Two Childhood Games

There are two neighborhood games that stand out to me from my childhood (1960's). The first, we called "Free Free Free". This game was played in the front yard of the house across the street. The front porch was the home base and it was 3 or 4 steps up to a concrete stoop. Whoever was it had to count to 20 while the rest hid nearby but out of sight. When done counting, whoever was it had to look for the others who were hiding. If he saw John, for instance, he would hold the porch railing and call "not free, not free on John". Whoever was hiding could run to the porch, grab the railing and say "free free free" to avoid being "not freed" by whoever was it. It was possible for the hiders to accomplish being free because whoever was it had to venture away from the porch in order to spy those who were hiding. It was often a foot race between the two players.

My favorite neighborhood game was called "flashlight tag". This required neighborhoods unhindered by fences to roam around in. Boundaries were defined such as a certain 3 yards, front and back but only back as far as the clothesline. This game was played, of course, after dark. Whoever was it had the flashlight. He would roam around the bounds looking for one of the hiders who were also free to roam around or hide as they saw fit. A tag was accomplish by shining the light on someone and identifying them. Then the flashlight changed hands. The holder of the flashlight did not have to keep it turned on so it was possible to get caught when it was unexpected.