Some net surfing on British Bulldog has revealed some interesting facts:
While it appears to have been claimed by the scouts, it was played throughout the white British Commonwealth, and was/is played in other countries – in Germany it is called “Who’s afraid of the Bogeyman?”
The number of initial bulldogs is decided by the players and depends on their number and the size of the playing area. A runner is considered caught if grabbed for long enough for the bulldog to call “British Bulldog, one, two, three” (I now remember that) – some sources state that the runner must be lifted off the ground for that time. Any runners who have not left the start area when the first one reaches ‘Home’ is considered caught anyway.
In this video the runners seem to be identified by carrying a yellow cloth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvaHhqsWr5wThe website ‘Boy Scout Trail’ advises leaders:
“This Game is meant for Boy Scouts. It gets VERY physical. You may want to take your larger scouts aside before the game and advise them about handling smaller scouts”.
Which leads on to how far it is permitted, if I have interpreted correctly:
1. Objections to the game initially came from parents, concerning minor injuries and torn clothing.
2. There is no official ban in the UK, but it was increasingly banned in schools following a critical report in the British Medical Journal in June 1985, mentioning the number of serious injuries resulting from the game.
3. Then, to encourage more physical activity by children, the Local Government Association advised Education Authorities, in September 2008, to encourage the game, among others.
4. After a surge, it seems to be in decline again – in a survey in April 2011, 29% of teachers questioned said that the game had been banned in their schools.
Are there any KHF members who are currently scout leaders, or who have children in the scouts, who can tell us the stuation today?