Siklódi Csilla szerk.: Tradicionális sportok, népi játékok (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 2. Budapest, 1996)

Méta, csürök, karika (Kriston Vízi József)

Dr. József Vizi Kriston Research of Hungarian folk games In March, 1877, count Miksa Esterházy, the then president of the Hungarian Athletics Club urged the publication of a book on Hungarian ball games in an appeal dated from London, and in 1885 Lajos Porzsolt (1850-1922) published his book, A magyar labdajátékok könyve [A book of Hungarian ball games]. His description were supplemented with outlines of games and game exercises observed at renowned Hungarian colleges such as the ones at Pápa, Patak, Gyöngyös, Nagyenyed, Csurgó, etc. Porzsolt'

s book is exemplary in that it describes in loving detail the fabric and the size of the bats and other playing implements, as well as the various types of balls used in these games, together with their form and manufacturing techniques. One chapter in his book was devoted to counting-out and other rhymes for drawing lots — handed down to our own days —, for choosing the players and starting the game which were only valid together with the game itself. The most comprehensive monograph of games, Magyar gyermekjátékgyűjtemény [A compendium of Hungarian children's games] was written by Áron Kiss (1845-1908) and a host of several hundred fellow field researchers which, quoting Porzsolt work, omitted a discussion of the rich variants on ball games such as rounders and its many varieties that were played in towns and villages throughout Hungary. The last thirty pages of this game compendium, published exactly 105 years ago, offers descriptions of several other folk games. The so-called stick (or 'shepherd') games allow an insight into the rich games culture of rural boys, played with instruments manufactured by themselves for the occasion. The week preceding Easter was characterized by merry-go-rounds and swings, a wide variety of hopscotch games, as well as a game called kapózás, played with five pebbles, games played with buttons and a variety of marble games played both with marbles and eggs. The last third of the 19th century, marked by the advent of a more liberal public education in kindergartens and primary schools, saw the publication of manuals for urban teenagers and gymnasium students. Outstanding among these is the Ifjúsági játékok középiskolák számára [Games for secondary school students] written by József Ottó, published in 1897. Árpád Lajos, the outstanding researcher of Hungarian folk games in the 20th century, catalogued and published his collection, as well as his methodological comments and observations continuously. His book, A magyar nép játékai [Hungarian folk games] was an acclaimed collection. This compendium of mimetic games, team