Mine was this silly Toss Across game. Did anyone ever play this? Why this stands out among all the abundant Christmases I was lucky to have growing up, I have no idea...but I LOVED that game.
I was 4 or 5 and received this most amazing battleship (this was 1963 or so, so battleships were still in vogue). This thing was 3 feet long and had small wheels underneath so it travelled well on the floor. It launched missles and I remember taking out a few Christmas tree ornaments.
My girlfriend my senior year in high school was also pretty fun!
I notice this particular "Toss Across" is an updated model with a bar across the bottom. In the older models, no such bar existed, which allowed you to skip the bean-bag underneath and turn-over two, or even three, of the X's / O's in one throw.
@ Doc Milnamo, Battleships are still in vogue. It was a sad day when the Navy retired them again, but I will tell you what, they had presence. I am not sure what sort of presence the LCS will have.
Best toy of my childhood? Remote Controlled Glider (Bird of Time). Probably about 11 or 12. It was part of a progression from Christmas past really. Starting out with Estes Model Rockets, models and such. Culminating with the Bird of Time. Awesome airplane. I put all of my 12 year old money into that thing.
Anon - Estes Rockets huh? Now that brings back memories. We (me and a bunch of friends) built and flew quite a few of these: the X-Ray (with live bugs in the payload area who most times did not survive the flight), the V2, etc.
The most fun was had when we purchased small body tubes (not much bigger than the "engines"), nose cones, launch lugs (straws) and bulk fin-making balsa wood. We would build very small rockets - lots of them - and do two things with them. Firstly, we'd put the largest engine size we could buy in them (like cramming a big block V8 into an early Mustang). If I recall, the largest at that time was a "C" sized engine (the "D" engines were available but were new and had a diameter too big for the rocket).
We would also put A or the lower numbered B engines in them. This configuration provided the opportunity to face-off against each other from 100-200 yards apart and rain "mortars" down on each other. Sometimes the noses of the rockets were slathered in dog crap, then launched at the "enemy". Ahhh, biological bombs!
@ Doc Milnamo: Yes, the rate at which you outgrew the actual Estes kits was startling, but it had taught science by that point. Of course the next thing a boy was to do was look at the kits and say, "why do they not build a smaller more aerodynamic version of the 'Shrike' and put a bigger engine on it or make it a quick firing two stage?" At that point the real learning was accomplished. Thrust v weight, aerodynamics, how to fit all of the spiders in the payload, could an egg really survive the D thruster flight? I look occasionally at the Estes kits today and I must say, that I do not see the ones that you stuck live bugs into the little capsule. Rolly Polly's seems to take to super low non orbital flight quite well :-)
Oh, and I also loves the Kodak film rocket that you had to swing by the Kodak kiosk in a strip mall parking lot on the way home and wait a week for your photos. I wonder if Estes has an instant satisfaction digital equivalent of that today?
I was about 4 years old, my older brother got a Schwinn bicycle, my two sisters got lovely dolls and I received a beautiful drum decorated in Revolutionary War motif.
I strutted into my parent’s room proudly beating on my drum, (pa rum pum pum pum). My father jumped out of bed, took hold of the drum and ran his fist through from one side to the other. He glared at me and sternly informed me that if I cried he would really give me something to cry about. I held back the tears, turned and left me and my drum pa rum pum pum pum.
So sad but so true, but I cannot help but laugh at his insensitivity.
Sally, my child is getting this for Christmas this year. To me, it looks much smaller but then again, I'm much bigger.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the commercial for this and what happened at the end?
Yes-with the dog! What was his name-Francis?
ReplyDeleteI'm so old we played with rocks.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Merry Christmas to all and to you CW, a special treat. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMQhExsGwD4&feature=related
Rock'em Sock'em Robots.
ReplyDeleteI was 4 or 5 and received this most amazing battleship (this was 1963 or so, so battleships were still in vogue). This thing was 3 feet long and had small wheels underneath so it travelled well on the floor. It launched missles and I remember taking out a few Christmas tree ornaments.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend my senior year in high school was also pretty fun!
Doc
Great post, Very much Interesting blog post, Great work
ReplyDeleteI notice this particular "Toss Across" is an updated model with a bar across the bottom. In the older models, no such bar existed, which allowed you to skip the bean-bag underneath and turn-over two, or even three, of the X's / O's in one throw.
ReplyDeleteDrove my little sister crazy.
@ Doc Milnamo, Battleships are still in vogue. It was a sad day when the Navy retired them again, but I will tell you what, they had presence. I am not sure what sort of presence the LCS will have.
ReplyDeleteBest toy of my childhood? Remote Controlled Glider (Bird of Time). Probably about 11 or 12. It was part of a progression from Christmas past really. Starting out with Estes Model Rockets, models and such. Culminating with the Bird of Time. Awesome airplane. I put all of my 12 year old money into that thing.
Anon - Estes Rockets huh? Now that brings back memories. We (me and a bunch of friends) built and flew quite a few of these: the X-Ray (with live bugs in the payload area who most times did not survive the flight), the V2, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe most fun was had when we purchased small body tubes (not much bigger than the "engines"), nose cones, launch lugs (straws) and bulk fin-making balsa wood. We would build very small rockets - lots of them - and do two things with them. Firstly, we'd put the largest engine size we could buy in them (like cramming a big block V8 into an early Mustang). If I recall, the largest at that time was a "C" sized engine (the "D" engines were available but were new and had a diameter too big for the rocket).
We would also put A or the lower numbered B engines in them. This configuration provided the opportunity to face-off against each other from 100-200 yards apart and rain "mortars" down on each other. Sometimes the noses of the rockets were slathered in dog crap, then launched at the "enemy". Ahhh, biological bombs!
@ Doc Milnamo: Yes, the rate at which you outgrew the actual Estes kits was startling, but it had taught science by that point. Of course the next thing a boy was to do was look at the kits and say, "why do they not build a smaller more aerodynamic version of the 'Shrike' and put a bigger engine on it or make it a quick firing two stage?" At that point the real learning was accomplished. Thrust v weight, aerodynamics, how to fit all of the spiders in the payload, could an egg really survive the D thruster flight? I look occasionally at the Estes kits today and I must say, that I do not see the ones that you stuck live bugs into the little capsule. Rolly Polly's seems to take to super low non orbital flight quite well :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, and I also loves the Kodak film rocket that you had to swing by the Kodak kiosk in a strip mall parking lot on the way home and wait a week for your photos. I wonder if Estes has an instant satisfaction digital equivalent of that today?
I was about 4 years old, my older brother got a Schwinn bicycle, my two sisters got lovely dolls and I received a beautiful drum decorated in Revolutionary War motif.
ReplyDeleteI strutted into my parent’s room proudly beating on my drum, (pa rum pum pum pum). My father jumped out of bed, took hold of the drum and ran his fist through from one side to the other. He glared at me and sternly informed me that if I cried he would really give me something to cry about. I held back the tears, turned and left me and my drum pa rum pum pum pum.
So sad but so true, but I cannot help but laugh at his insensitivity.
Anon, I laughed and then almost almost shed a tear. You don't work for the Post Office or anything like that do you?
ReplyDelete