Even though I have been following quite a few of my friends / relatives blog, I never had the intention to write one. I have always been a silent observer and maybe this characteristic of mine pushed me back from writing a blog. Actually, there are no hard rules for writing a blog – It’s just a medium for penning down your thoughts / feelings / memories etc... So I thought it’s high time I should open my account and here I come with a blog about the good old game “Kings”. Don’t know what made me to choose this one. All I wanted to do was to take a light nostalgic topic which would make the reader to relate it with their childhood.
Am sure 15 years back, this would have definitely ranked in top five street games among the school-goers. Following are few reasons for its popularity:
1. Cost-effective: You just need a tennis ball (Usually would be the “Lotha” ball which is unusable for cricket). Can also be played with a rubber ball but its very risky especially if the “catcher” is your then rival.
2. No. of people: Even though, technically you can play with 3 people (One “catcher” and two “runners”), you need atleast 5-6 people for the game to be interesting. Another strongpoint is, there are no restrictions regarding the maximum of no. of people.
3. Late comer: If you are late, still you can join in the middle and don’t need to wait for the completion unlike other games with the condition that you would be the “catcher” for the next game.
4. Uncomplicated: Simple rules make the game easy to play and doesn’t warrant any special skill set. Hence it’s unisex game and can be played by everyone.
Let’s see how the game is played:
1. Lines would be drawn on both ends within a space of 18-20 feet. Only the “catcher” can cross the lines. “runners” can only hop (“nondi”)
2. A small circle with normally a diameter of 60-70 cms would be drawn. All the participants need to place their right foot on the end curves.
3. Without any prejudice, the ball is then made to be dropped in the middle of the circle; usually by the frontrunner of the group to decide the “catcher” {without creating any suspicion, the ball is dropped in such away targeting the rival(s)}
4. “Catcher” would be the person whose foot is kissed by the ball.
5. Once the “catcher” is decided, others would run like mad dogs and try to hide one behind the other.
Rules of the game:
1. The “catcher” has to start the game from the border line.
2. He can throw the ball only under-arm (No over-arm; Side-arm is allowed)
3. To make a person “out”, he has to hit any part on or below the knee-roll
4. If any one gets “out”, he has to join the “catcher” to catch others and he will be the “catcher” in the next game (sounds like some visu dialogue isn’t...)
5. The “catcher” can’t move while holding the ball on his hand.
6. “Runner” can catch the ball only with folded fingers. If caught normally, it’s out.
7. “Runner” can throw the ball or hit with his fist wherever he wants. But if the same is caught by a “catcher”, then he is out.
8. The “runner” can do all kinds of tricks to escape - Some of the popular moves would be to push a co-runner in the front, hide behind a heavy guy, kneeling down in the road to hide and rotate oneself in the direction of “catcher”etc...
9. In the end, the person uncaught would be the uncrowned “King”.
Even though reasons like growing traffic, narrowing of roads and increased no.of cars parked in street can be attributed for reduction in the level of street games, I think its more to do with the attitude, interest and comfort of today’s children. For me, its still one of my all time favourite game and if I get a chance, I would definitely play in my street, running and screaming like a small kid…
Prasanna
Am sure 15 years back, this would have definitely ranked in top five street games among the school-goers. Following are few reasons for its popularity:
1. Cost-effective: You just need a tennis ball (Usually would be the “Lotha” ball which is unusable for cricket). Can also be played with a rubber ball but its very risky especially if the “catcher” is your then rival.
2. No. of people: Even though, technically you can play with 3 people (One “catcher” and two “runners”), you need atleast 5-6 people for the game to be interesting. Another strongpoint is, there are no restrictions regarding the maximum of no. of people.
3. Late comer: If you are late, still you can join in the middle and don’t need to wait for the completion unlike other games with the condition that you would be the “catcher” for the next game.
4. Uncomplicated: Simple rules make the game easy to play and doesn’t warrant any special skill set. Hence it’s unisex game and can be played by everyone.
Let’s see how the game is played:
1. Lines would be drawn on both ends within a space of 18-20 feet. Only the “catcher” can cross the lines. “runners” can only hop (“nondi”)
2. A small circle with normally a diameter of 60-70 cms would be drawn. All the participants need to place their right foot on the end curves.
