![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/dodgedball.jpg\")
As
\n mentioned in the posting below, it is hard to predict what will open
\n the floodgates of memory. Some are fond and fulfilling
\n memories, making connections and explaining enigmas. Other’s make
\n it immediately obvious why the memory was forgotten in the first place.
\n Such a treasure trove of mercifully forgotten memories was rubbed raw
\n again by a feature in today’s Boston Globe on Adult Dodgeball. Apparently,
\n this archetypically
\n American Darwinian elimination activity is experiencing a comeback.<\/p>\n
As vicious an outlet for pre-teen and adolescent sadism as has come out
\n of middle America, Dodgeball has been largely condemned and forbidden
\n in the recent past, our "enlightened" times.
\nFor those of our readers too young or alien to be familiar with this childhood
\ntrial by fire, let us explain the basic rules of dodge ball. A large group of
\nplayers, often mixed boys and girls, start out standing in a loose
\nknot in the center of an indoor gym or outdoor blacktopped playground.<\/p>\n
One or more round rubber balls are introduced into this mix, and the object is
\nto take the ball, and fling it as hard as possible at any of the other players.
\nShould the ball strike any part of the target player, he or she is "out",
\nand required to leave the field of play. Should the target manage to catch the
\nball before it hits the ground, the thrower was declared "out". In
\na time-honored American tradition, reminiscent of the Shootout at the OK Coral,
\nthe "last kid standing" is declared the winner.<\/p>\n
Although seemingly innocuous, that textured red rubber ball, in size and weight
\nsomewhere between a volleyball and a basketball, flung with all the force sugar,
\nhormones and frustration can generate in a pre-teen body, could painfully sting exposed
\nflesh, and so who would aim anywhere else?<\/p>\n
Many of the non-athletically incline kids would awkwardly expose themselves on
\npurpose, or even throw gentle poofballs at each other, in order to be eliminated
\nas quickly and painlessly as possible, retiring to the sidelines to relax and
\nwatch
\nthe
\nremaining contestants embarrass themselves in a variety of manners. The bigger,
\nmore coordinated
\nkids took sadistic pleasure in eliminating as many of these dweebs as quickly
\nas they could, flinging the ball with all their strength in attempts to elicits
\ncries of pain or better yet, cowardly spastic efforts to avoid the physical and
\nemotional pain of early elimination. <\/p>\n
This dubious form of recreation and athletic activity was especially popular
\nin "primary" school,
\ngrades
\n1-6,
\nwhich
\nin
\nthe
\nUS
\nmeans 7-12 years old. Gym teachers like it because it required almost no equipment
\nor active supervision; basically they stood around and watched us kids slap
\neach other silly. For
\nthese
\nand
\nother
\nreasons
\nDodgeball
\nhas
\nlargely been eliminated in today’s enlightened educational environments.<\/p>\n
Being almost totally bereft of athletic skill, yet cursed with a highly competitive
\nnature, the adolescent Dowbrigade developed a cagey tactic of blending in with
\nthe crowd, trying to avoid attention or attractiveness as a target by becoming
\ninvisible. Moving around the fringes of the group, keeping away from the other
\nplayers still "alive" (offering the aggressive players less attractive
\nshots and fewer chances to fling the ball at a knot of victims hoping to kill
\nany one of the group), we were usually able to survive until there were only
\nthree or four players left. By then, rivalries had developed between the most
\nvicious killers so that they were often blindly determined to eliminate each
\nother, forgetting us entirely until we were the only opponent left. At this point,
\nat least we had a chance, to dodge a few shots and hope to catch one before one
\ncaught us.<\/p>\n
So this is one sleeping dog we would rather let lie. However, for
\n those sick bullies who haven’t had much fun since Dodgeball went out of
\n style, here’s how to get your jollies:<\/p>\n
\nThe new adult twist on the game was dreamt up by Paul Naddaff, 23, and
\n Sean Kemery, 28, and was appropriately inspired by Ben Stiller’s ”Dodgeball." ”Paul
\n and I went to see the movie and we both really liked it," Kemery
\n says. ”And I started mentioning how much fun I used to have playing
\n it, and
\n how I’d love to play again, and Paul’s reaction was, ‘I’d like to play,
\n too.’ "<\/p>\nIf Big Kids Dodgeball takes off, Kemery and Naddaff hope to expand to several
\n geographical regions around the state. Meanwhile, Kemery says he’s not
\n surprised at the favorable response to the league.<\/p>\n”I really remember loving dodgeball when I was a kid, and I think
\n a lot of people feel the same way about it," he says. ”I hate
\n to sound cheesy, but you can be a big kid again."<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nfrom the Boston Globe<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As mentioned in the posting below, it is hard to predict what will open the floodgates of memory. Some are fond and fulfilling memories, making connections and explaining enigmas. Other’s make it immediately obvious why the memory was forgotten in … Continue reading