GAMES WE PLAYED WHEN WE WERE YOUNG...

[margaretmcgettigan]

Since there seems to be a lull on the message board these days, how about going back "to the good old days" and recall some of the games we played, when we all lived in the Gorbals, and had to be inventive in keeping ourselves busy after school, on the weekends and during school breaks...Let's see what everyone comes up with...Should bring back some good memories...Margaret..

[DannyGill]

Hi Margaret,
Yes I agree there seems to be a bit of a lull in messages being posted so that's a good idea of your's about games we used to play after school etc. Well speaking as a boy in those far back [but good ] days Fitba was the main pastime for me and most of the other boys as we all thought we were going to end up playing for either Celtic or Rangers . We played fitba with a wee tennis ball at play time in school and as soon as school was out it was back out with the tennis ball again, or if some boy was lucky to get money from his Ma he would buy a big ball [I think it was called a Frido Ball, red in colour and you got a puncture repair outfit with it just in case it burst]. We played our game of fitba under the gas street lamps/electric street lights till it was dark or your Ma would lean out the windae and call you up and you would always plead "just 5 more minutes Ma please !!". Yes no video games in those days but I honestly believe that us weans in those days had a better and more active childhood with all the outdoor activities we had, I've only mentioned fitba but there was many more games we played but will give other people a chance to tell us theirs.
Regards.
Danny.

[accobra]

Hi Margaret & Danny,
My own memories of street games were "Peever" <not sure about spelling> i think it was chalked on the pavement 1 2 3 4 in a line then 5 & 6 side by side and then not sure if it went 7 and 8 or 7 &8 and a number nine at the end was drawn like an arc.?? You found an old flint stone or a rock or if you were wealthy you had a real chalk stick . The peever was an old Shoe polish tin or Johnson's Wax
tin full of sand or grit. Like Danny I used to love kicking an old Tennis ball around the street or a later on a larger plastic one but by then had moved away and when a park was found it was thorn bushes that
usually ended the game by puncturing the thin plastic ball .I would take the "Fitba " home and with one
of my Maw's kitchen knives firstly heated up on the gas ring if you were careful you could almost push over a little melted bit of the plastic next to the tiny hole caused by the thorn.??
Whilst I could repair the ball my "Maw " was not best pleased with the discoloring of her best cutlery?
I dont think we realized at the time how "Adaptable" we were to the conditions and situation of the times. Very happy times .

Best regards Reg

[Granny911]

Hi all,
Remember playing doublers (2 balls against a wall), French ropes, rounders, knock the door and run away, jorries, (sp?) beds with a peever, whip and peerie, kick the can and horror of horrors, KKT which meant kiss, kick or torture Not sure whoever thought that one up and I don't remember ever choosing torture! Cheers, Sheila

[amelia]

Hi Sheila, Danny, Reg & Margaret I haven't been on the site for a wee while pretty busy just now as my granddaughter is getting married but she has went to Cuba to do it and then she is having a "do" in the Redhurst hotel up in Giffnock.
I have been making her favours for the men and women so the men are getting scratch cards in a fancy envelope wallet and the fairer sex are getting a box with a glass heart, heart sweetie and a fancy silver ball and the kids are getting wee bracelets or friendship bracelets but I am getting these made by someone all the rest I have made myself that's how I didn't have time to come on here.
Sheila I loved kiss kick or torture the boys you had a fancy for I always tried to get them to catch me but they were always trying to catch the goodlookers
If you had roller skates you would be on them but the pair I had were cheap ones, remember all the streets were really smooth. Then we played at wee shops but I'm going back a long time ago as going by the ages of you guys on here you are all weans not like this old yin here but I am young at heart
Hope you are all well and for all the expats the bus garage that was on "Vicky" rd. is moving to the spare ground on the "piggy wiggy" as we called it when we were young the workmen are working on it just now
Amelia x

[JosieStuksis]

What was the Piggy Wiggy? never heard of it. As far as I am aware the new bus garage is being built on the site of the old container depot. (just in case anyone else hasn't heard of the piggy wiggy either) There are however houses being built there too.

[DannyGill]

Hi Gang,
Well Amelia good luck for the future to your grandaughter . Yes I remember in the summer months having roller skates and I always went to Gilmour st as they had a lovely smooth Rd for roller-skating on. Surely the "piggy wiggy" must come from a Piggery situated there yonks ago ??. Well I'm off to Glasgow for 10 days holiday so will speak to all when I'm back.
Regards.
Danny

[amelia]

Hi Josie we called the "piggy wiggy" the spare ground where the garage is going to be built but then I'm going back over 70 years ago. Our mothers if they found out we were on the grounds (it really is railway grounds as far back as I can remember) we would get a thumping from her as it was pretty dangerous.
I don't think you are as old as me. I was married when I was 21 and I will be married 57 years on October and that is my birthday also so you can count what age I am
For Danny I hope you enjoy your holiday you'll find a big difference in the Gorbals and also in the Oatlands.
Govanhill has the worse change and if you happen to visit there keep your wallet or better still buy a money belt as it has got pretty bad with crime.
Amelia x

[amelia]

FAO Josie I didn't know that they were building houses there on that ground, do you mean the ground on Cathcart road facing the church?
I know there is a building being built there at the moment but I thought it was part of the garage for offices, who knows as I remember a couple of years there was a car wash being built after the one that had been there for a few years as my brother had asked workmen at the time what it was and they said a car wash but they stopped the build.
Amelia x

[accobra]

Hi , Amelia & Gang,
I remember my sister putting in one of my mothers Nylon stockings and then
holding the end of the nylon and continually bouncing it off the wall ' There would be hell to play with
when my mother would come looking for the "odd" nylon.
Can I also wish your Granddaughter all the best and good luck for the future.
I went there a few years ago and thought it was brilliant . A very poor country but the people were very cheerful in spite of this .My highlight was a visit to "The Club Tropicana " in Havana and hearing the voice
of the CUBAN singer Celia Cruz. what a voice . Apart from coming into a market economy i think that there biggest problem is "Termites " eating away at the old beautiful buildings and if you look down a lot of the streets in Havana especially a lot of the buildings are "shored up" with timbers to prevent them from falling down. Finally I am away for a couple of weeks holiday so I will sign off and to come back with
some new material .

Best regards for now Reg