Comments on: Brand new look for your friendly neighborhood Writerman does whatever a writer can Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:32:03 +0000 hourly 1 By: gail nichols Sat, 06 Jun 2009 05:10:11 +0000 played “kennike” with two sticks we did. Not many toys around.

The big stick was the length from shoulder to elbow and sized to fit thru a hole made by your thumb and index finger making a circle –thumb placed at joint under your thumbnail.
Small stick was same size as yr rude finger -long as from yr knuckle to the end of yr finger.
Now to the game:

Using the big stick make a groove in the dirt about a foot long.
Two ways to start–place the short stick lengthways in the groove (always gave the best distance) or sideways over the top of the groove.
Holding the big stick in both hands and bending over-just like hiking a football between your legs–send the small stick flying as far as you can.

Game can have as many players as are around. If the small stick is caught in the air then the one who caught it gets to be the hiker and starts again. A fly seldom happens.
Based on the distance from the groove the small stick lands–measured by using the big stick and counting how many lengths–say 8 lengths.
Each big stick length has a “special” method that the hitter must use while standing over the groove and hitting the small stick away again.
“8” means –balance the small stick on yr shoulder and then let it fall off –before it hits the ground you must hit the small stick away again.
If you want a game next time we get together we only need two sticks and a few guys/girls –each of the hits numbered “1” thru “10” are still fixed in my memory–I was the local “Kennike” champ.The higher the number the harder to hit–haven’t told you how the game ends apart from the catch.
Game on at Niagara in July??