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Zimm Zamm, July 4th and Summer - a Blast from the Past from PlayLibrary

by Susan Gunelius on July 2nd, 2008

zimm zamm tether tennis game mattel This month, b5media’s Lifestyles Channel bloggers are being asked to share a blast from the past related to the U.S. July 4th holiday.  When I think of my family celebrating Independence Day when I was a child, I remember going to the town parade, which included mostly fire engines and soccer teams, in the morning then spending the rest of the day outdoors using our pool and playing games such as the classic Zimm Zamm from Mattel.

If you don’t remember the Zimm Zamm of the 1970s, then you missed out on a lot of fun.  It’s a tethered ball game where a tennis ball is connected to a metal pole that goes in the ground.  Two players use plastic paddles to hit the ball back and forth, ultimately trying to get their opponent to miss.  The tether is connected to a metal spiral coil structure that takes about 4 rotations (or misses) to get the tether to reach the top or bottom of the coil.  One person’s goal is to get the tether to the top of the coil, while the other tries to get it to the bottom of the coil.

Zimm Zamm was a game of quick reactions and eye-hand coordination.  My family spent hours playing with our Zimm Zamm and wore through many tennis balls!

I found a current edition of the Zim Zam at The Vermont Country Store.  It’s not exactly the same, but hopefully, it’s almost as fun.  When my triplets get a little older, I know we’ll try this version out, but I do long for the classic Zimm Zamm!

What was your favorite outdoor, holiday game or toy when you were growing up?

Image: Vermontcountrystore.com

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POSTED IN: Nostalgia Toys, Outdoor Fun, Summer Yard Toys

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