There was a game we played on the streets of New Rochelle called hit the bat. You played with a stickball bat, a tennis ball and your baseball mitt to be official. The aim was simple, hit the ball until somebody caught the ball or hit the bat. Players in the outfield became batters by catching a fly ball and or hitting the bat.

Hitting the bat meant rolling the tennis ball a good distance along the street taking into account slope, curve, and of course wind direction. If you were successful the ball would either kiss the bat and die or bounce up and become uncatchable by the batter.  In either case the fielder was now the batter. 

Kenny Sojka was the best at playing hit the bat and not just because he was older and towered over us kids ( it helped) but because he had cat like reflexes and if you wanted to bat you were going to wait awhile. This did make me a much better fielder however so thanks Kenny.