Potato Rac

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



II

(Team competition)


_10 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; seashore._

The first description here given is for an informal game. This is
followed by the rules for strict athletic procedure.

The ground is marked off with a starting line. At right angles to it
are marked two or more rows of spots according to the number of teams
competing, the spots being from three to six feet apart, each row
containing from six to ten. On each spot is placed a potato; or a
stone, block of wood, or any other object may be substituted; on the
seashore bathing slippers may be used. Potato-shaped blocks of wood
may be had as substitutes for potatoes, and are better than cubical
blocks, which are apt to land on the corners and bound.

The players are divided evenly into competing groups which line up in
single file behind the starting line, each file being in line with one
of the rows of potatoes. Beside the leader of each file is a box or
basket; or a circle may be drawn on the ground instead. At a signal
each leader runs forward, picks up a potato, brings it back and puts
it in the box, goes for another, etc., until all the potatoes in his
row have been gathered in. He may pick them up in any order that he
chooses. Immediately that the last potato is placed, this player
touches the outstretched hand of the next player in his file, and at
once leaves the playing space; he should not line up again with his
team. The next player in the file starts out immediately on receiving
the "touch off," replaces the potatoes one at a time, and touches off
the next player, who gathers them in, and so on, alternately, until
each player has had his turn. The team wins whose last player is the
first to dash back over the starting line.

For an athletic contest for adults, the following rules are
typical
There should be eight potatoes for each team, placed
two yards apart, the first potato two yards from the
receptacle. The receptacle should be either a pail, basket,
box, or can, not over two feet in height, having an opening not
over thirty-six inches in circumference. The finish line is a
"tape" (strand of worsted) stretched parallel with the starting
line and five yards back of the receptacle. There should be a
judge of fouls for each team and two judges at finish. Fouls
are


1. Not placing a potato accurately on the spot.

2. Leaving a potato outside the receptacle instead of in it,
whether it be dropped there or bound out.

3. Starting over the line without or before the "touch off."

A foul corrected before the next step in the game be taken does
not score as a foul. The teams win first, second, third, and
fourth places in the order of finishing, if there be no fouls.
Where fouls have been scored, the team finishing first, with
the fewest number of fouls, has first place, etc. In case of a
tie, the tied teams must play again to determine the winner.

Teams Order of Finishing Fouls Order of Winning

A 2 0 First place
B 1 4 Third place
C 4 6 Fourth place
D 3 3 Second place


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