Unique Game for Party Amusement (Jan, 1933)
Unique Game for Party Amusement
“SPIKE the Potato” is a highly entertaining game for any party. All that is needed is a single large potato, a number of paper cones and some needles. The paper cones are about 7 in. long and 1-1/2″ in diameter at the large end. When you roll them into shape, slip a needle or pin into the small end and daub it with glue. This, when dry, will hold it in place. At the same time, glue the edge of the paper fast. Then pull a small tuft of cotton into a fluffy ball and after rubbing some glue on the inside of the open cone end, push the cotton in.
The game is played in this fashion: Suspend the potato near a wall and arrange a row of chairs six feet away. No contestant may approach nearer than the backs of these chairs. Ask the people to get ready and then step up and swing the tuber. As soon as it swings, the signal may be given for firing. Guests should throw their cones in an attempt to stick them into the potato, as demonstrated in an accompanying photo.
Ah! the fun activities people did for fun before television.
Comment by Al Bear — November 4, 2008 @ 1:37 am
Putting holes in the wall and the possibility of physical injury? Sign me up!
No really, that looks like it would be great fun when you’ve been drinking.
Comment by Eamon — November 4, 2008 @ 2:12 am
A fun variation on the game:
1. Everyone is blindfolded, standing in a large circle.
2. A small child, holding a potato, stands in the center of the circle, slowly turning around.
3. The drunken adults try to hit the potato with the darts.
Comment by Rick Auricchio — November 4, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
Forget the paper darts…. use hand guns.
Comment by Michael Patrick — November 4, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Why not just use darts?
Looks like a fun game, but my, that’s a funny illustration.
Comment by Torgo — November 4, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
The creators of lawn darts must have seen this and decided it wasn’t dangerous enough.
Comment by John M. Hanna — November 4, 2008 @ 11:30 pm
What to do, when the economy has imploded and you can’t afford to simply buy a set of pub darts.
Keep the cat out of the room. Not a game for the easily frustrated.
Comment by Baron Waste — November 7, 2008 @ 4:03 am
seem like a fun pre-dart-developed game with movable swinging target
Comment by komgrit — November 7, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
I may just have had a few too many, but this sounds stupidly fun – it’s like pin-the-tail on the donkey for vegans or something.
Comment by BlushingLush — April 28, 2010 @ 3:11 pm
If one uses glossy magazine pages, and carefully trims the darts, you can make very awesome blowdarts that will launch as much as 100 yards, using a length of pipe or pvc. Trick is tearing a corner out so they can be rolled even tighter, becoming ten-inch needles of paper.
Comment by Bobcat — December 29, 2010 @ 5:52 am