I’ve lived my entire life within concrete landscapes. During my earlier years — my juvenile delinquent years — my neighborhood was particularly industrial. Ominous factories; abandoned buildings; long, dark, and forbidden alleyways — and the breed of people who prowl such venues.
I grew up in suburbs south of San Francisco that had enough hilly, treed open space for us kids to roam around. We didn't invent or play organized games like you city kids, but we roamed free for hours in areas that seemed pretty wild to us. We did a lot of tree climbing and sliding down grassy hills on pieces of cardboard. We also got some pretty bad cases of poison oak, which taught us quickly how to recognize the stuff. Alas, no kiss-a-lario for us. This was back in the 60s, in the days before electronic tethers (aka "smart" phones) and helicopter parents.
Capture the Flag was a bit like Ringalario, as I recall. I also remember murder ball, four square, stick ball, street hockey, slap boxing, and plain old Irish stand down/punch-outs to deal with bad blood.
Yes to both! In Irish stand down, there's no manoeuvring, no footwork. You lose if both feet move. But boys being who and what we are, stand down could easily devolve into brawling, with plenty of footwork.
I remember you mentioning how pleased your mom was seeing how tidy and clean you kept your apartment. I do find it odd that so many boys are not expected to shoulder their fair share, sitting around or playing while their sisters do the dishes, polish the furniture, etc.
Connecticut suburbs, 1960s. Tomboy me and neighborhood boys played touch football, Yankee baseball, climbed trees, explored construction sites and went down sewers. My best friend David and I built a raft and wheeled it to a local pond to launch early one morning. I don't recall our parents knowing anything about it-?! Set off fireworks on July 4 of course and one time police came by and my mom told them to eff off (in nicer words lol). Yeah those were the days. Childhood now sounds like hell. So it goes as civilizations collapse.
We played hide and seek which is a much scale done version of what you described and only one person went searching. We played tag and dodgeball. I rode our bikes everywhere we could. While my 2-year-old granddaughter grabs a cell phone every chance she gets her parents make sure she gets about 4 hours outside every day in any kind of weather.
That takes me back. Our version was called "Ditch". Our playground was much different though, and captured players would, body snatcher style, switch sides. What havoc we wreacked! ;)
In our neighborhood - just outside of Boston - we called it Ringlevio and shouted out "Olly Olly Oxen Free" when one of us made it to the base. This post brought back the best memories of my internet/video game free childhood. Atari didn't come out until my high school years and even then it didn't keep us holed up in the house - plus - our parents would never have allowed it! lol.... I was lucky if I got to come back into the house on a snowy winters day just to change my wet mittens. Street hockey was another fave in the neighborhood. Every one of us had a hockey stick and even us girls knew how to expertly curve the blade over our Mom's stove top. But without a doubt - the number one game in our neighborhood was Kickball. Any day of the week all one of us would have to do is go to the top of the street and sit on the wall - ball in hand - and within minutes - we would all be outside and ready to play. The best days were when no one wanted it to end. It was when the street lights came on that Ringlevio especially - went to a whole new level. Great days, great memories!
Nature deficit disorder! Ha! Great post. My family moved out of Newark in the 70s. We kids had a field day in the construction sites of our suburban development. I’m sure there were specific games and rules but they don’t come to mind. Only the sense of adventure and contest until sunset. I love how kids negotiate disputes en masse by declaring “do-overs”. A tactic to consider in broad application.
We called something very similar 'hide & seek tag'. Same rules more or less. In addition to that, we played street hockey in the street (wayne's world style) and football on a small field that had two stone buildings as the sidelines (surprisingly no serious head injuries from hitting the walls). And 'sword fights' with our 'weapons' made out of Constructs (or whatever they were called).
Absolutely. I was also an only child so learned early on how to pass the time myself as well. Had an encyclopedia set that I read every volume of cover to cover a few times and liked to read random pages of the dictionary to learn new words and whatnot. Real nerdy stuff but glad I did all of it
I too played ringalario, and loved it! I also played hide-and-seek, tag, kick the can, Johnny on the Pony, red light green light, what’s in the refrigerator, box ball, stick ball, king-queen-Jack, and many more. Kids today are missing so much!
Wow, those games were wild!
I grew up in suburbs south of San Francisco that had enough hilly, treed open space for us kids to roam around. We didn't invent or play organized games like you city kids, but we roamed free for hours in areas that seemed pretty wild to us. We did a lot of tree climbing and sliding down grassy hills on pieces of cardboard. We also got some pretty bad cases of poison oak, which taught us quickly how to recognize the stuff. Alas, no kiss-a-lario for us. This was back in the 60s, in the days before electronic tethers (aka "smart" phones) and helicopter parents.
Thank you, Mark! Even though you and I grew up in different settings, I can definitely relate to that feeling of roaming free for hours. I loved it!
Capture the Flag was a bit like Ringalario, as I recall. I also remember murder ball, four square, stick ball, street hockey, slap boxing, and plain old Irish stand down/punch-outs to deal with bad blood.
