Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for March 14, 2011

My thought exactly!

Me too.

However, the manufacturer has been living on this assumption for decades.

As H. L. Mencken said “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”

Than what exactly are you doing with it, Calvin?!

G’Morning, Grog, Marg & Mike! We miss you, Marg!

Yeah, Calvin – that never did much for me either.

We had a teacher that could whop you on top of the head with one of those clear in the back of the room. Kinda spoiled it for all of us that got bruised!

It made my granddaughter mad that she couldn’t get the ball disconnected from the racket. She’s a year older at four and still tells everybody she sees playing with one that it’s stupid.

To quote Governor William J. Lepetomane, “Why do I always get the defective one?”

I could never get the knack of playing with that toy..very frustrating for me..lol

It never really amused me either Calvin.

Good Morning, Marg, Mike & ♠Lonewolf♠!

What’s it called? Wikipedia claims it is a “paddle ball” or perhaps a “bolo bat”.

Hey…it’s better than a yoyo.

I hate paddleballs!

Just be glad your parents haven’t figured out it’s other uses…it’s a nice seat warmer

Isn’t it supposed to go, “WHAP, WHAP, WHAP, BONK!”?

Pointless really….

And yet, Calvin, for a few seconds it did amuse you…

Who are you kidding Calvin? You love it!

Calvin try different ways with that paddle. Me I can’t do it. Be all over the area. Sad about coordination.

At least it amused him for 5 seconds … now for the other 86,395 … .

I guess I’m in the minority here, but I rather enjoyed that toy.

I never could win when I played with it.

4 boks beats my record by about 3.

At least you don’t have to retrieve the ball.

Calvin never saw Marilyn Monroe handle one of those in the movie The Misfits!! :-P

but clever people find clever ways to amuse themselves with small things!

A toy designed to make you a bigger idiot.

I had several of those toys when I was young. The elastic always broke and the ball went AWOL soon after I got my hands on it. We were left with a small wooden paddle and my parents had a use for that Paddle. Based on Calvin’s overall behavior, I’d guess that HIS parents didn’t use the paddle for the same purpose as MY parents…lol

Sounds like me after trying Farmville and Mafia Wars.

Calvin, that’s exactly how I felt.

Grouse, grouse, grouse. Did anyone who’s grousing ever got skilled at using it?

I never did either, but I’m not grousing.

Does one of those amuse anyone other than Hawkeye?

I often wondered if any one ever got to enjoy that d thing. I did not have the knack to hit it softly so my frustration did not last very long.

Give me a yo yo!!!!

It was great for tagging my older brothers. A little head start in running away.

It was great for tagging my older brothers. A little head start in running away.

Much preferred the ball-cup-catch. Could often get one in a row with it.

The paddleball was better than the ’70s Clacker Balls…

I agree, Repetition is boring!

Calvin - give the toy to either Spiff the Spaceman or Stupendous Man and see what they do with it….

Here’s the paddle ball I remember. I actually got pretty good at it. I have no doubt that I wouldn’t be able to do it today.

Gee, I always enjoyed the toy and attempting to improve. :D

different uses: See how many crystal unicorns you can pick off of your mother’s nick-nack shelf without missing a stroke Line up your mother’s spice jars on the kitchen table, same rules. See how many other games you can come up with. Get your mom involved. She will involve herself sooner or later.

different uses: See how many crystal unicorns you can pick off of your mother’s nick-nack shelf without missing a stroke Line up your mother’s spice jars on the kitchen table, same rules. See how many other games you can come up with. Get your mom involved. She will involve herself sooner or later.

I was much better with a yoyo than I was this toy when I was Calvin’s age. But my absolute favorite game involving a ball this size was jacks!

:-)

HOP scotch was much more chalenging for me as long as someone else set up the chalk squares :-) :-)

Night-Gaunt49: Give me a Frisbee any day!

I too am amazed Calvin didn’t find some other more amusing use for this otherwise mundane toy!

Brilliant!

Ha–Calvin doesn’t mince words, does he?

I’m surprised at the number of comments (51 today!) for such a simple cartoon. Just wait until you see him play with a yo-yo LOL

Calvin, if you could figure a way to hit Suzie in the head with it while sitting up a tree, you’d find it very amusing.

Got pretty good at one point; the cat never cooperated, though!