Meet the self-proclaimed “Tag Brothers,” a group of grown men who have been playing the same game of tag that they started as children. The group met while attending prep school in Spokane, Washington and took a popular childhood game and turned it into something that has kept them bonded for three decades. How many of your childhood friends are you still in touch with?
The epic game of tag, perhaps the longest one ever played, has even inspired a movie, creatively titled “Tag” and follows in the footsteps of movies like “Dodgeball.” While some of the stunts in the film are pretty outrageous, it stays true to the fun-loving bond that these friends share. Fortunately, their game of tag is only played during February, when the person who is “it” has to find a way to pass it on to one of their pals.
To be honest, I’m not sure what kind of playground kids play in these days, though I doubt they play the same games that I did or these boys did as children. Now that I think about it, it’s amazing that more of us didn’t get hurt. Though it was fairly common, and even a badge of honor for someone to end up in a cast from a freak playground accident.
I’m pretty sure that no one plays red rover anymore. You might remember to game: you form two teams and each team lines up and links arms. Then, using the red rover chant, you call someone over from the other team. That person runs as fast as they can at the human chain of the other team, striking them and trying to wrestle through their linked arms. If you break through while getting clotheslined, you go back to your side. If you fail, you have to join the opposing team. Eventually, one group is whittled down to nothing — if someone doesn’t need a ride to the ER, first.
Tag, dodgeball, and red rover are just a few of the games that we played as children. Maybe they weren’t actually all that fun, and we’re just nostalgic for lost childhood and innocence. Or maybe, we really did have fun, so we join our local dodgeball league, play the same team sport that we did as a kid for fun, coach other children in sports, or continue a game of epic tag for several decades.
Watch the “Tag Brothers” in the video below and reminisce about all the fun you had in your childhood.
