Pinners facts for kids

Pinners is a fun neighborhood game. It's played in Chicago. You play it on front steps or walls. These walls have angled bricks. These bricks help the ball bounce up! People have played Pinners since at least 1949.

How to Play Pinners

In Pinners, one player is the batter. The batter throws a rubber or tennis ball. They aim for the edge of a step or an angled wall brick. The ball bounces back. Other players, called fielders, try to catch the ball. You can't use baseball gloves! The ball used to be a special "Pinky" ball. This was a two-and-a-half-inch hollow pink rubber ball. It bounced really well off steps.

The scoring in Pinners is like baseball. But instead of running bases, you get "virtual" runs. These runs depend on where the ball lands. Before the game, players agree on landmarks. For example, hitting the sidewalk might be a single. Hitting a tree could be a double. Reaching the street might be a home run!

If a fielder catches the ball, the batter is out. A special one-handed catch is called a "rushie." This can give you extra advantages. Like most neighborhood games, the rules can change. Each group of players might have their own "house rules." They decide these rules at the start of the game. This includes where the "bases" are.

Pinners uses the unique buildings in Chicago. Many houses, especially Chicago Bungalows, have front stairs or a stoop. This leads from the front door to the sidewalk. Many schools in Chicago also have perfect angled bricks. These are at just the right height for playing Pinners.

Other Names for Pinners

The game "Pinners" was known by different names. This depended on which neighborhood you were in. But "Pinners" was the most common name across Chicago.

• Some players on the North Side called the game Ledge.
• In 1949, at Fiske Elementary, it was called Penner. This was without the "s" at the end.
• Near South Shore High School in the 1960s, it was known as Pinnard or Pinnerd.
• Other names included Bounce Out.
• And also 3 Outs.

Pinners Game Terms

Here are some special words used when playing Pinners:

• Double Play: A fielder catches the ball for an out. Then, they can throw the ball. It must bounce once on a flat step. Another fielder can then catch it for a second out! The ball is "dead" if it hits a backstop before being caught again.
• Rush Hour: This happens when the ball goes out of play. Maybe it's a foul ball or a home run. The fielder must throw the ball back to the batter quickly. If they walk slowly, the batter can call "stalling."
• Rushies: This is a one-handed catch! It's a big deal because it gives the catching team three outs automatically. The player who made the catch can run towards the batter's box. They can throw the ball while the other team is getting ready.
• Stalling: If the batting team calls "stalling," they get a single run. The batter who was supposed to hit does not lose their turn. This happens if the fielder takes too long to return the ball.