What do you get if you cross a large rubber ball used for physical therapy with the medieval sport of Jousting? - Yoga Ball Jousting. Two players each hold a yoga ball then run directly at each other as quickly as they dare. The player that remains standing wins.
It is very, very stupid...don't play it...its probably more of a spectator sport.
Lippy
Lippy, as far as I'm concerned, was invented during a particularly dull Biology lesson at Malbank Comprehensive by Andrew Chisnall in the late '70s. Maybe it's been played for more years than that but unless someone else is claiming it then Mr Chisnall is the man.It is simple enough to play once you have mastered (and not everyone can!) the upper lip raise - in fact that is almost all there is to the game. To do an upper lip raise ( a Lippy) wipe as much moisture/saliva as possible off your upper front teeth - most players accomplish this by rubbing with the back of their hands. Then, using your fingers push your top lip upwards so that it curls in and remains held in that position by the dryness of your teeth. It may take some practice. Now you are ready for the game.
Two players face each other closely and perform a Lippy...the person to keep it in position longest (without using fingers, obviously) is the winner. The successful player often wins by causing the other to laugh...to maintain a longish Lippy you need to hold an almost rictus-like grin.
Once again, thanks to Andrew Chisnall for giving the world this game, a far greater contribution than his promotion of obscure bands such as Prag Vec!
Siamese Wrestling
Strange Games recently received an e-mail from occasional contributer Maurice Tweddle. 
In it he described a classic stand-off game he calls Siamese Wrestling.
Maurice writes:"For two players. Each stands facing the other then they reach out with their right hands and grasp the left wrist of their opponent. Now the game begins...you must try and release your own wrist whilst all the time trying to maintain your grip on the wrist of your opponent. There are no further rules, and apart from the clashing of heads almost any techniques go. The first player to lose their grip loses the competition. Bouts are often won by one player swivelling their body so they have their back towards the other's stomach and then pulling down with their held arm.
If you find that both players grips are too strong to enable a winner to emerge then limit the grip to being made only with thumb and index finger."
The accompanying photo shows the lady on the left has released her grip after having her forearm brutally forced back.
In it he described a classic stand-off game he calls Siamese Wrestling.Maurice writes:"For two players. Each stands facing the other then they reach out with their right hands and grasp the left wrist of their opponent. Now the game begins...you must try and release your own wrist whilst all the time trying to maintain your grip on the wrist of your opponent. There are no further rules, and apart from the clashing of heads almost any techniques go. The first player to lose their grip loses the competition. Bouts are often won by one player swivelling their body so they have their back towards the other's stomach and then pulling down with their held arm.
If you find that both players grips are too strong to enable a winner to emerge then limit the grip to being made only with thumb and index finger."
The accompanying photo shows the lady on the left has released her grip after having her forearm brutally forced back.
Rickshaw Racing
I was attending a school sports day last week and as the uniformly unimaginative games progressed I found myself reminiscing about Wheelbarrow Racing. 
Everyone knows how to play it (grab your partners ankles whilst they support themselves on their arms and use them to 'run' whilst you push...like a wheelbarrow) but for some reason this activity is frowned upon at schools. As I was in the middle of my bemoaning a fellow spectator who had been listening-in turned to me and said, "Ah, wheelbarrow racing is for wimps, have you ever Rickshaw Raced?" I hadn't...but I have now and it is far superior.
Rickshaw Racing is almost identical to Wheelbarrow Racing apart from one thing - the pusher turns around 180 degrees and still holding the partner's ankles pulls rather than pushes. Obviously, the 'rickshaw' has to move their arms as quickly as the puller is pulling to avoid falling flat on their face. And the puller, not being able to see how the 'rickshaw' is doing has to rely on their shouts and screams to work out whether to speed up or slow down. Like many of these games playing as an adult is even more fun.
