h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I remember this one quite well. 6th grade (before I figured out hiding out in the music room was safer than actually going outside) I got sucked into a game or two of that. Your version was a bit more bloodthirsty than mine--we played Butt's Up, but one person was chosen to peg you as hard as they could, not everyone.

I hated that game, and yet it sucked me in anyway. strange, eh?


Triv

I think the chaos element, combined with the raw primalcy (is that a word?) makes it difficult to resist. I hated it at first, too, but after a few games you come to realize that you're not really going to get hurt (in the suicide version, anyway... butt's up can be downright painful) as long as you aren't stupid. There was one kid there that nobody liked, and he was a complete wuss besides. He used to hide in the back, and when he made a fumble, he'd try to run away. Not only would he get chased down and pummelled, but then he had to face the gauntlet afterwards. He left the game early, in tears, every day, but always came back for more.

Colonel Sellers, who couldn't possibly hidde in the music room, as it was all the guys in his music class who insisted he play every lunchtime in 8th grade.

Ah yes, to you, but I was the slow fat kid with a large ass who always'd get sucked into the sport whether I like it or not just because I was an easy target. I've evened out much in recent years, but 6th grade is one of those ages where your body has no idea as to what it's going to be when it grows up.

**ENTRY PLUG***
Since you're into male hormones, check out http://www.h2g2.com/A404588

I'm trying (desperately) to get feedback.

Triv

I played the same version as Triv. The rule was that whoever caught the ball next got to peg the butt of the person at the wall. In my school, boys and girls played together. If you failed to peg a member of the opposite sex hard enough, you were accused of having a crush on them. While I do obviously disagree that the players are 'always male,' I will agree that the game is basically about proving how tough you are. Perhaps it is no longer true that men alone feel it necessary to prove this these days.

Now who's posting as POSTResearcher and forgotten to log out?

god, i loved that game...i used to play in the fourth grade..and in catholic school no less..i was the only female who used to play and as i recall i was quite good, never had to run the gauntlet...but that was more to the fact that i always got dragged off the court by Sr. Margaret who didn't appreciate the fact that a young lady of hers was being beaten and beating the hell out of her fellow classmates..that and the fact that i was running like a crazy person in a skirt..bitter..sigh, those were the days
adawehiusd

This was one of the most brilliant games ever invented.

I was introduced to this game when I was in grade 3 or 4 by a bunch of 6th graders. We played Butt's Up (or 'Red Ass' as we called it). We had a slight variation where instead of having to hit the wall with the ball once a player fumbled the ball, we had to hit the fumbler. However, if a player fumbled the ball and another player caught the ball before it hit the ground (sounds difficult but you'd be surprised how often this happened) the fumbler was automatically tagged. He would then march to the wall, assume the police-frisk position and everyone would take a turn and whapping him in the ass with the ball.

A sadomasochistic game maybe, but fun nonetheless.