Grab That Red Rubber Ball and Kick Up the Fun for National Kickball Day
Tie those laces tight because it is time to play kickball! When someone yelled “Kickball!” kids would come running, ready to run, play, and of course, kick that big red ball. It was dirty, it was wild, and it was always so much fun. Kickball has been beloved by many school-aged children since the 1900s. The game, meant to be a simpler version of baseball, was founded by Nicholas Seuss in 1917 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Seuss (no relation to Dr. Seuss) was the Supervisor of Cincinnati Parks and Playgrounds and perhaps wanted to create a new game for kids of all ages to enjoy.
Originally called “Kick Baseball,” it eventually evolved into “Kickball” and is used to teach kids the basic rules of baseball with less equipment. It is a bit safer, so even the young ones can play. Two teams compete to score runs by kicking a ball and running around the bases. The winner is decided by the team with the most runs. While typically kids love to play this game, adults can have fun with it as well as there are many adult leagues across the nation.
Today marks National Kickball Day
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National Kickball Day is celebrated on April 17, when Spring is starting to ramp up and the weather is finally getting warmer in many parts of the country. It is the perfect time to get outside and get some exercise after months of cabin fever. The holiday was started in 2014 by WAKA (World Adult Kickball Association) Kickball & Social Sports. They run kickball leagues in the United States. While it is generally called kickball in the U.S., other countries have their own unique names for the schoolyard game. In South Korea, they call it “foot baseball,” in Japan it is called “kick base,” and in Canada, they have named it “soccer baseball,” which definitely makes sense!
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Why not relive the nostalgia of your childhood, grab a rubber ball, and get out there to play some kickball today? If you need a refresher, Kickball.com has a copy of the official rules of the game and links to join kickball leagues if you decide that you want to play more often.
Kid Stuff
June 2018
Unleash your inner child by reliving your favorite kids TV shows, cartoons, toys and more!
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