Wall Ball
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wall Ball, also called Patball or Wallsies, is a type of ball game involving a group which involves the bouncing of a ball against a wall, and throwing the ball or shoes at other players.
It is a popular school yard game, perhaps owing to the simplicity of equipment needed, namely a wall and a ball that bounces, (usually a tennis ball). It is likely that these games are distilled versions of fives, American handball, and other sports that date back to Greek and Roman times, such as expulsim ludere.
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[edit] Rules
The following are the most common rules that players used around North America.
The game is played with an unlimited amount of players, between two parallel walls. The ball is thrown at the designated wall to start, where afterwards these rules are put into effect.
If the ball hits the ground before being caught, the thrower is safe. If the ball is caught before it touches the ground, then the thrower must run and touch the designated wall before the player who caught the ball can hit him with it. If the player throwing the ball misses the thrower, that player also must run to the wall before another player hits him with the ball. When the ball is thrown too low, the other players must get the ball and throw it at the player who threw it low, if the ball hits the player then he is on the wall, if not, gameplay resumes. If the player running to the wall is hit before being able to touch the wall, then he is 'on the wall'.
When a player is "on the wall" he must throw the ball against the wall. The player who catches the ball is then given the opportunity to throw it at the player on the wall. When this is the case, the following may occur:
- The player is missed, and gameplay resumes.
- The player is hit, and the ball hits the ground before being caught. Gameplay resumes.
- The player is hit, and another player catches the ball before it touches the ground. This gives the catcher another shot at the player on the wall.
- If the ball is caught off the player on the wall more than once, this results in the player on the wall removings articles of clothing, starting with the pants. Clothing is continuously removed until the ball hits the ground again.
- If the player on the wall catches the throw, he is then given three free shots at the thrower.
- If at any time, the player on the wall dodges the throw, the thrower is given another throw.
"Automatic wall", when a player is put on the wall without having the option to run or get hit, occurs when:
- A player "double touches", in other words, attempts to catch the ball, drops it, and touches the ball again.
- The player kicks the ball intentionally.
- "Fag Rule" is called on the thrower. This rule is used for misconduct committed on the court, such as throwing the ball at another player without in-game reason to, or by hitting the arm of the thrower during a throw.
- A player misses the wall on his throw.
- A player thorws the ball higher than a certain point set by the majority of players before the game initiates.
A player can escape being 'on the wall' by performing the "wall-to-wall", where, when on the wall, the player manages to throw the ball off the designated wall, have it bounce off the adjacent wall, and return to the first wall.
Any player who throws the ball above or below set points on the wall must run to the wall, at which point the above mentioned rules are in effect.
All of the above rules apply to "Double Ball" and "Triple Ball", where more than one ball is used. Two to ten balls may be used in this variant.
In one possible rules variation, instead of having to pick up the ball the player has dropped or touched, any other ball may be thrown at him. Holding the ball for an extended amount of time may be ruled to result in the player being sent to the wall immediately.
[edit] Tussles, Roofing, and Shoeing
These rules are exclusive to Massey-Vanier wall-ball. Tussles are what players have dubbed the "dog piles" that ensue when a player is on the wall. These usually result in hockey-like hipchecks into walls, which leads to players forcing each other into a corner until someone comes out with a ball. Roofing is when a ball is thrown off the wall, and, either by hitting a brick, hitting a player the wrong way, or going too high, is put on the roof, and is unobtainable. When shoeing occurs, the played who "roofed" the ball stands as he would if he was "on the wall", yet instead of a ball being thrown at him, all players throw a shoe at the player. Mercy is another rule that was created at Massey-Vanier. This is when a player is about to be hit with the ball so they go on the wall. The player can call mercy and the player throwing the ball will throw the ball lightly.
[edit] Versions
Aside from the major variations listed below, there are two basic versions of the game:
- The ball is thrown against the wall, followed by the other players attempting to catch the ball.
- The ball is kept in continuous play by bouncing it with the palm of the hand, where it usually hits the ground first and then hits the wall.
Although there are sanitized versions, the more popular games have a violent component to them. Again, the rules vary widely, but usually when someone fumbles the ball, (or breaks some other rule of the game), that person must run to the wall and touch it before another player can throw the ball directly at them. In some other variations of the game, a special punishment occurs where a player must run (or even slow walk) the width of the wall while another player tries to hit them with the ball, (at some agreed distance away from the wall).
Because the game can be very violent, schools have been known to ban or attempt to curb the playing of all forms of Wall Ball once the activity is made known to administrators or to parents. Similar actions have been taken against the milder game of Dodge Ball.
In another milder variation of the game, the ball is thrown at the wall instead of the person who fumbled the ball. The game is still often banned at schools, not because of violence, but because of damage to the sides of buildings, windows, etc.
Another optional rule is the yelling of "Wall-Ball" in the event of the ball rolling past all of the players. The person who retrieves the ball after another player yells "Wall-Ball" cannot move any closer to the wall before throwing it. This forces the player who retrieved the ball to hit the wall without it touching the ground. If the player fails to hit the wall without the ball bouncing, it is very easy for the thrower to be put out by the other players. Sometimes they yell "Blueberry", "Butterfly", "Air Mail", or "Spots".
