Skully

On the sidewalk you draw a large rectange with some chalk and about 10 smaller boxes around the 'board', number them 1-10, then you take a bottle cap (usally filled with melted crayon for weight) and try to go around the board and get to the home base first while trying to knock the other players man out of the box

How many players are there in Skully?

2

Players

How do you play Skully?

These are the rules of playing Skully.

Other Rules

When you reach the last box you go out of town and return as a killer player. If you hit another player 3x they are out of the game. If another killer player hits you 1x you out of the game. Also you can play with thirteen boxes, the boxes in the middle are double and the numbers are alternated across the board.
Posted by: Kirby Woodham

Other Names

Scummy : Submitted by Tony
DEADBLOCK : Submitted by Blaine C.

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Comment 10

Tony

2017-08-31 09:26:36

I played the same game in Philly, Pa. we called it Scummy, because we would play on the street and get real dirty. Submitted by Tony

Blaine C.

2017-08-31 03:00:11

I grew up in Southwest Philly. In the 60's & 70's we also called it "DEADBLOCK" and it was our favorite pass time along with spinning tops. The rules would vary at times and we used any kind of top with tar from the street inside.

Marsha

2016-11-23 14:37:00

It's funny at 59 years old I still want to play. I grew up in West Philly was not a Tom-boy but could beat most of the males I played. I was just sitting here thinking about dead block. Now who wants to play. Lol

Norm Chazin

2014-01-18 16:23:28

We played this game in Atlantic City in the 50's - a cross between marbles and darts - played with bottle caps on the sidewalk with squares numbered with chalk.

fritz533

2013-11-18 22:37:54

I remember playing Dead Block, but the rules were a little different. We played with sanded checkers that were topped with sanded glue.

Lots of south Philly street fun!

W. Bradley Miles

2013-08-27 10:34:39

I was born and raised in Philly and retired from the Fire Dept. In the Philippines now and want to show my nephews how to have home made fun. They don't have a clue and I don't remember all the rules. Thanks in advance, Miles

cykkatt

2012-01-28 22:59:34

we use to call it Deadman or Deadblock in South Philly

Sunfish

2011-03-24 17:03:40

I learned the game from my father, who was born in Meriden, CT in 1903. He would have played as a child - ca 1908 - 1913. He called it Skillet. We played it in the asphalt street, with empty shoe polish tins that were refilled with clay.

Diane

2010-02-18 20:18:12

I played this as a child in upper Manhattan. I was telling co-workers about it, and because of their age they never heard of it...glad someone else remembers.

Brother /day

2009-04-17 12:55:27

In Phila, PA, this {type} game was known as DEAD BLOCK. In Baltimoe, MD it's called Skillet. Send me a mailing address, and I will send you the outline of the playing court and the rules of play. Similar to your SKULLY; howeover much more intricate.