CHAPTER VII
COMPETITIVE STUNTS
Suitable for Sociables and Entertainers
These stunts may be used as a means of amusement at social functions. In order to avoid calling for volunteers to come forward to participate in the various stunts, cards may be distributed among those who are expected to take part in the stunt program. On these cards are numbers or letters. The one who has prepared the program has determined beforehand how many participants he wants in each stunt. If, in the first stunt, he desires six participants, he will have prepared six letter A's to be distributed. If, for the second stunt, he desires two
## participants, he will have prepared two letter B's. Then when he is
ready to put on his program he calls for all the individuals holding the letter A, etc. If there are certain individuals whom he is
## particularly anxious to have take part in certain stunts, he can
instruct the distributor of the letters to this effect.
Brick Relay
Have four contestants to a team and as many teams as there is space for. Two lines are drawn upon the floor about ten yards apart. Two members from each team line up opposite to and facing each other, behind each line. Two brick bats are placed upon the starting line in front of each team. At the signal to go, the first contestant on each team stands on the two brick bats. Bending forward he grasps the front end of each brick with his hands. Shifting his weight to one foot, he slides the other foot forward, drawing the brick bat with it by means of his hands. He then shifts his weight to that foot and draws the other foot forward with the brick bat and in this way proceeds to the far line, behind which he turns the bricks over to the second member of his team who races back in the opposite direction by the same method of progress. The third member takes the bricks from the second and covers the intervening space between the lines, and when the fourth member, following the example of his team, has crossed the starting line, the race ends.
Chair-i-ot Race
Competitors stand on the starting line. Two chairs are given to each. They place the chairs behind the starting line, side by side, with the backs of the chairs forward, and stand upon the seats of the chairs. At the signal to go they grasp the backs of the chairs with their hands and shifting the weight from one foot to the other, slide the chairs forward until the distance line has been crossed.
Chair Stubbing
Each contestant sits upon a chair with his legs straddling the back and his toes on the bottom side round. Keeping his feet off the floor, he advances the chair forward by jerking it with his body until it has crossed the distance line.
This race can be made a relay by having four men on the team, two men placed behind each line.
Aviation Meet
Each team is made up of two mechanicians and four aviators. The two mechanicians hold stretched between them a piece of string upon which have been placed two funnels of paper made in the form of cornucopias, point to point. The first aviator on each team, at the signal to go, blows the cornucopia across the string from one mechanician to the other; the second blows it back across; the third blows it in the same direction as the first and the fourth ends the race by blowing it in the same direction that the second aviator blew it, until it touches the hands of the mechanician.
Equal pieces of string should be used, a loop having been tied in each end through which the mechanicians may slip their fingers for the purpose of holding the string. Mechanicians must keep the string level at all times.
Feather Blowing Relay
Four contestants constitute a team. A feather is placed on the starting line and is blown by the first member of each team to the distance line. Then the second member of the team blows it back to the starting line and after the third contestant has completed his blow, the fourth blows it back across the finish line.
Balloon Race
An inflated rubber balloon and a palm leaf fan must be provided for each team. Four players constitute a team. A balloon is placed on the starting line before each team and a fan handed to the first competitor. At the signal to go the balloon is blown forward by means of the fan across the distance line, blown back by the second player, forward again by the third and back across the finish line by the fourth. The team first succeeding wins the honors.
Lobster Race
Each competitor gets down on the starting line on all fours and at the signal to go travels backward on all fours to the distance line and returns.
Prune Tug of War
Prunes are tied in the middle of a piece of string, three yards long. Opponents are placed opposite each other, each with an end of the string in his mouth. At the signal to go they are to chew the string towards the prune. The one first reaching the prune may eat his prize.
Whistle Race
Contestants take a deep breath and whistle. The one who can whistle longest on one breath, wins.
Cracker Relay
Six players to a team. The players on each team sit in a row. Four crackers are given to each player. The one on the rear of each team starts the race by standing up and eating the crackers. When he has eaten all four crackers and is able to whistle, his whistle is the signal for the man next in front of him to stand up and eat his crackers, while the first man resumes his seat. So each in turn eats four crackers. When the last, or front man on each team is able to whistle after devouring his crackers, the race ends.
Blindfold Obstacles
Obstacles, such as vases of flowers, china ware, chairs, etc., are placed in four or more long rows. Each contestant is given a row and is requested to try distances before being blindfolded. They then are all blindfolded, placed at the starting point, and told to race down through the line of obstacles without touching anything. In the meantime the objects have been removed.
Candle Roll Over
Four players are chosen for each team. Two are lined up in front of the starting line and two opposite on the distance line. One of the players on the starting line is given a lighted candle. A mat is placed half way between the starting and the distance lines. At the signal to start the player holding the candle advances to the mat, executes a forward roll on the mat, holding the candle in his hand. Should the candle go out during the roll, he must go back to the starting line and start over after lighting the candle. When he has succeeded in making the roll without extinguishing the candle, he proceeds to the distance line where he passes on the lighted candle to the second member of his team. This one returns to the starting line, rolling on the mat as did his predecessor. Should the candle in his hand become extinguished, he must go back to the line from which he started, light his candle and start over. This continues until all four men have covered the required distance, each having rolled over without having extinguished the candle.
Boat Race
Two players constitute a team in this race. One of the players on each team sits upon the floor. His knees are raised so as to allow his feet to rest flat upon the floor. The other member of the team then sits upon his teammate's feet, facing him, and places his feet and legs in a similar position to that of his teammate, so that each may sit upon the other's feet. They then place their hands upon each other's shoulders.
To race in this position, Number 1, the player whose back is in the direction to be traveled, leans well forward so that his weight is well on his own feet. This makes it possible for his teammate, Number 2, to slide his feet forward along the floor, carrying Number 1 backward upon them. Number 2 then leans forward so that his weight is well on his own feet, which allows Number 1 to draw his feet towards him and Number 2 slides forward with them. By swaying backward and forward in this way, the two members of the team, by alternating the sliding of their feet, progress across the floor to the distance line. Upon reaching the same, they reverse their direction without turning around. The race ends when they have crossed the starting line.
Necktie Race
Two players constitute a team. Each team may stand opposite each other at different ends of the room. At the signal to go Number 1 runs forward to Number 2, who must wear a four-in-hand necktie. Number 1 unties Number 2's necktie, takes it off his neck and reties it in a four-in-hand knot. Number 1 then runs back to his former position with Number 2 following him. When behind the starting line Number 2 starts to untie Number 1's necktie, takes it from his neck, replaces it and ties it in a four-in-hand knot. When he has accomplished this, he races back to his original position. The first team accomplishing this, wins the game.
## Part III
OUTDOOR GAMES
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