A Case for Pitch?

[LibertyHallVols]

When it comes to card-playing, most reenactors are familiar with Euchre and Poker. However, I believe I have found a reference to "Pitch", a game that may be familiar to my comrades from the Sucker State.

None other than Si Klegg himself:

"Thar!" exclaimed Si, as he and Shorty flung down a box of hardtack with such force as to break it open, "them rebils thought they had a purty good hand, but we've made 'high, low, Jack' a-ready 'n' in a day er to we'll give 'em a lively tussle fer the 'game.' We've jest got the keerds ter do it with now!"

Reference: Corporal Si Klegg and His Pard Shorty
Chapter XXXIV, The Rebels Cut the "Cracker-Line" and Si is Put on Quarter Rations, A "Square" Meal

Any pitch-players out there? I played a lot of pitch in college in western Illinois and haven't heard of folks from anywhere else who'd heard of the game.

Am I reading the quote wrong?

...discuss...

[Silas]

Re: A Case for Pitch?

Is this a variation on the games known as "All Fours", "Old Sledge" or "Seven-Up"? In the online search of period books popped up rules for the game known by these three names. "Commercial Pitch" or "Auction" was also mentioned.

[rbruno]

Re: A Case for Pitch?

I used to play pitch a lot with a couple friends. We used to say you wanted to capture the jack. There was one more way to win points and I think it was called game. It has been a long time since I played. I think we played with partners. Am I remembering that correctly?

[H. L. Hanger]

Re: A Case for Pitch?

Have played a lot of pitch with some of the old ranchhands in the back of the barber shop in Buffalo, Wyoming, where Owen Wister's "Virginian" chased Trampas. High, Low, Jick, Jack and Game, with game being counted by points. Five point, but have seen "greenhorms" playing 7, 10, etc., point. Partners can be played, but 5 point "cut-throat" was the only game the old-timers played....and, woe to the player who fed "game" points to the high player!

J

[Longrope]

Re: A Case for Pitch?

Pitch is one of the more popular card games played on ranches out here in Montana. Points are made on high, low, game, jack, off-jack (or jick), and the joker. We also sometimes play with a widow hand.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: A Case for Pitch?

Silas,
I think Si makes reference to Seven-Up in the book. I cannot recall for sure. I'll look up "Seven-Up" and see if its similar to Pitch.

Others,
I always played pitch for Hi, Low, Jick, Jack, and Game as a partners game with six cards delt.

[ScottCross]

Re: A Case for Pitch?

"Seven Up" (or any of its other names) was very popular. We played it in camp all the time. I found the rules in an 1855 edition of Hoyles.

Silas,
I think Si makes reference to Seven-Up in the book. I cannot recall for sure. I'll look up "Seven-Up" and see if its similar to Pitch.

Others,
I always played pitch for Hi, Low, Jick, Jack, and Game as a partners game with six cards delt.