Top Most.
One night while walking past a public school, I noticed several chairs put out for trash pick up. First thing that came to mind – Skellzies. I’m sure a few people passing by wondered what I was doing wrestling with discarded school chairs, but if they grew up playing in the city’s parks and streets, they would understand.
Skellzies, also called Skully, Skelsy, Tops, Caps, or Loadies, was a game we would play for hours, sometimes for the entire afternoon. The rules varied from neighborhood-to-neighborhood, but basically the object of the game is to flick your top (playing piece) through a series of numbered boxes on a Skelly board, working your way up from 1 through 13.
The smoothest, fastest, most prized tops were those created from the foot of a school chair. Having one meant you popped it off at school without getting caught. We’d add color by melting crayons in them.
From time-to-time I’ll see a Skelly board painted in a playground, but I’ve yet to see any kids playing. Maybe they’re just there to pay homage and stir memories. Like Ring-a-levio, stickball and stoopball these street games just aren’t played any more. Icy Smooth has a online version, but if you want to try the real thing, well, I’ve got tops.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Yo I’m down.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:02 PM
Skellies (what we out in South-side Jamaica Queens called it) was the game, We spray-painted our board on the street and that was our street- game, better than chess or checkers any day. we would knock each other bottle caps way down the street and the then have to shoot them all the way back. Good memories, thanks for reminder.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Melting crayons or candle wax or put chewing gum in your caps making them a bit heavier and therefore more aerodynamic.