The Great American Book of Sidewalk, Stoop, Dirt, Curb, and Alley Games
Ferretti
1975
Submitter: I had passed this over several times myself for weeding because we get questions about “old games” and by title this seemed to fit the bill nicely. Today I actually looked inside. The pictures are black and white 1970s in all their glory. Some of the games are what you would think… hopscotch, stick ball and the like. Then you would come across ones like Cans Up, the Tire Game and Johnny Rides a Pony. (See pictures) Oh and let’s not forget Mumbledy Peg. I can see a spate of lawsuits stemming from children playing the games in this book.
Holly: Can’s Up: otherwise known as “Ass Ball.” And Mumblety-Peg: it’s all fun and games until someone loses a finger or is impaled in the dirt. Good times.
“generally ice picks are frowned upon…” Seems safe – what could happen?
I like how the description of Cans Up ends with “Fun.” I guess the author realized that we might not figure that out without a hint.
I’ll bet “Smear the Queer” is somewhere in this book.
I think that’s a series meant for humorous nostalgia, not for guidance for kids, so it’s not misconceived in that respect. Obviously still weedable if that’s not why people are asking for old games, but I don’t see any problems with the content.
Unfortunately, it is cataloged as juvenile.
That seems to have been a local call–I’m not seeing a juvenile categorization in LOC.
Cataloging fail!
Can ball is tons of fun till you get one in the mumblety peg….
Cans Up sounds mean, yet hilarious.
If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!
When I was a kid we loved Ass Ball and Mumblety Peg. Until we tried to combine them…
We actually played Cans Up in the 1980s. A PE teacher taught it to us.
we played Johnny on a Pony in NY because as kids we were clearly clinically insane masochists.
Anyone else here remember reading “The Yearling”? When Jodie and Fodderwing play mumbletypeg INDOORS? Which Jodie’s mom won’t allow because it splinters up her floors?