Who here has played Jacks?

[Raven]

Got the idea from a GD post about tiddlywinks. :-)

[Tikki]

1. All the time...and I still do...

I still get down and play 'jacks' on the kitchen floor..
:)


Tikki

[Raven]

2. I loved that game! Don't play it anymore but I bet I could still be good at it.

[txwhitedove]

3. Spent whole summers playing jacks on front porch with friends and

old AM/FM radio. Best ball to use is a golf ball.
:)

[Roon]

4. I wanted to play, badly

but boys don't play jacks..I wanted to play with Barbie too!!:cry:

[applegrove]

5. I always wondered how one played jacks. What is the point? How do you score

points?

[suninvited]

12. The way I remember it

was you had a few players and they each took turns throwing the jacks and picking them all up.

First round was onsies. You threw the jacks out and then had to bounce the ball and pick up one jack at a time and then had to catch the ball on the upbounce still holding the one jack. Each time you bounced the ball you picked up one jack until they were all picked up. If someone messed up they were out.

Next round was twosies. You had to do the same thing, but pick up two jacks at a time.

This went on and on.

The trick especially when you got up to higher numbers was to throw your jacks where they spread out in a way that allowed you to pick up exactly the number of jacks you needed.

Not sure if that was the real game of jacks but that was the way we played it.

[applegrove]

17. thanks

[Arkansas Granny]

30. That's the way we always played. We would have regular tournaments at grade school during recess.

There was one maneuver called "around the world". You tossed the ball, picked up the jack(s) and circled the ball after it bounced with the hand holding the jacks. I think you allowed the ball to bounce a second time before you caught it, but I can't be sure. If I had a little bouncy ball I'd try it to see if it came back to me.

Another way to play was to toss the ball, pick up the jack(s) and transfer them to your other hand before catching the ball.

This is really taxing my memory since it been more years than I care to remember since I even played jacks with my daughter.

[femmocrat]

6. I used to be really, really good at jacks.

I was a playground teacher and we would spend hours, sitting in the shade on a hot day, playing jacks.

I don't think I would be too good at it anymore though!

[Tikki]

9. You would be surprised how it might.....

all come back to you. Maybe, kinda like riding a bike.

I am 60 years old....I play jacks at least a half a dozen times a year.

I have a cement step and landing off the kitchen door. I'll sit out there
and toss the jacks, bounce the ball and scoop. It is still very engaging and yet relaxing.


Tikki

[Left Is Write]

7. I played jacks a lot when I was a kid.

[mykpart]

8. I'm an old lady, so I played jacks all the time,

grew up in the 1950s. Too bad it's not a boys' game too. A great way to develop eye-hand coordination. Do little girls still play jacks?

[yellowdogintexas]

32. same here. I can't remember when I saw a Jacks set, but I do remember my mom

teaching me how to play when I was about 6. I was better at jacks than jumping rope that's for sure.

I was moderately good at hopscotch and I enjoyed pick up stix too. Tiddlywinks, not so much.

[mnhtnbb]

10. Played jacks a lot when I was a kid-- a lot more than tiddlywinks.

[lost-in-nj]

11. YUP I played Jacks and Tiddlywinks but my favorite was

Pick-UP-sticks!!!!


yeah


I was champ


:hi:


lost

[Mist]

14. I *loved* pick-up sticks. I'll have to go get a set at a toy store. Ah, nostalgia....nt

[DemBones DemBones]

15. Let us know if you find any. The last time I saw any jacks,

they were plastic. Sacrilege.

Pick-up sticks was great fun but I also liked marbles, tiddleywinks, and jacks.

[WinkyDink]

25. I just didn't buy a collectible set at an antique store. I may have to return!

[DemBones DemBones]

29. You need to start a thread on who remembers Winky Dink! nt

[yellowdogintexas]

31. Winky Dink and you Winky Dink and me

We can have some jolly fun together.

Writing on the magic screen!!!!!

[WinkyDink]

40. Hee! And who drew on the TV itself!

[Mist]

27. It's hard to find (online) the bright plastic pick-up sticks I recall. They're made of wood

these days:
http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Craft-Pick-Sticks-Game/dp/B000BXKM22

The plastic sticks are still around though--now they're called "retro":
http://www.skooldays.com/categories/toys/ty1056.htm

And more:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1968-WHITMAN-Plastic-PICK-UP-GAME-24-Sticks-%26-CAN_W0QQitemZ220361103723QQcmdZViewItem

I like the idea of being able to find them in a local toy store, as it helps local business.
If I can't find them locally, I'll just order online. I find myself curiously eager to play pick-up sticks again!

[DemBones DemBones]

28. They were made of wood when I was a kid in the Fifties. nt

[Mist]

13. Haven't played for about 40 years. Tip: a golf ball works better than a rubber ball. nt

[Brother Buzz]

19. Word

We used a golf ball, too. I wonder if the, not yet invented, Super Ball® would have been even better?

[SoCalDem]

39. inside the golf ball of old WAS a "super ball"..

you just had to spend days unraveling the inards:)

[Raven]

16. Wow! I guess I got some memories going! I remeber Jacks Tournaments

at Camp. We played on our steamer trunks.

Where can you buy them now? I might take them up again...for an old lady, it may help my coordination. :-)

[Kali]

18. I have.

Marbles and pick up sticks more though. Tiddlywinks too. Took pick up sticks to Mexico recently. Simple games transcend language and bridge age gaps too.

[ellaydubya]

20. Yes, I have!!! I was born in 1953.....

And had a mother only 19 years older than myself----- She was an excellent jacks player and taught me when I was quite young. It is a great game-excellent hand/eye coordination---and just TOO MUCH FUN!! I also taught my sons, now 26 & 28, to play. I wish I had some jacks right now- I would sit right down on my cold wood floor and toss that little ball up in the air (I never tried a golf ball...hmmmmm) and grab the correct number of jacks....thanks for the memories.:loveya:

[madmom]

21. I loved jacks, played all the time !

[Lil Missy]

22. As a child, yes. Also hopscotch!

[Orsino]

23. Just a little bit, as a child.

Not very interesting.

[WinkyDink]

24. Me! I LOVE jacks! And pick-up sticks! Old-time "social networking", :) !

[GCP]

26. I played it constantly one year

Great game for when you're on your own.

[SeattleGirl]

33. I love playing jacks

Every year at Christmas, my mom would put a set of jacks in all the girls' stockings. She forgot one year, and we were not happy!

[deucemagnet]

34. I play jacks all of the time!

It seems like every time I lead-out big preflop I get overcards on the board and have a tough decision, though. :P

[tigereye]

35. years ago....

marbles, jacks, tiddly winks, tether ball...

[trof]

36. Me.

Oneseys, twoseys, threeseys, foursesy, and fiveseys.
;-)

[sarge43]

37. Holds up hand

Great game.

[SoCalDem]

38. I still have mine.. The heavy shiny lead ones

we'd crack open a golf ball and unwind it to get the the bouncy rubber middle:)..those nasty little foam balls were not good enough for us "pros"..

[Blue Diadem]

41. Me!! Not all that long ago either.

Someone got our oldest granddaughter a set. I sat on the kitchen floor and taught her how to play.

That reminds me, I'll have to see if they are still around here and teach our other granddaughter how to play.