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Hit the Coin and Stick
Neither speed, strength, nor agility matter here; careful aim and a light
touch are the important skills. Hit the Coin and Hit the Stick require two
players, a relatively level, uncracked two-square stretch of sidewalk, and a
coin (usually a penny) or a Good Humor ice cream stick.
The players stand at either end of two concrete squares with a coin or stick
placed directly in the center seam. The object is to hit the coin or stick
with the ball and, even better, attempt to flip it over. Each hit brings one
point, each flip is worth two, with play ending once a player reaches 11 or 21.
Some find Hit the Stick more appealing because it's more of a kick to see the
stick flip up and turn in the air than checking to see if the penny or nickel
is heads of tails. Historically, some would play with the winner buying ice
cream, while others just for the fun of hitting the stick (hey, cheap thrills).
Bragging Rights
The basic laws of physics add an interesting twist to this game. Often when
the target is hit, it jumps towards the other player. This can present the
nearer player a real advantage as he can now lean forward and softly drop the
ball on the stick. A soft touch tends to keep the stick from jumping away,
thereby allowing a player to easily rack up points. On the other hand, the
other player has a longer, more difficult throw--even though he may have hit
the stick/coin first.
With victory assured, you can put some energy into torturing your pal. You
might use the opportunity explain just how badly he is getting his butt kicked
and perhaps remind him of other past drubbings. Since this game was the least
related to "ball skills," this ribbing was taken as pure blather.
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