Physical Contest Games Potato Race Ii
( Physical Contest, Relay Race, Running, Team Wars and Battle )The first description here given is for an informal game. This is followed by the rules for strict athletic procedure.
The ground is marked off with a starting line. At right angles to it are marked two or more rows of spots according to the number of teams competing the spots being from three to six feet apart each row containing from six to ten. On each spot is placed a potato or a stone block of wood or any other object may be substituted on the seashore bathing slippers may be used. Potato-shaped blocks of wood may be had as substitutes for potatoes and are better than cubical blocks which are apt to land on the corners and bound.
The players are divided evenly into competing groups which line up in single file behind the starting line each file being in line with one of the rows of potatoes. Beside the leader of each file is a box or basket or a circle may be drawn on the ground instead. At a signal each leader runs forward picks up a potato brings it back and puts it in the box goes for another etc. until all the potatoes in his row have been gathered in. He may pick them up in any order that he chooses. Immediately that the last potato is placed this player touches the outstretched hand of the next player in his file and at once leaves the playing space he should not line up again with his team. The next player in the file starts out immediately on receiving the “touch off ” replaces the potatoes one at a time and touches off the next player who gathers them in and so on alternately until each player has had his turn. The team wins whose last player is the first to dash back over the starting line.
For an athletic contest for adults the following rules are typical –There should be eight potatoes for each team placed two yards apart the first potato two yards from the receptacle. The receptacle should be either a pail basket box or can not over two feet in height having an opening not over thirty-six inches in circumference. The finish line is a “tape” (strand of worsted) stretched parallel with the starting line and five yards back of the receptacle. There should be a judge of fouls for each team and two judges at finish. Fouls are —
1. Not placing a potato accurately on the spot.
2. Leaving a potato outside the receptacle instead of in it whether it be dropped there or bound out.
3. Starting over the line without or before the “touch off.”
A foul corrected before the next step in the game be taken does not score as a foul. The teams win first second third and fourth places in the order of finishing if there be no fouls. Where fouls have been scored the team finishing first with the fewest number of fouls has first place etc. In case of a tie the tied teams must play again to determine the winner.