Club Snatch

Source: Games For The Playground, Home, School And Gymnasium
Category: MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVE GAMES



_10 to 60 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This is one of the best competitive chasing games.

A goal is marked off across each end of the playground. Midway between
the goals, an Indian club is placed; a handkerchief or other similar
object may be used, placed on some suppor
on a stake driven into the
ground, laid over a rock or stool, or hung on the end of a branch. A
stone or dumb-bell laid on the ground may be substituted. In line with
the club a starting base is marked on each goal line.

The players are divided into two equal parties, each having a captain.
Each party takes its place in one of the goals. The object of the game
is for one of the runners to snatch the club and return to his goal
before a runner from the opposite goal tags him, both leaving their
starting bases at the same time on a signal. The players on each team
run in turn, the captains naming who shall run each time.

The captains toss for first choice of runners; the one who wins names
his first runner, who steps to the running base, whereupon the
competing captain names a runner to go out against him, trying to
select one of equal or superior ability. Thereafter the captains take
turns as to who shall first designate a runner.

When there is a large number of players, or very limited time,
a different method may be used for selecting the runners. All
of the players should then line up according to size, and
number consecutively by couples. That is, the first couple
would be number one, the second, number two, the third, number
three, etc. The couples then divide, one file going to one team
and the other to the opposite team. The players run thereafter
according to number, the numbers one competing, and so on. Each
player may run but once until all on the team have run, when
each may be called a second time, etc. To avoid confusion, the
players who have run should stand on one side of the starting
base, say the right, and those who have not run, to the left.



The first runners, having been called by their respective captains to
the starting bases, run on a signal; the players may reach the club
together and go through many false moves and dodges before one
snatches the club and turns back to his goal. Should he succeed in
reaching the goal before the other player can tag him, his team scores
one point. Should he be tagged before he can return with his trophy,
the opponent scores one point. The club is replaced after each run. In
either case both players return to their original teams.

When each runner has run once, the teams exchange goals and run a
second time. The team wins which has the highest score at the end of
the second round.

For large numbers of players there may be several clubs, each having
corresponding starting bases on the goals, so that several pairs of
runners may compete at once. One club for twenty players, ten on each
side, is a good proportion. For young players the club may be placed
nearer one goal than the other at first, as shown in the diagram.

This is a capital game as here developed with the feature of
scoring, and may be made very popular.


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