History

As with any history there are many threads to the yarn.

In Rochester, New York Roofball was first played in 1970 by Rich Saeger, age 7, and Bob Saeger, age 9, on a two car garage roof. In the eighties roofball was developed into the game it is today with the help of Jeff Saeger and X Shaw.

In Baltimore county, Maryland Donald and Steven Sauter and friends have been playing roofball for 30 to 40 years. Their Roofball ball is one of those lightweight, 99 cent balls (9"-10" diameter) with all the swirly colors. For a complete description visit Donald Sauter's Roofball page.

In southern New Hampshire at St. Paul's School a game called Roofball has been played for many years, but we have few details about the exact form. Please send details.

In Rhode Island at Moses Brown School Andy Kling and friends played Roofball from 1972 to 1975. They played on the Thomas building and had a shot called the "side arm swing".

In Riverside, California Brian Williams and friends have invented their own brand of RoofBall.

In Newport, Rhode Island at St. George's School, it has been played since the 1950's using a tennis ball with a group of people - typically at least five - and each person had a number. The person who last caught the ball throws it up on the roof (the building must be at least two _tall_ stories high, with a slate roof) and calls out the number of one of the other players. If your number is called, you must catch the ball on the fly as it comes off the roof. If you do, you can then throw it and call another player's number. If you fail to catch it, however, you are awarded a point (think 'horse' in basketball). First one to five points loses.