Skip tag?
I fill in for the cops-and-courts reporter once in a while. One of the duties is to comb through the police reports, looking for items worthy of publication. This can be interesting, heart-breaking or total drudgery.
One item that we normally would not report came up last week. Two Janesville 20-year-olds had parked a car in the Rockport Park lot on Rockport Road in the early morning hours of Friday, July 8.
A police officer came along, saw the car and searched for its occupants but couldn’t find them. They had spotted the officer and hid. But he staked out the car, and when they returned to it shortly before 2 a.m., he issued them tickets for violating a municipal-ordinance, for being in the park after hours.
The pair told the cop that they knew they shouldn’t be there at that hour. They also told him they had been playing “skip tag” with friends.
I checked with the younger folk in the Gazette newsroom. No one had heard of skip tag. I checked with my 23-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son, who grew up here, and they had never heard of it.
I Googled the term, and Google has only heard of skip tag in reference to computer coding, not a game played in the woods in the wee hours of the morning.
Anyone know what skip tag is?
Jul 12, 2011 at 8:41 a.m.
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In college, my friends and I used to love going to parks in thick, thick fog and playing tag or hide-n-seek. It was a riot! And no drinking was involved :) Just good, clean, fun!
Jul 11, 2011 at 11:42 p.m.
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Now that we know where Ted Sullivan went...does anyone know where Dan Conry landed?
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:38 p.m.
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Frank, you have access to the police report. Why not call the guy?
Jul 11, 2011 at 7:42 p.m.
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"Just like everyone on here assumes they were up to no good". 20 comments; 3 negative ones, posted by 1 person.
Jul 11, 2011 at 7:14 p.m.
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Another problem with the city and the JPD. If you are younger you are automatically guilty of something. Just like everyone on here assumes they were up to no good.
Jul 11, 2011 at 6:43 p.m.
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I think many would be surprised how likely it could actually be that a group of young people were actually playing tag.
Jul 11, 2011 at 5:10 p.m.
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It was also called "skip tag" during recess when we snuck away to smoke cigarettes.
Jul 11, 2011 at 4:56 p.m.
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I'm guessing that the 20-year old version of skip tag involves not spilling your beer while skipping. Just a guess....
Jul 11, 2011 at 3:35 p.m.
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Not sure, but I grew up with Skip Taggert.
Jul 11, 2011 at 1:30 p.m.
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There are so many house, neighborhood, regional, and ano other gathering varaitions of the game "tag", it could be just about anything. Now I understand a 20 year old telling an officer of the law a "story" about what they were doing there, so "Skip tag" seems like a good reply as any wholesome activity at the time.
As kide we played our own home grown versions of tag, like slime tag, frizbee tag, robot tag, flash tag, etc.
Jul 11, 2011 at 1:22 p.m.
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DING DING DING! Thanks, Janesvillean, as well as a reader who emailed me, wanting to be anonymous, who found the same thing. I also wonder how this game might appeal or be modified for 20-year-olds. One source says that outdoors, the game is played in a circle, with everyone facing out, towards the runner (s). Still, that doesn't do it for me.
Jul 11, 2011 at 1:19 p.m.
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We haven't hired a Ted Sullivan replacement, yet, but we will, I hear.
Jul 11, 2011 at 1:11 p.m.
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Frank, Based on Janesvillean's research, when was the last time you saw 20-somethings "skipping" through a park? Hmm... Not that I'd call 'em bold-faced liars, but having raised a few kids, I'd say I'm a wee tad skeptical.
Jul 11, 2011 at 1:06 p.m.
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1912 book Public School Methods lists skip tag as a game to be played in a classroom. A kid skips around the room, tags someone, then the tagged person has to skip after them and tag them before they can sit down. Repeat.
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1982 book Early Childhood Activities has it as a game where everyone skips except "It", who has to try to tag someone who stops or fails to skip.
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I found a lot of books in this vein, with slightly different rules, but most of them seem to be closer to one or the other of these two examples.
Jul 11, 2011 at 12:41 p.m.
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No! No more Ted Sullivan and his blotter? I hope someone's taking over for him!
Jul 11, 2011 at 12:38 p.m.
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Sigma40, I think it's a matter of liability. Most cities have park "hours" because if something happens, the legal responsibility for the city is minimized if people who are there using the equipment, or running into trees in the dark are hurt, and then try to sue the city for their injuries.
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:54 a.m.
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Anyone know of a city that doesnt operate like its stuck in 1950? Life runs around the clock now... the leave it to beaver days are long gone. Its just the elders are inept to change so they got to hold on to as many old ways as they can. Lots of places are now open 24hrs. Your mentality of parks having to be closed comes from too many movies. It wouldnt cost a dime to leave them open, cops still patrol them. But they could lose revenue if they open them because they cant fine people then. Its awesome having a police corporation here,
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:45 a.m.
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No, Frank. Ignore the troll.
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:43 a.m.
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Anyone heard of a city that didn't close parks overnight?
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:26 a.m.
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Thanks Beenthere, didn't know that.
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:15 a.m.
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This is wy Janesville sucks. Why do we have "hours" for parks? Does everyone assume that everyone works 1st shift and is in bed by 9pm? Its so stupid to have a "city of parks" and then have retail hours on them. just another thing invented to make money... look they just made some off these poor kids doing nothing wrong.
Jul 11, 2011 at 9:10 a.m.
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Callit -- Ted Sullivan left the Janesville Gazette a month or so ago to take a new job in Montana.
Jul 11, 2011 at 8:04 a.m.
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Speaking of the cops and courts reporter, where has Mr. Sullivan's blotter been lately?
Jul 10, 2011 at 9:47 p.m.
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Using a glow in the dark frisbee, it's thrown at another player downward between them so that the disc bounces, or skips, upward and "tags" the other player, making them "it". (Okay, so I'm just guessing) You may have to inquire the officers involved to find out.
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