House Over

 

 

 

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By Dan Beard

Over the Barn, House Over or Haley Over

Choose up for sides. When all are ready, form two separate groups, one on each side of a house or barn. The boy with the ball cries, "House over! ",and throws the ball over the house where the others are watching for its appearance in the hopes of catching it before it touches the ground. If they are successful in this, the boy who makes the catch rushes around the house and throws the ball at someone on the other side.

Since there is no way for the side who threw the ball to know whether or not it was caught until the lad from the other side appears with it in his hand, it is no wonder that there should be wild cries and a scurrying of feet upon the sudden appearance of the boy with the ball.

If the latter hits one of the other side, the boy hit must follow his captor, who returns to his own side of the house with his prisoner, shouts, "Over the house!" and throws the ball. Each miss counts nothing. Each catch brings with it the right to invade the enemies' camp, and to select a victim and even run after him, so as to shorten the distance and increase the chance of hitting him with the ball.

Each boy hit joins the side of the boy who threw the ball, and the game ends only when all the players are gathered upon one side of the house. This game will do for the suburbs of cities and villages, where detached houses of moderate height are to be found.

In olden times Stool-ball appears to have been quite a popular game, but it never took root in American soil.

The second Christmas after the founding of the colony of Massachusetts, Governor Bradford took the balls and stools away from the players; and he it must be who is responsible for the killing of the ancient game in America, for apparently it never revived.

OHB

 

 

   

 

 


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Peer- Level Topic Links:
Battle Callie ] Corner Ball ] Crackabout ] Hand Up ] Hat Ball ] House Ball ] [ House Over ] Old Cat ] Rolly Poly ]

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Last modified: October 15, 2016.