Thank you, James! I love this!
So, murder ball would be somewhat similar to dodgeball? And Irish stand down is bare knuckle boxing?
Yes to both! In Irish stand down, there's no manoeuvring, no footwork. You lose if both feet move. But boys being who and what we are, stand down could easily devolve into brawling, with plenty of footwork.
Thanks again...and yes, we rarely needed much of an excuse to start fighting!
I LOVED four-square! However, as a girl, I was also expected to do CHORES, fellas.
Chores????
Ironically, as I got older, I ended up being someone who is quite fastidious when it comes to chores.
I remember you mentioning how pleased your mom was seeing how tidy and clean you kept your apartment. I do find it odd that so many boys are not expected to shoulder their fair share, sitting around or playing while their sisters do the dishes, polish the furniture, etc.
Btw, what happened to all that glorious hair?!?
I sure did once have quite a head of thick curls!
Connecticut suburbs, 1960s. Tomboy me and neighborhood boys played touch football, Yankee baseball, climbed trees, explored construction sites and went down sewers. My best friend David and I built a raft and wheeled it to a local pond to launch early one morning. I don't recall our parents knowing anything about it-?! Set off fireworks on July 4 of course and one time police came by and my mom told them to eff off (in nicer words lol). Yeah those were the days. Childhood now sounds like hell. So it goes as civilizations collapse.
Thanks, MB...it sounds like such fun! I remember construction sites being an endless source of mischief.
But what is Yankee baseball?
It was something about throwing a tennis ball against the curb. That's all I can remember 🤪
Ah, we had a version of that but we'd throw a "spaldeen" against the steps of a stoop!
We played hide and seek which is a much scale done version of what you described and only one person went searching. We played tag and dodgeball. I rode our bikes everywhere we could. While my 2-year-old granddaughter grabs a cell phone every chance she gets her parents make sure she gets about 4 hours outside every day in any kind of weather.
Thanks for sharing, Elise...and for that encouraging news about your granddaughter. Bravo to her parents!
Thank you! I will share your post with them. We represent a different era that seems like yesterday. We are doing our own kind of storytelling.
Indeed we are, Elise...and thank you SO much for becoming a paid subscriber! 💖
That takes me back. Our version was called "Ditch". Our playground was much different though, and captured players would, body snatcher style, switch sides. What havoc we wreacked! ;)
I love the body snatcher variation!
Great! Ah, those old "good wars," even in Brooklyn! My biggest issue: I was scared of the girls once I "caught" them.
I had a couple of those moments, too. I can still remember one girl named Rosa that was so attractive!
In our neighborhood - just outside of Boston - we called it Ringlevio and shouted out "Olly Olly Oxen Free" when one of us made it to the base. This post brought back the best memories of my internet/video game free childhood. Atari didn't come out until my high school years and even then it didn't keep us holed up in the house - plus - our parents would never have allowed it! lol.... I was lucky if I got to come back into the house on a snowy winters day just to change my wet mittens. Street hockey was another fave in the neighborhood. Every one of us had a hockey stick and even us girls knew how to expertly curve the blade over our Mom's stove top. But without a doubt - the number one game in our neighborhood was Kickball. Any day of the week all one of us would have to do is go to the top of the street and sit on the wall - ball in hand - and within minutes - we would all be outside and ready to play. The best days were when no one wanted it to end. It was when the street lights came on that Ringlevio especially - went to a whole new level. Great days, great memories!
Thank you, Loofly! I also remember "Olly Olly Oxen Free"!
Nature deficit disorder! Ha! Great post. My family moved out of Newark in the 70s. We kids had a field day in the construction sites of our suburban development. I’m sure there were specific games and rules but they don’t come to mind. Only the sense of adventure and contest until sunset. I love how kids negotiate disputes en masse by declaring “do-overs”. A tactic to consider in broad application.
Thank you, Adria!
Can we get a global do-over for the past 3 years, btw?
We called something very similar 'hide & seek tag'. Same rules more or less. In addition to that, we played street hockey in the street (wayne's world style) and football on a small field that had two stone buildings as the sidelines (surprisingly no serious head injuries from hitting the walls). And 'sword fights' with our 'weapons' made out of Constructs (or whatever they were called).
So much creativity and imagination is unleashed when we're left our own devices instead of their devices!
Absolutely. I was also an only child so learned early on how to pass the time myself as well. Had an encyclopedia set that I read every volume of cover to cover a few times and liked to read random pages of the dictionary to learn new words and whatnot. Real nerdy stuff but glad I did all of it
We played it too in Philly where I grew up: we called it 'jailbreak'. Rough and fun.
"Jailbreak" sounds a lot more accurate than "ringalario"!
Tag. Who didn’t? 😂
Yep, it seems universal...and natural precursor to something like ringalario.
I too played ringalario, and loved it! I also played hide-and-seek, tag, kick the can, Johnny on the Pony, red light green light, what’s in the refrigerator, box ball, stick ball, king-queen-Jack, and many more. Kids today are missing so much!
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