Pinners
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| Players | 2 or more |
|---|---|
| Setup time | None |
| Playing time | No limit |
| Chance | Low |
| Age range | 7 and up |
| Skills | Running, catching, throwing |
Pinners is a Chicago neighborhood game[1][2] played on the front stoop,[3] or on walls with angled bricks or stones which can be used to pop the ball up in the air. References and accounts of the game exist to 1949 or earlier.
The batter throws a rubber ball or tennis ball at the edge of the step or angled wall brick, and the fielder (or fielders) try to catch it as it bounces back. The game is played with a 2.5-inch (64 mm) hollow pink soft rubber ball called a "Pinky" that bounces well from the edges of steps.[4][5] Baseball gloves are not allowed.
The scoring rules are similar to baseball, but with runs being virtual and determined by where the ball lands.[1] A single, double, triple or home run depends upon predetermined landmarks (i.e. sidewalk, trees, cars, street, curb lines) from the batting area. A catch is an out, and a one-handed catch is called a "rushie".
As with most neighborhood games, rules varied by the groups playing and house rules are determined at the start of the game, including the base locations. The game utilizes traditional Chicago neighborhood row house architecture, with most houses (Chicago Bungalow style) having front stairs or a stoop that leads from the front door to the sidewalk. Many of the schools built in Chicago have a horizontal perfectly angled section of decorative brick, at the right height, that can be used for the game.
The batter's box painted on building or school walls with an X marking was used for "Fast Pitch",[6] another local school-yard game.