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Chapter Six
Games People Played 1948 – 1958
Wherein the author does his best to amuse himself
without supervision.
Some believe that after defeating Napoleon, Wellington said, “The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.” Now, there is no perfect analogy between that idea and what follows below,
but youthful play—indoor games and outdoor games—will be the sub- ject matter of this chapter, and I felt that it warranted a momentous lead-in. Actually, I have little doubt that a lot of my skills—physical, social, and intellectual, such as they are—were developed and honed on the side streets, sidewalks, playgrounds, and stoops of my neighborhood, as well as the harsh concrete floor of the yard at my elementary school, P.S. 193.
Detailed descriptions of many of the games and other activities that are mentioned or briefly described below are probably more than some readers might be able to bear (you know who you are). Accordingly, I have put somewhat detailed descriptions in Appendix B. I won’t blame you for not turning to Appendix B to take in some local color and broaden or perhaps even amuse yourself, but I caution you that its mate- rial might be of sociological interest, might occasionally prove to be humorous, and, in any event, will be on the final exam.
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