Stick in the Mud
contributed by Pasquale Mosconi

  I'm reasonably sure there is no modern-day counterpart for this one!  Each player had his own stick, which was a heavy club with a pointed end.  One of the best sticks was a hickory or oak pick or ax handle.  The first player would try to stick his club in the mud as hard as he could in a vertical position in one overhand throw.  The second player would try to dislodge the first player's club with the same motion, striking his opponent's club as he stuck his club in the mud.  If he did not knock it down, the first player would pull his club from the mud and try to dislodge the other's club (using the same method).  If he was successful in knocking the club down and his remained stuck in the mud, he would then be entitled to knock the other player's club away with his. He then had to stick his club in the mud three times before the other player retrieved his club, ran back, and stuck it in the mud once.  
     
 

Stick in the Mud
contributed by Joe Mosconi

  
 

The game of "stick in the mud" is played with two people only.  It is a rather sophisticated game that keeps you on your toes and alert at all times. It requires each person to find a "pick" handle and to sharpen one side in order to be able to stick the pick handle into the ground.  Then your worthy opponent will try to dislodge your stick with a blow plus stick his pick handle in the ground.  If he can do that, he is then permitted to hit your stick as far as he wants in any direction.  You must now run and get your stick and try to get back and stick your pick into a circle before he can stick his three times. If you beat him, you get to hit his club the way he hit yours. Now if your opponent doesn't dislodge your stick and stick his in the ground you are the one who gets to hit the stick.

A little side story about this game.  Nick and I were playing this game one time and as I stated above the "hitter" is entitled to hit your stick in any direction.  Well Nick, like any good player would do, faked hitting it in one direction and I (like any dumb ass) took off running in that direction.  However, Nick turned and was going to hit it in another direction and I ran right into his pick handle and blood rushed everywhere when he laid open my eye.  Mom had to get me to the Dr.s to get the eye sewed up.  Needless to say I never played that game with Nick again.   As you can see, we played a lot of games and none of them cost us a penny, except when you end up in the Dr.s office.

  
     
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