Everyone knows how to play it (grab your partners ankles whilst they support themselves on their arms and use them to 'run' whilst you push...like a wheelbarrow) but for some reason this activity is frowned upon at schools. As I was in the middle of my bemoaning a fellow spectator who had been listening-in turned to me and said, "Ah, wheelbarrow racing is for wimps, have you ever Rickshaw Raced?" I hadn't...but I have now and it is far superior.Rickshaw Racing is almost identical to Wheelbarrow Racing apart from one thing - the pusher turns around 180 degrees and still holding the partner's ankles pulls rather than pushes. Obviously, the 'rickshaw' has to move their arms as quickly as the puller is pulling to avoid falling flat on their face. And the puller, not being able to see how the 'rickshaw' is doing has to rely on their shouts and screams to work out whether to speed up or slow down. Like many of these games playing as an adult is even more fun.
Flounder Fling
As all fish throwing cognoscenti know the pinnacle of the sport is the Australian Tuna Tossing event. However, at the North Carolina Seafood Festival (a celebration of everything from shrimp to shark!) they are known to play a marvellous version of Flounder Flinging.
All you need to play is a bowl to make a target and someone to form the baseboard. This person sits down, legs apart and with the bowl on the floor between them. Competitors take turns to toss the flounder so that ideally it hits the human baseboard in the face and then flops into the bowl.
If you play an odd game or sport, maybe a version of baseball involving a jellyfish and catfish then Strange Games would love to hear about it. E-mail Montegue at montegue_blister@hotmail.co.uk
All you need to play is a bowl to make a target and someone to form the baseboard. This person sits down, legs apart and with the bowl on the floor between them. Competitors take turns to toss the flounder so that ideally it hits the human baseboard in the face and then flops into the bowl.
If you play an odd game or sport, maybe a version of baseball involving a jellyfish and catfish then Strange Games would love to hear about it. E-mail Montegue at montegue_blister@hotmail.co.uk
Human Battleships
Apologies to regular Strange Games readers (Hello, Daryl!) for the lack of recent posts. This was due to an almost fatal combination of a failed hard drive, the credit crunch and a bout of swine flu. We get 
back on track with a superb summertime game called Human Battleships.
To play all you need is a beach wind-break and copious amounts of water bombs. Split the players into two even teams - the best numbers for a good game depends upon the length of your wind-break. Each team picks one side of the windbreak to position their team members. Players can decide to sit anywhere as long as they are not visible to their opponents (it is important to use a wind-break made from opaque material) Once seated they can not move about but must remain in position. Each member also has a supply of water bombs (either shop bought or home made). Play alternates with one player tossing his bomb over the wind-break with the aim of hitting an opponent on the head - if this occurs then that side gets another throw. If they miss then the next throw reverts to the other side. No dodging is allowed. When the bombs have all been used the team with the most wet heads lose.
Also worth mentioning is its time for the second annual Newport Pagnell Pub Bounce. This coming Saturday (6th June) ...all you need is your own space hopper and money for drinks. The combination of drinking then bouncing to the next pub will undoubtably bring as much fun and casualities as last years event. Interested....see their Facebook group here for details.
back on track with a superb summertime game called Human Battleships. To play all you need is a beach wind-break and copious amounts of water bombs. Split the players into two even teams - the best numbers for a good game depends upon the length of your wind-break. Each team picks one side of the windbreak to position their team members. Players can decide to sit anywhere as long as they are not visible to their opponents (it is important to use a wind-break made from opaque material) Once seated they can not move about but must remain in position. Each member also has a supply of water bombs (either shop bought or home made). Play alternates with one player tossing his bomb over the wind-break with the aim of hitting an opponent on the head - if this occurs then that side gets another throw. If they miss then the next throw reverts to the other side. No dodging is allowed. When the bombs have all been used the team with the most wet heads lose.
Also worth mentioning is its time for the second annual Newport Pagnell Pub Bounce. This coming Saturday (6th June) ...all you need is your own space hopper and money for drinks. The combination of drinking then bouncing to the next pub will undoubtably bring as much fun and casualities as last years event. Interested....see their Facebook group here for details.
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