Peanutshas tackled all kinds of sports and athletics in its comic strips. A winter favorite is ice skating, but a year-round sport thatPeanutsloves to feature is gridiron football.Everyone knows the football gag where Lucy takes the ball away from Charlie Brown when he tries to kick it. However, there are so many more football comics that are absolute gems that do not get nearly the same amount of attention.
Every one of thePeanuts,even Woodstock and Snoopy, gets in on the pigskin fun. There are reluctant football players like Marcie and then there are those who are a bit overzealous about the game, like Peppermint Patty. But even more kids participate in the football fun, ranging from Marcie to Charlie Brown to Snoopy himself in some classicPeanutsstrips that can be enjoyed even in the off-season.
13"Looks Cute, Doesn’t It?"
October 15th, 1986
Marcie does not want to play football because she does not think it is feminine enough, drawing immense frustration from Peppermint Patty in response.More than annoyed by Marcie’s claim about football,Peppermint Patty sarcastically suggests that they tie a ribbon around the ball.Marcie decides that this is actually a great idea and does just that, remarking that the ball looks much cuter than before.
Peppermint Patty has often been a champion of girls being able to do whatever the boys can do just as well - if not better - so Marcie’s comment gets under her skin more than usualin thisPeanutsstrip. The exchange turns out to make Peppermint Patty question her own femininity, later on calling Charlie Brown to get his opinion on it.
December 14th, 1960
Fighting with Charlie Brown after he accuses her of stealing his football, Lucy defends herself against the claim. Charlie Brown would really like to know who has been kicking his football all over the neighborhood, especially if it wasn’t actually Lucy. At that opportune moment,a football hits Lucy and Charlie Brown when the Mad Punter, also known as Snoopy, strikes again.
The kids are understandably annoyed and on edge after an appearance from the Mad Punter…
The Mad Punter became anotherpersona to add to Snoopy’s long list, becoming one of the more annoying alter egos for thePeanutskids, especially Charlie Brown, whose football got stolen from him. The kids are understandably annoyed and on edge after an appearance from the Mad Punter, never knowing when they are going to get a football punted to their face out of nowhere.
11"Upfield or Downfield"
October 2nd, 1999
While trying to play football,Peppermint Patty asks Marcieto throw the ball to her. Marcie asks if she is going to go upfield or downfield,but Peppermint Patty just wants her buddy to throw the ball, so Marcie does just that… and ends up hitting Peppermint Patty in the head with the football.
Realizing her mistake a little too late, Marcie apologizes for throwing an upfield pass when Peppermint Patty was going downfield instead. Marcie is not the best athlete at any sport, football being one she especially struggles with - much to Peppermint Patty’s misfortune, as comic strips like this one illustrate. If Marcie did not know when to do a downfield pass before, she does now.
10"That’s Gonna Cut Down on the Endorsements"
November 11th, 1978
Snoopy kicks the ball to the diminutive Woodstock, but the football is way too big for the tiny bird to handle, so it knocks him out. Seeing his best friend get laid out by his kick,Snoopy knows that the little mishap is going to cut down on the endorsements. Successful football players are able to make a sizable fortune from endorsing different products and services, which Snoopy is all too aware of and is counting on.
Can’t Sleep? Charlie Brown Knows How to Help and These Peanut Comics Prove It
No character is woken up in the middle of his sleep as often as Charlie Brown, which is a running gag for the perennially down-on-his-luck character.
Snoopy can try for endorsements all he wants, but with his own teammate being a bird a fraction of the size of the football, his chances are slim to none. As much as Snoopy may be disappointed about the lack of endorsements,Woodstock’s football injuriesare no picnic either.
9"What If It Hits Me in the Stomach?"
November 14th, 1991
Peppermint Patty prepares to kick the ball to Marcie so she can catch it. Scared that the ball will hit her in the stomach, Peppermint Patty reasons with her that she will not get hurt as long as she is careful. Marcie, being the analytical brain she is,takes Peppermint Patty’s warnings to heart and hides behind a tree- except for her arm and face.
