Cecil, you're wrong on "ollie ollie oxen free"

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

Cecil,

The phrase that gets slurred by very young kids while playing Hide and Seek, when there is a winner and everyone out hiding needs to come in to start a new game is, “All in. All in. All outs in free.”

2

I forgot to put in the link to the column, and I got an error trying to edit my original message… http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a900622a.html

3

Welcome, **Cobra[/b[. Thanks for including the link, which many new posters do NOT.

You might find it interesting to read five previous threads which concern the column.

I’ll post the link.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=394296&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

If you think you know the true answer, you should provide some proof.

4

OK Doubting Thomas, I might not have got the phrase exactly verbatim by memory to what many think, but read the Webster Dictionary website:
http://www.m-w.com/wftw/01apr/040601.htm

or Random House Dictionary website:

5

I can testify that, in central Maine in the 50’s, it was “All-y, all-y outs in free.”

6

That’s the way I remember it, Ally Ally Outs In Free. Not that that means anything.

7

Cobra. Sorry if I sounded off on my first post.

I don’t see where you and Cecil are disagreeing with each other.

You said

Cecil said in his column

Where’s the controversy?