Alley Oop


Alley Oop was a popular North American newspaper cartoon strip during the 1920s, 30s, 40s. The characters in this strip might be considered the prototypes for the TV cartoon series The Flintstones, which were in their heyday between the 1960s and the 1990s. For comparison purpose a view of boxed games in the collection with The Flintstones as the subject may be seen by clicking here - The Flintstones. (Use your backbutton to return to this page.)

Alley was a caveman and the other characters in the strip were members of his family, his pet "dinosaur", and his day to day problems. Ostensibly the content were issues facing such a family during archaic times, nevertheless the issues seem to be similar to those facing contemporary readers during the period of publication!

Alley Oop

The tablegame was produced by Granger Feres Ltd. of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The game was patented in 1937.

The photograph (left) illustrates the game. It was purchased by the Museum from an antique dealer in Toronto in 1979. The 11.1cm high container is comprised of printed paper and cardboard, and has a tin lid and bottom. The container is 7.1cm in diameter. The number of pieces that came with this copy vary somewhat from the number indicated in the instructions with the game (see below).

Clubs

The drumstick-like pieces in the game (pictured on the left) are elongated round wooden bulbs attached to 8.5cm wooden sticks. There are four of each colour used in the game. They are the stylized clubs used by "Alley" and his friends in the cartoon, and are known as "Oops".

Flippers

The lever-like pieces (illustrated on the right) are also made of wood. Each piece is 10cm long x 1cm high and painted one of four colors to match the other pieces in the game. Each of these pieces are placed on a table, pointed side down, and with a "see-saw" movement can propel an "Oop".

HOW TO PLAY ALLEY OOP © 1937

The idea of the game is to place the head of an OOP over the groove in the FLIPPER then strike the FLIPPER downward, thereby sending the OOP into the air and (you hope) into the CAN. Equipment consists of 18 units: 3 each Green, Yellow, Blue and Red OOPS, 1 Black OOP ("Foozy"), 4 Colored Flippers, and the CAN. Each OOP, according to color, represents a different value. GREEN - 1 Point, YELLOW - 2 Points , BLUE - 3 Points, RED - 4 Points, BLACK ("Foozy") - 5 Points. The distance between the tip of the OOP and the CAN must be at least one-half inch during play. The player may move the CAN at any time. The manufacturer is not responsible for any remarks made by players during the game.

GAME 1-ALLEY OOP

Each player takes his turn flipping all 13 Oops. At sometime during his chance, the player must yell "Alley Oop" -which means he is ready to flip his "Foozy".  If the player misses "Foozy", 5 points are to be deducted from his score.  After all have had their turn the person making the highest score wins from each other player, the difference in total scores.

GAME 2-POLE VAULT

Before the game, players decide on a  score to win. Only 5 Oops are used-one each   of a color, and "Foozy".  Each player in turn flips 5 times, notes his score, and then passes the Can to the person at his left. Everyone must have the same number of chances. The winner is credited with the difference between his score and that of the other players.  "Foozy" counts for 5 points plus - or 5 points minus, as in the game "Alley Oop".  POLE VAULT is especially good if played by teams of 2 or more players each.

GAME 3 -FOOZY (For 4 or Less Players)

A Flipper and 3 Oops of the same color are given to each player. To select the first player, each person takes a turn at flipping as many Oops as possible without missing.  The one who is most successful begins the game by flipping his own Oops until he misses. When he misses, the Can is passed to the person at his left, who starts flipping his Oops. The first to get rid of his Oops gets a chance at "Foozy" - and the first to Flip "Foozy" into the Can wins.

GAME 4 - KILLER FLIPPER (For 4 or Less Players)

Flippers and Oops are distributed and the first player is selected as in the game of "Foozy". Each person flips once. The play continues around the table total figure, such as 100 or 300 points until someone gets all his Oops into the Can. Then he tries to flip the Flipper of the person at his left. When a player's Flipper is in the Can, he is put out of the game. The last remaining player wins.

Other variations of ALLEY OOP will occur to you as time goes on. There's a barrel of FUN in every CAN.


Last update March 24, 2010