3. Without any prejudice, the ball is then made to be dropped in the middle of the circle; usually by the frontrunner of the group to decide the “catcher” {without creating any suspicion, the ball is dropped in such away targeting the rival(s)}
4. “Catcher” would be the person whose foot is kissed by the ball.
5. Once the “catcher” is decided, others would run like mad dogs and try to hide one behind the other.
Rules of the game:
1. The “catcher” has to start the game from the border line.
2. He can throw the ball only under-arm (No over-arm; Side-arm is allowed)
3. To make a person “out”, he has to hit any part on or below the knee-roll
4. If any one gets “out”, he has to join the “catcher” to catch others and he will be the “catcher” in the next game (sounds like some visu dialogue isn’t...)
5. The “catcher” can’t move while holding the ball on his hand.
6. “Runner” can catch the ball only with folded fingers. If caught normally, it’s out.
7. “Runner” can throw the ball or hit with his fist wherever he wants. But if the same is caught by a “catcher”, then he is out.
8. The “runner” can do all kinds of tricks to escape - Some of the popular moves would be to push a co-runner in the front, hide behind a heavy guy, kneeling down in the road to hide and rotate oneself in the direction of “catcher”etc...
9. In the end, the person uncaught would be the uncrowned “King”.
Even though reasons like growing traffic, narrowing of roads and increased no.of cars parked in street can be attributed for reduction in the level of street games, I think its more to do with the attitude, interest and comfort of today’s children. For me, its still one of my all time favourite game and if I get a chance, I would definitely play in my street, running and screaming like a small kid…
Prasanna
8 comments:
Excellent nostalgia. Don't know if this game was played in other states of India also!
Not only this game, but also Gilli has gone out of fashion. How much we enjoyed playing Gilli is something unbelievable.
I think today's streets, attitude of parents (study, study and study and get 99.999999995% marks), intolerance of neighbors all contribute to this decline in fun. All fun is now indoors thru the net. New games are now on blogs.
:)
Hi Prasanna,
Its very true that this game has become yesteryears. These days we hardly see kids/boys playing in the streets.
I would like to add that its not just Lotha tennis ball, in my period I have played the same with Plastic balls, Balls that are made with components like Milk Cover, Cycle Tube or Rubber bands. Its that cost effective the game is.
Whenever I was a catcher I use to follow a good tactic that I allow them run and hit from behind calculating the leg jumps. I am proud that I was very successful as a catcher. So many a times in my career, I came forward to be a catcher because that interested me than being a non-catcher.
Vijayasarathy R
http://marinabeach.wordpress.com
Surprise surprise! Welcome to the blogging world. Looking fwd to more posts.
Nice post. Brings back memories from our school days when we used to play in my street and the abuses we used to hurl at each other. Man we took the sport seriously
Cheers
S
Murthy Anna,
Thanks for your comments. I think its a game played in other states too. And to supplement gilli, there are other games like goli, bambaram, kathadi with maanja.. I am sure no Playstation or Computer games can match the fun one would get from playing our good old street games.
And its sad that as u have rightly pointed out, everything is only on-line now..
Prasanna
Sarathy, I think you are mentioning about the hard colorful anju rooba plastic balls that you would find at nearby potti kadais hanged in the front basket [Am I seeing those nowdays (?)].. yeah we do used to play with them rarely because it hurts badly..
I always enjoyed being a 'runner' because I felt it was more challenging to get escaped especially during the latter part of the game when the 'catchers' are more..
Prasanna
Sharath, I know that, with u, all games are serious :-)
Prasanna
Dei...
Enna Da Blogging..Enna avalavu Vettiya? Any Way Nice write up....
Welcome to the blog World Daari!!!!
nostalgic post indeed! I suppose our generation will b e among the last to have enjoyed such games to teh fullest. With Cable Tv and Video games forming an important part of current day kids, games such as Kings will be pushed into oblivion.
I am driving down memory lane thining about the times i played Kings, Lagori, Lock and key etc etc etc.
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