The game is sometimes played with a set player order, similar to a batting lineup in baseball. In this case, the player attempts to throw the ball such that the difficulty of returning the ball is increased for the following player. This introduces an element of strategy in that players must position themselves to defend against the previous player's throw.
Another version compines many of the afore mentioned rules but has less sturcture.
- A player throws a ball against a wall and if it hits the wall, another play may try and catch the ball while it is still in the air, if he or she does so, then the thrower must run towards the wall and try to avoid being hit. the thrower must run in the general direction of the wall (he or she cannot run away from the wall to avoid being hit).
- If any player touches the ball but does not gain controll of it, he or she must drop the ball and run towards the wall. Another play may try and pick up the ball and hit (peg) the person running.
- if a person tries to peg some one, they have to either hit the person running, or hit the wall in a legal way, or the pegger will have to run to the wall and avoid being peg by another player.
- a player does not have to run if he or she caught his or her own ball.
- if more than one balls are used, then whatever happens to a person with one ball that would result in them running to the wall, the pegging must be done with the ball that caused them to run in the first place (with more than one ball, it is usually eaiser to use different colored balls).
[edit] Watermelon
In the town of Mamaroneck, New York, a version is known as Watermelon, in which you have to bounce the "ball" on the floor and then it has to touch the wall. After the ball has bounced against the wall, and in between sunsequent bounces on the ground, the next person in line whose turn it is to hit the ball can opt to pass their turn if they can move their body underneath the ball while it is in the air. However, they must shout 'Watermelon!' while doing so or they are penalized with an out. Games are played in 1 or more sets/games.
The following calls are associated with this variation:
- Tips: Is when you could only hit the ball with the tips of your fingers.
- Rolls: Is when the ball rolls so you can't bounce the ball.
- Funny Bounce: Is when the ball bounces oddly due to it hitting something on the ground.
- Obs(short for "obstruction"): Is when someone gets in your way.
- Killer Obs(short for Killer "Obstruction"): When the opponent touches the ball when it's not their turn and lose the set.
- Outs: When the ball hits the wall outside of the area and lose the set/game.
- No Shits/Smalls/Angles: Said to the server when the server is about to serve an Ace; Meaning the server can only Ace it straight and hard, not to the side, or fake it.
[edit] Slaughter House
Slaughter house, also known as wall ball or spread eagle, is a 2-or-more-player game that involves speed and quick thinking. This is a list of rules for the game:
- Throw the ball at the wall.
- Try to catch the ball after the ball hits the wall.
- If another player catches another person's throw before the ball hits the ground, the player who threw must run and touch the wall to be safe from being "slaughtered" with the ball.
- If the ball hits a player's head at any moment when the time is in, in the game, the player who threw the ball will be "slaughtered" once, for rule breaking.
- While the game is in session, the player with the ball must hit the wall first; if this rule is broken, the player who "missed" the wall must run and tag the wall before being pegged with the ball.
- When a player calls "gates", the player with the ball (outside of the throwing limits) must freeze where he or she is standing and hit the wall with the ball.
- If a player catches his or her own ball, the player must drop the ball and touch the wall.
- If a player is to throw the ball behind him, there is a penalty of "one free slaughter" for rule breaking.
- If a player catches a ball, but then suddenly drops the ball, the player must run to the wall.
[edit] Fence Ball
Another variation, known as fence ball, substitutes the chain-link fence backstop of a schoolyard baseball diamond (typically 3 sections of fence, approximately 15 feet tall) for the wall. The following rule additions apply:
- If the tennis ball becomes wedged in one of the holes in the fence, the player's number of outs is reduced by one half-out.
- If the tennis ball is thrown completely through the fence, the player's number of outs is reduced by a full out.
- If the game is played with a "batting order," a throw that bounces off of all three sections of fence is known as around the world. The throwing player is then allowed to stand at home plate and throw or kick the ball as far as possible for the following player to return.
[edit] Handball (Cherry Ball)
This version is played with an ordinary wall and with a cherry ball, dodgeball or volleyball. This can be played with 2-4 players.
- The first person serves by hitting the ball against the ground which ricochets off and hits the wall.
- The next person has to try and hit the ball the same way the first player did (against the ground which bounces and hits the wall) in no more than one bounce or they're out.
- Other ways of getting out are hitting directly to the wall, it double bounces when hitting to the wall, the ball it hit
Versions of the game are: Two Way: Playing with two people. Three Way: Playing with three people. Four Way: Playing with four people. Survivor: This is for more than four players. Everyone will stand in a line and who ever is first serves then after hitting, runs back to the end of the line and the next person has to try to hit the ball. It keeps going until someone misses. Last one still in the line wins.
[edit] Lacrosse Wall Ball
- This is the word used to describe throwing a ball with a lacrosse stick onto a wall and catching it and thenthrowing it again. This is how all lacrosse players get better with their hand-eye coordination and "stick skills".