WhileMarcie may seema bit overzealous in her approach to avoiding stomach injury, a tree is a pretty good line of defense. As much as Peppermint Patty does not think before she acts, Marcie is the total opposite, always being cautious, especially when sports like football are involved.
8"What’s So Exciting About the Kickoff?"
October 20th, 1967
Running up to the football, hoping to kick the ball with some distance,Sally is disappointed to seeit only flop over despite her kicking it with all her might. Not too impressed with the anti-climactic result of her kick,Sally finds it hard to see what is so exciting about the kickoff.Much like Marcie, Sally does not exactly excel at sports, especially football.
Sally has no luck gaining any interest in football, even after she tries to play.
Learning how much trouble it is to make the ball soar and thus to experience an exciting kickoff, Sally has no luck gaining any interest in football, even after she tries to play. No one can really blame her for not getting the interest in kickoff she thought she might; despite coming from a running start and kicking it with a lot of effort, all the ball does is tip over.
7"This Is a Stupid Game, Sir"
November 16th, 1996
Peppermint Patty punts the football and kicks it right into Marcie’s head, where it bounces right back into Peppermint Patty’s hand. While the kick may have been successful for Peppermint Patty,it was definitely less fun for Marcie, prompting the unathletic character to remark that they are playing a stupid game.
Marcie has a bit of a fearof getting injured when her and Peppermint Patty play football, but that is only because it has happened so many times. This comic strip was definitely not the first time that Marcie has gotten hit in the head with a football. No wonder she does not enjoy playing football with Peppermint Patty, as she always ends up getting hurt somehow.
6"That Was an Exciting First Quarter"
November 21st, 1971
A football is about three times bigger than Woodstock, if not more. That does not deter the plucky small bird from trying his best to play the game. Struggling for a good while to just move the ball, Woodstock uses his entire body just to attempt to push it around. As hard as he tries, he is unsuccessful in making the old pigskin budge,leaving a sidelined Snoopy to notice what an exciting first quarter it has been.
Love Is Hard, And These Peanuts Comics Prove Charlie Brown Knows It
Charlie Brown may have girl trouble, but at least one of his friends has heart eyes for good old Charlie Brown - namely his pal Peppermint Patty.
Leave it to Snoopy to have a sarcastic comment ready. It must be his college alter ego, Joe Cool, deeply embedded in him, that makes him so ready to deliver quips. Regardless,if Snoopy wantsa more exciting football game, he should probably choose a teammate who is not a bird the size of a thimble.
5"What If It Becomes Fond of Me?"
September 16th, 1993
Advising Marcie that she should squeeze the ball a few times before she tries to kick the football,Peppermint Patty is not metwith the response that she expected. Rather than see just a few quick squeezes,Peppermint Patty sees Marcie squeezing the football in a full-on bear hug, with Marcie questioning whether the ball could become fond of her for the way she is squeezing it.
Typically, one would not hold the football in such a long embrace, but Marcie, being an unseasoned football player, does not really know any better. As a result, she gets some weird side eye from Peppermint Patty and asks some questions about how the football will take her passionate squeezing.
4"You’re Sitting on Him!"
October 15th, 1996
Even if it is pouring rain, thePeanutskids are not going to let that damper their football game. However, their game of football in the rain does not turn out to be the blast they thought it would be, with everyone struggling to just see in front of them, let alone play the game. Some can’t find the ball, and Charlie Brown cannot even find his dog.
ThisPeanutsstrip includes a rare moment where Charlie Brown is shown with a hairline.
Unfortunately for Snoopy,Charlie Brown has unknowingly been sitting on Snoopy this whole time.One person does mind the weather though: Peppermint Patty. She is enjoying her game in the rain, determined to help Charlie Brown see that they are engaging in some real football this time.
