[Help] British Bulldog 1-2-3.

Stat Brother · Oct 9, 2020

Sorry if this is 'fixtures' and not in the right thread, I know how precious some of you are becoming over this.

I'd like to write a short note concerning the quaint, gentle and tranquil English pastime of BB 1-2-3.

The problem is it's been about 40 years since my last game and probably due to the multiple concussions, my memory is a little hazy.

Happy Dayz

So the rules as I remember them:-

1 x group of lads of mixed age and crucially size.
2 x inanimate objects, preferably 2 rows of garages in a compound.
1 x glass and dog poop covered concrete floor - preferably next to the park.

The pregame.

The 2 biggest lads each take it in turns to pick from the masses.
The picks begin as size, then friends, then potential mating opportunities with older sister.
Before finally ending with a row concerning who has to take the weedy kid that smells as he stands right there (the only reason I've ever been grateful for my big sister)

The teams then split to their wall/tree/garage door 'home'.

The objective.

Cross to the oppositions home.

Scoring points

Lifting a member of the opposition fully off the ground for the duration of "British Bulldog 1-2-3" before slamming them to the ground.

Winning
Getting out of the game with the same amount of teeth as you started.

Am I right?

Cheshire Cat · Oct 9, 2020

Sounds familiar. Not played it for even longer thankfully.

Music City Gull · Oct 9, 2020

Stat Brother said:
Sorry if this is 'fixtures' and not in the right thread, I know how precious some of you are becoming over this.

I'd like to write a short note concerning the quaint, gentle and tranquil English pastime of BB 1-2-3.

The problem is it's been about 40 years since my last game and probably due to the multiple concussions, my memory is a little hazy.

Happy Dayz

So the rules as I remember them:-

1 x group of lads of mixed age and crucially size.
2 x inanimate objects, preferably 2 rows of garages in a compound.
1 x glass and dog poop covered concrete floor - preferably next to the park.

The pregame.

The 2 biggest lads each take it in turns to pick from the masses.
The picks begin as size, then friends, then potential mating opportunities with older sister.
Before finally ending with a row concerning who has to take the weedy kid that smells as he stands right there (the only reason I've ever been grateful for my big sister)

The teams then split to their wall/tree/garage door 'home'.

The objective.

Cross to the oppositions home.

Scoring points

Lifting a member of the opposition fully off the ground for the duration of "British Bulldog 1-2-3" before slamming them to the ground.

Winning
Getting out of the game with the same amount of teeth as you started with.

Am I right?

I have no idea what you’re talking about, but if 8 year old me could’ve been anywhere in the world he would’ve been at Wembley to see the British Bulldog take on his BIL Bret Hart. Think I still have it recorded somewhere on vhs at my parents house

WATFORD zero · Oct 9, 2020

If I remember rightly it was pre-empted by a gang of kids walking around the playground chanting 'Who wants to play, British Bulldog'.

Could possibly be an early 60's forerunner which evolved into British Bulldog 123 though.

abc · Oct 9, 2020

“Getting out of the game with the same amount of teeth as you started”

Yep, sounds about right!

METALMICKY · Oct 9, 2020

Sounds pretty accurate. Slightly less brutal but still childhood ' Rollerball ' was the game ' Stingio '. It was essentially tag but with a tennis ball and you were restricted to a playing square from which you could not step off. Initial exchanges adhered to the rules that you could only throw the ball underarm and below waist height. However, it usually deteriorated into brutal luzzing of ball overarm from point blank range at any height. Tears normally ensued with welts on legs and/or someone catching one full in the face.

Whoislloydy · Oct 9, 2020

Haven't played this since highschool, we played trip-up (same rules you just boot them in the ankles)

Thinking back it was utterly stupid.

Stat Brother · Oct 9, 2020

WATFORD zero said:
If I remember rightly it was pre-empted by a gang of kids walking around the playground chanting 'Who wants to play, British Bulldog'.

Could possibly be an early 60's forerunner which evolved into British Bulldog 123 though.

Ohhhh good one, that definitely rings a bell.

Whoislloydy said:
Haven't played this since highschool, we played trip-up (same rules you just boot them in the ankles)

Thinking back it was utterly stupid.

Kidz today aren't even allowed to play games anymore.

elf an safety gone mad.

pastafarian · Oct 9, 2020

hmmm
thought we played that it started with one bulldog then everyone getting to the other side, unless caught, in which case they became a bulldog too.
last man standing won.
everyone else gets a kicking at some point, the severity dependant if you get caught early on or near the end.

