Those who have been to a college party, or recently, even at some outdoor bars have probably seen people playing the game of cornhole. While this trendy activity is often associated with outdoor barbecues and tailgating parties today, the origin of the game goes as far back as the 14th century in Germany.
Bags near Mount Vernon
While there are no cornhole clubs listed for Mount Vernon, there are plenty of opportunities in the surrounding towns to play the game. The Village of Ashley, Ohio, sits 25 miles from Mount Vernon, and the recreation sport has a following there.
Cornholefinder.com has links to organizations all over the country, including U.S. Cornhole in Ashley, which not only promotes and runs cornhole tournaments across the country but also makes boards and bags of all different types. The Facebook page for uscornhole.com is followed by 3,000-plus people.
Nearby Newark, also about 25 miles from Mount Vernon, is home to 740 Cornhole, which has a Facebook page of more than 740 followers. The organization also puts together tournaments and events and is a hub for all things cornhole.
Ashley is also home to 1040 Cornhole, which is described as “the most exciting, most entertaining place in Southern Ohio” on cornholefinder.com. The organization’s Facebook page highlights tournaments and videos of people playing the game on a weekly basis.
Cornhole boards and bags for at home use can be found at a variety of sporting goods stores, as well as department stories.
The game's history
Cornhole involves players taking turns throwing a bean bag at a angled board that has a hole in the top end. There are four bags to a set, and the bean bags will have different colors associated to the team. While rules can certainly vary depending on where the game is taking place, the American Cornhole League does have specific rules and regulations.
The boards are, in general, 2 feet by 4 feet with a 6-inch hole, according to the American Cornhole League. The boards are angled 12 inches above the ground at the top and 3 to 4 inches above the ground at the bottom. Players stand 33 feet apart from each other, but this can vary depending on age or conditions of the area.
The goal is to toss the bag to where it slides up the inclined board and into the hole.
Each time a bag goes in, three points are scored and it is commonly called a cornhole. If the bean bag ends up on the board, it is one point. Some variations of the game involve a two-point play if a bag is hanging over the hole. The bag has to stay on the board the entire time a team member is throwing a set of bags, which the American Cornhole League calls an inning. An inning is when four bags are thrown by each team. Generally, the game goes until a team reaches or surpasses 21 points.
According to cornholecanvas.com, earlier forms of the game can be traced back to the Blackhawk Tribe in Illinois where bags made from dried animal bladders were filled with corn kernels to be used for competition.
Others believe a German cabinet maker named Matthias Kaupermann invented a similar game in 1325 where grain-rolled bags were thrown into a box. He made the bags after he saw his children throwing stones into a hole that was dangerous for them to play in.
Another origin story begins in 1883, when Heyliger de Windt applied for a patent for “parlor quoits.” The game was found in the U.S. Patent records and may be the earliest known version of a board. It had a square hole instead of a circle.
Other areas that are more modern include the west side of Cincinnati in the 1960s and Kentucky, where a pioneer and farmer played “Baggo” with friends.
The name has a variety of names, including “Baggo,” “bag toss,” “tailgate toss" and “bean bag toss.” While the origin has several possibilities, it is now popular for people of all ages.
The American Cornhole Organization was founded in 2005 in Milford, Ohio, and in 2015, the American Cornhole League was created.
