Shuffleboard: The St. Pete Pastime
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St. Pete’s is certainly full of its sports fans, I’m one of them, but there is one in particular that has definitely made it’s mark on our city’s history. Don’t laugh, but shuffleboard is the game to play. Normally associated with retirement homes and cruise ships, it’s come back with a breath of fresh air. Since so many of us are looking for a new excuse to get outside, let me introduce to the pastime that put my town on the map.
What’s the History?
Sometimes called 52 feet of history, the game started at least 500 years ago. Honestly, the exact origins are still a mystery. We know that King Henry VII liked to play, but that doesn’t mean England can claim it. It’s such a simple premise, I can almost envision this game being played during the time of Cleopatra or Julius Caesar. Now a days, it’s become extremely popular in retirement homes and even makes some appearances at bars in the miniature version.
What are the Rules?
Like I said, this game is pretty simple. You and your partner stand on opposite ends of the court, with another team. At each end, there is a segmented triangle with each section representing different points. From top to bottoms: 10, 8, 7, and negative 10 (called the kitchen). You and the opposite team use a cue stick (called tang) and four discs each (called biscuits) to either score points or play defensive. If the biscuit touches the line, sorry no points! After eight rounds, the team with the most points wins. Depending on the venue or club, there are some different quirks or interpretations on the rules. So, if you’re playing for the first time, it doesn’t hurt to ask!
Why Saint Pete?
That’s a fair question. Shuffleboard came to the Sunshine City nearly a century ago, in 1923, as a leisurely activity during the Florida population boom. If you’re a history enthusiast, I highly recommend reading Bubble in the Sun, one of my favorite summer reads. Anyway, as the popularity of the sport grew, a need for a formal court presented itself. It made its home at Mirror Lake and the world’ largest shuffleboard club was born. In 1979, the International Shuffleboard Association was founded here to help the sport become more popular in the USA. Funny enough, shuffleboarders come from around the world to play here.
How do I join?
As far as I can tell, there isn’t a shuffleboard club database, but a simple Google search should go along way. In St. Pete, you can join the league and play in weekly tournaments or just the fun of it. David and I are a part of a league and I don’t want to brag, but I’m pretty good. We even have our own set of tangs. Maybe someday, I can go pro! While we lived in NYC, we joined the league at Royal Palms in Brooklyn (also in Chicago). It took us an hour to get there by subway, but it was such a fun release and felt like a little slice of Florida in the Big Apple. The aesthetic was definitely vintage St. Pete inspired!
Shuffleboard… It’s not for retirees anymore. I used to get strange looks when I told people I was in a league, but it’s a great stress reliever. It’s extremely casual, relaxed, but most of all fun! Be part of this St. Pete tradition and join the club today!
Love from Florida,
Katie
Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.
