MacScouter: The Great Games Resource

Games for Boy Scouts

Here is a real treat. This is booklet given to me, is old. Really old. My guess is that it is roughly 50 years old, from the language, and some of the 'incorrect' things it says. If you know anything more about this booklet, please let me know. There are no copyright or publishing dates in it. There are some good games in here that you may never have heard before.

Table of Contents

INDOOR GAMES Choosing-Up Sides

Give the command BY HEIGHT-FALL IN! The tall boys should always fall in at the right. Count twos and execute "twos right." This will bring the troop into column of twos, and the No. 1 boys will constitute one team and the No. 2 boys the other. If the troop does not know "twos right" have the No. 2 boys step I pace to the front, thus forming the teams.

Fire

Two parallel chalk lines are drawn about 30 yards apart, the two teams forming on these lines facing each other. The idea is to throw a tennis ball, indoor baseball or basketball at the opponents. If a Scout is hit he is out of the game. If he catches the ball. however. the thrower is out. The Scouts throw in turn. each team alternating, beginning with the tallest Scout of each team, who is the captain of that team. It is the duty of this captain to shout "Fire!" This is the signal for his team to dodge as far back of the line as they wish, and for the other team to throw the ball. After each throw the team that has been dodging re-forms on the line. No one may throw or dodge before the captain shouts "Fire!" The best distance varies greatly with the sort of ball used.

Poison

Three large Indian clubs are arranged on the floor at the corners of an imaginary equilateral triangle with 15 inch sides. The Scouts form a circle around these, each Scout gripping his right hand neighbor's left wrist with his right hand. Thus it will be seen that if the circle breaks the director can instantly tell who let go. The object of the game is to pull and crowd some one onto the clubs so they will be knocked over. The Scout who lets go or knocks down a club is out of the game. When only three or four are left the game becomes quite interesting. There are many variations of this game, one of the best being a chalk circle on the floor.

Blindman's Buff

We were surprised at the popularity of this old game at a Scout camp one summer. The variation used was as follows: the players formed a circle around the blind man and ran round and round until he called "Halt." He then tried to identify the players by sense of feeling. The Scouts could move their bodies to avoid the blindman, but could not move their feet. This game despite its age is a remarkable developer of observation.

One Pin

The two teams are formed in column of twos. An Indian club, book, match box or any other object that can easily be tipped over is set up about 15 yards from the head of the column. The front Scout of one team steps up to a starting line and rolls a ball at the Indian club. After his turn he goes to the rear of his line. The leading Scout of the other team does the same and so on. the Scouts rolling in turn, each team alternating. If the club is knocked down, the rear Scout of the other team is out of the game.

Prisoner's Base

This adaptation is an excellent game when something strenuous is needed to let off surplus steam.

A line is drawn and the two teams are drawn up !n line facing each other across this. The idea is to pull the other fellow across the line. When so captured he is out of the game. Several Scouts can attack one and it is not an unusual spectacle to see the biggest Scout in the troop hoisted bodily over the line. Care must be taken not to step over the line. The game is very popular, probably because it is death on clean clothes and shirt sleeves.

Indoor Duck on a Rock

This is played with cheap (5cents) baseballs. One is placed in a small chalk circle by the Scout who is "It." The others roll the balls and try to knock it out. If they succeed, the "duck is off" and the ball must be replaced before the players can be tagged on their way back with their ducks to the line. Or an Indian club can be knocked over by balls or beanbags.

Hot Hand

In the past this has not been very popular because the poor chap that was "down" didn't have a fair chance. He had to pick out the man who had slapped him from a grinning crowd of 15 or 20 -- a task that would stagger Mr. Holmes himself. The following variation will appeal to lovers of a square deal: The players form in single file and the first one bends forward with his head against the wall. The next two step up and one of these slaps him. He tries to guess the guilty man If he guesses right the slapper is "down," but if he guesses wrong the slapper goes to the rear of the line, another Scout steps forward, and he has to be slapped again.

Brooklyn Bridge