talking about playing Spin the Bottle. That was my favorite around the time I turned 15. Maybe 14.
We played dodgeball and red rover. Man, your arms were tired after those games.
In a PE class in high school we played something we called dodgeball on the basketball court in the gym when the weather was too bad to go outside. We didn’t play it like Earnest describes it. At my elementary school during the 60’s baseball played with a softball was the only game the boys played year round during recess. The two teams pretended to be either the Yankees or the Dodgers. Nothing to do with cows, in sports (baseball) I think of the bullpen as the warmup area for the relief pitchers in baseball.
Like you, I’ve never played bullpen. I have played dodgeball since I started school. I know it’s a change in subject but please remember me when you pray.
I will!