Childhood Saga Month Poll Closed: Dodgeball Wins

A real close battle between recess activites with a whopping 8 votes total to determine the winner of this poll (allowing people to select more than one activity), I think dodgeball proved itself by way of half our writers being from Waterford Elementary where dodgeball was the main event every day. It seemed to capture so many elements in one ruthless, wild game. I'm not sure how other people interpret "Dodgeball" in terms of rules of play, but our game was not like the one made semi-famous for a few months after the movie Dodgeball came out where there are multiple balls and if you're out you sit on the sideline hoping to get caught back in. We played what I've heard some times to be called "prison dodgeball" where the people who get out have to go to the other side of the opposing team, where it almost benefits them because then they can just play catch with their remaining teammates while the opponent dances in the middle.

This form of dodgeball brought on many elements, which I'd consider better than the one-hit-you're-out dodgeball. The pickle was a strange fascination, or even obsession I'd say among kids back then (probably influenced heavily by the Sandlot or the game with two bases, which was literally one giant game of pickle that was popular then), and having people in a jail behind who you were throwing at allowed for some pretty intense games of pickle. It also bred the need for "launching" the ball, the one thing I could ever claim I was good at and even cool for a few minutes for - that is until I lost the softball throwing contest to Josh Nesbit on Field Day of 5th grade, and I knew my place (what an epic event for a field day, a marfuggin throwing contest for distance!).

Various other characters were born from Dodgeball, like the girl who no one thought to throw at for the first half of the game until finally we realized she was the only one left, and we questioned deep down whether it meant she was in some way better than us even though the rest of us were risking our necks grabbing the ball and getting caught out or just drawing attention to ourselves in a ny way. This girl was your Camilla Nusbaum or possibly even Erica Strahin (some might also throw in a Julie Costantino). They were essential though, as they were your team's lifeline and could sometime figure out a way to get the ball to you in jail, allowing you a shot at redemption (note that those in jail could get back to their side by throwing someone out).

Other characters such as David Levernz, the sort of Leonardo (of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mind you) of Dodgeball, throwing with two hands with a look on his face more Far East than Wild West. Marquis was basically Waterford's only black kid for a good five years it seemed like, and he also was the most goddamn intimidating player ever to chuck a big red dodgeball - not to mention he was something like three or more years older than us. We feared for our lives because he could throw missles, that hurt, a lot.

Steven Jackson is basically the only real person though that should get credit for such a post, because God knows we would've all just as well tossed aside most of these memories of this game if it weren't for this ferverent righteous disciple of the game. The most defining move he brought to the table was running outside before anyone else could even get the door open (not possible? it happened), and screaming to the powers that be in the sky, "DOOOODDDDDDDDGGGGGEEEEEBBBBBBAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!" like we were playing for the delight of those on Mt. Olympus, praying not to be smited (smoten? smote?) for an errant throw or a false moment of hesitation at deciding whether to catch or dodge. He was the flag-waver, the torch-bearer, the cheerleader, and the prophet for the game. And he wasn't even that good, which made his obsession that much better. He threw in this big goalie-esque chucking motion because, most understandably, the kid was so tiny any other throw was guaranteed to get caught because it would be so weak. Steven had heart though, and that was rare in the realm of the blacktop where egos raged and reputations were born. Dodgeball was recess.