Badminton
This is one of those games where it feels like anyone, no matter their age or athletic ability, can jump right in, have some fun, and actually do pretty well. Two on two works best, but you'll need a large backyard and a day that isn't too windy. Oh yeah, and all of the equipment as well. But that's okay. This is a great game for BBQs and block parties too so you'll be sure that your badminton set doesn't go to waste.
(Done at MBBB14.)
Bowling
As with badminton, almost anyone can bowl half decently. And, if you're really that bad, there are now bumpers and even ramps to assist you in your journey to the ever elusive perfect game (300). Candlepin bowling (available in Boston but not New York) is an entirely different beast. The balls fit into the palm of your hand and you get three rolls per frame. You're going to need them as the pins are quite literally as thin as candles! Your only saving grace is that, when the pins are knocked down, they remain on the alley. You can then use your next roll to turn that "dead wood" into spinning blades of death. Nonetheless, candlepin bowling remains much more difficult than its large scale counterpart; a score of 100 is actually quite good. A few of our reviews are linked below.
(Done at MBBBs.)
Football Skills Competition
Remember those football skills competitions that they used to have during the Pro Bowl? We always thought they were pretty cool, so a proposal was created that utilized a number of those same activities. You don't need much equipment to get such a contest going: a football, garbage can, and your local high school football field should work just fine. Then it's just throw, kick, and jump your way to victory!
(Proposed, but never done.)
Football Survivor
Back in 2002 when this event was proposed, the TV show "Survivor" was one of the biggest series going. We were also all in a fantasy football league together, so the combination of these two favorites seemed natural. An excellent proposal was drawn up, but the event was not voted through. The main drawbacks included the awkwardness of voting each other off the tribe as well as not having much to do after you were eliminated. However, if any of you out there happen to give a try one of these days, please let us know how it works out.
(Proposed, but never done.)
Frolf
Gather a couple of frisbees and entertain your creative spirit. A good sized park is all you need to set up a frolf (i.e., frisbee golf) course all your own. If you're in the neighborhood of Merrick, NY, you can try out our proposal for Calhoun High School. We also completed a partial course at Birch Elementary before we were ::ahem:: rudely interrupted. After that, you can step up to one of the many frolf courses around the country. Remember to bring a full set of golf discs!
(Done at MBBBs.)
Golf
We're talking the real deal here, with bags of clubs and caddies. A nine-hole course is located just next to Town Park in Merrick. The major issues here are cost (it's expensive), equipment (who has a full set of clubs?), and skill (we have none when it comes to real golf).
(Proposed, but never done.)
Hackey Sack
Get a soft, bouncy ball and a group of people standing around in a circle and you've got hours of fun. If you're not familiar with this American pastime, the idea is simple: keep the ball in the air as long as possible without using your hands or arms. Of course, you could purchase a true hackey sack, but that's less a ball and more a spheric sack filled with beads. Remember, no hogging the ball; this is a team game first and foremost.
(Done at MBBB13.)
Home Run Derby
Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds. These are your home run kings. That doesn't mean that we can't share in the fun of hitting for the fences. You can compete in a derby either by yourself, with everyone else rotating pitching and fielding positions, or in teams, with each teammate pitching to the other. Determine the order, number of outs per batter, and head to your nearest Little League baseball field. After all, even if you had access to an MLB ballpark, we're assuming it would be more of a double derby instead.
(Done at MBBBs.)
Kan Jam
This was a game first discovered by David when he was searching for a present to give his best man (twin Marc) before his wedding. In fact, though it was invented in the 1990s, it only officially went on sale as Kan Jam in 2005. You take two small cans, teams of two, and throw a frisbee back and forth while trying tap it mid-flight into the can. It sounds a bit simplistic, but check out our videos from MBBB15 to get a glimpse of just how fun this event can be.
(Done at MBBB15.)
Laser Tag
This is an event that can get very expensive if you want to play it for a considerable amount of time. There also exists the possibility that you won't have much interaction with the rest of your group, one of the more important facets of MBBB. Nonetheless, there aren't a lot of activities that are more fun than pretending to blast your buddies away with a laser rifle. Click on this Yahoo! folder for more info or just go straight to Q-Zar's Official Website, the MBBB group's laser tag provider of choice (okay, maybe not).
(Done at MBBBs.)
Pitch and Putt
This event takes real golf and then chops off the most difficult part of the game, that being teeing off with a driver. Instead, you're limited to two clubs, an iron and a putter, and are asked to "drive" to a green that averages 75 yards from the tee. As far as we know, the best place to find such courses are beaches. If you live on Long Island, Robert Moses Beach is your best bet, while Jones Beach should be avoided at all costs. The average price per person is about $10, which isn't that bad; a round of Pitch and Putt could last you 3 hours but, then again, that might be too long.
(Done at MBBBs.)
Scavenger Hunt
This, I believe, was the brainchild of MBBB member David Struck. Now, of course, it's a scavenger hunt, so it's nothing truly new. However, the fun with this event was that we didn't just hunt down items in a forest or whatever and collect them. Instead, we got into our cars and drove around town with video cameras videotaping anything from hidden locales to bizarre actions being performed by people. We have some hilarious pictures and videos as well as a proposal and even a completed event which can help you organize your own hunt.
(Done at MBBBs.)
Slam Dunk Contest
Hey, you don't have to be a bunch of basketball stars (we're certainly not) to hold a slam dunk contest. All you need is a nice low rim and novelty sized basketball. Then you can let the insanity begin! A big bonus about this event is that you can videotape it with ease, as we were going to do for MBBB5. Here are the rules we were planning to use for the contest.
(This event has been planned twice, but canceled both times.)
Table Tennis
Table tennis is another excellent recreational activity that is both fun and competitive while also remaining inexpensive and non-exhausting. You'll need a table, paddles, and balls though; also, singles matches could leave too many members of the group while doubles matches might not be as competitive as some would like. If you want to see our solution, just click the link.
(Done at MBBBs? Planned?)