British Bulldog · Oct 9, 2020

Did somebody call?

Stat Brother · Oct 9, 2020

pastafarian said:
hmmm
thought we played that it started with one bulldog then everyone getting to the other side, unless caught, in which case they became a bulldog too.
last man standing won.
everyone else gets a kicking at some point, the severity dependant if you get caught early on or near the end.

Ah that could be it actually, as said due to the injuries suffered I'm a little unsure of the details.

One thing I do remember is I never played when I could have been one of the 'big kids'. :down:

maffew · Oct 9, 2020

Whoislloydy said:
Haven't played this since highschool, we played trip-up (same rules you just boot them in the ankles)

Thinking back it was utterly stupid.

Yeah trip.up bulldog was much more popular than british bulldog at my school

pastafarian · Oct 9, 2020

Stat Brother said:
Ah that could be it actually, as said due to the injuries suffered I'm a little unsure of the details.

One thing I do remember is I never played when I could have been one of the 'big kids'.

Big kids, who no longer played British Bulldog, were usually playing Soggy Biscuit instead.......... or so i heard

maffew · Oct 9, 2020

WATFORD zero said:
If I remember rightly it was pre-empted by a gang of kids walking around the playground chanting 'Who wants to play, British Bulldog'.

Could possibly be an early 60's forerunner which evolved into British Bulldog 123 though.

Our was started by a couple of kids who would put their arms rounds each others shoulders. Start walking round the playground chanting "all join on, to havd a game of bulldog", or a different game. Then if you wanted to play you would join on the till practically the whole playground were in a big sideways line arms round shoulders walking round all singing "all join on.."

That bit was fun too

dazzer6666 · Oct 9, 2020

Stat Brother said:
Sorry if this is 'fixtures' and not in the right thread, I know how precious some of you are becoming over this.

I'd like to write a short note concerning the quaint, gentle and tranquil English pastime of BB 1-2-3.

The problem is it's been about 40 years since my last game and probably due to the multiple concussions, my memory is a little hazy.

Happy Dayz

So the rules as I remember them:-

1 x group of lads of mixed age and crucially size.
2 x inanimate objects, preferably 2 rows of garages in a compound.
1 x glass and dog poop covered concrete floor - preferably next to the park.

The pregame.

The 2 biggest lads each take it in turns to pick from the masses.
The picks begin as size, then friends, then potential mating opportunities with older sister.
Before finally ending with a row concerning who has to take the weedy kid that smells as he stands right there (the only reason I've ever been grateful for my big sister)

The teams then split to their wall/tree/garage door 'home'.

The objective.

Cross to the oppositions home.

Scoring points

Lifting a member of the opposition fully off the ground for the duration of "British Bulldog 1-2-3" before slamming them to the ground.

Winning
Getting out of the game with the same amount of teeth as you started.

Am I right?

Spot on. Played in last year at primary school regularly, until a kid got hospitalised after the ‘slamming to the ground’ bit (wasn’t supposed to be head first).

Live by the sea · Oct 9, 2020

I have no idea what you are talking about . We def didn’t play this ‘game’ at my school, albeit it was a private one . Maybe this was more a comprehensive type school game ?

Stat Brother · Oct 9, 2020

Live by the sea said:
I have no idea what you are talking about . We def didn’t play this ‘game’ at my school, albeit it was a private one . Maybe this was more a comprehensive type school game ?

#PickedLast.

darkwolf666 · Oct 9, 2020

We were obviously posh in Burgess Hill as we played Tincan Alley! Far more genteel...

Pint of Ale and a Burger · Oct 9, 2020

I remember it as the game starting with 1 or two kids in the middle of the"pitch"and then all the other kids at one end in a safe zone and the idea was to reach the other ends safe zone without getting grabbed by the ones in the middle.if you were caught then you joined their team till eventually there is a winner who hasn't got caught.

Stingball was also a favourite in the playground as was cops and robbers both producing similar amounts of cuts and bruises as British bulldog.

Gabbafella · Oct 9, 2020

We played Bulldog but I'm sure it was one person against everyone else, if the single person could successfully beat the piss out of someone trying to get from one side to the other, they then joined the Bulldog to kick the living piss out of the others.
We also played Stinger which was essentially Had/Tag with a hacky sack. The perfect time to play this was the height of summer with scrawny bare legs on show, luzzing it as hard as you possibly could in the hope of making someone cry.
We've recently discussed starting a conkers tournament at work, bound to be some injuries with that, bet the bosses can't wait.

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[Help] British Bulldog 1-2-3.

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