Punchball

For another meaning of "slapball", see Patball.

Punchball is a sport spawned by and similar to baseball, but without a pitcher, catcher, or bat.

The "batter" essentially plays "fungo" without a bat, bouncing or tossing up the ball and then using a volleyball-type approach to put the ball (usually a spaldeen or pensie pinkie) in play, punching the ball with his fist. Stealing and bunting are not allowed.

Historian and baseball enthusiast Stephen Jay Gould referred to it as "the canonical recess game", and in The Boys of Summer baseball writer Roger Kahn described how when he grew up it was a boys game, as the girls played "slapball".

Baseball Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Yogi Berra played it growing up, as did sports team owner Jerry Reinsdorf, educator Frank Marascio, Senator Bernie Sanders, and former US Secretary of State and general Colin Powell. Major league outfielder Rocky Colavito, when asked if he played punchball, answered "Play it? Man, that was my game. I liked to play that more than anything else ... anything. We used to play for money, too." It was also a pastime of football announcer Al Michaels, who often played with former Chicago Bears quarterback Sid Luckman.

Popular culture

A 2010 PBS documentary, New York Street Games, includes punchball.

See also

• Safe haven games

External links

• punchball rules
• "Letter to the Editor: For Punchball Players, Stickball is for Sissies", Seaford, Lou Defichy, The New York Times, April 30, 1989]
• The boys of summer, Roger Kahn, Harper & Row, 1972