Introduced by the American Cornhole Organization as the new standard tournament bag, these bags are the best of the best! Made from 12 ounce duck canvas on one side and microfiber suede on the other. Filled with a synthetic corn like resin that never breaks down or swells from the rain. Throw the duck canvas side for the traditional slide or the microfiber suede for the aggressive "over the top". These bags will always stay a true one pound weight and will last as much as ten times longer than a standard corn canvas bag. CLICK HERE or visit the cornhole bags page for more information!
Cornhole's Roots
The game of Horseshoes can trace its origins back to ancient civilization. Roman soldiers and peasants each played avariation of tossing metal objects around stakes pounded into the ground. The game was played widely throughout Europe and throughout America via early English settlers. Cornhole cannot trace its roots back to the Romans. Cornhole cannot definitively be traced to settlers. The only absolutes about our lawn game is that the first documented emergence occurred in Cincinnati and that the name is derived from the bags.
Theories
The most widely accepted progenitor of the game is Jebediah Magillicutty, a Midwestern farmer who lived during the 1800's. He is believed to have created the game and played it in his barn with family. His rumored inspiration was watching bys in the field throwing rocks into groundhog dens. Fearing for their safety, he affixed household doors at angles to the ground with bored holes three-quarters to the top. He then stuffed burlap sacks with dried corn and thus concocted a close and safe proximate to the boys' game.
Others suggest that a form of Cornhole was played in Europe and that various ethnic groups brought their version of the game to America. This could explain the multitude of names still in existence--"corn toss", "bag toss", "baggo" and, of course, "Cornhole". Some even give credit to Native Americans, but no evidence substantiates such a claim.
What is known
Whether an ancient tribe, an unnamed farmer or Magillicutty is responsible, it is accepted that the game evolved over the century into a standard form. Cornhole boards measure two feet wide by four feet long, and contain a six-inch hole near the rear end of the board. The rear height is generally twelve inches tall. Boards are spaced twenty-seven feet from front edge to front edge. This standard emerged in backyard and tournament form initially in Cincinnati, and gained notoriety as a tailgating pastime at Bengal's games around 1999.
Today
Cornhole can be found throughout the country, still as a popular tailgating game, but more commonly as backyard, family fun. The game, through its simplicity has gained a cult following and has grown into a recognized sport. Therefore, regardless of Cornhole's bastard roots, the sport has found its place in our culture. We appreciate the individual inspiration or the collective offshoots that somehow congealed into the boards and bags of today. Historians take note. Our game may not grace ancient Roman artwork, but it thrives today in the ever-evolving picture of American life.
The Power of Cornhole
Six ye
ars ago, no one at Easter Seals Work Resource Center could foresee that 20 sheets of donated plywood would launch a new job training program for people with disabilities, a major fundraiser for the agency, and the Monster Energy World Cornhole Championship.
In 2004, Easter Seals WRC had just opened Building Value, a retail building materials reuse outlet stocked with donated and salvaged building materials. Proceeds from sales would support job training for people with disabilities and life disadvantages served by the agency. At the same time, the agency was looking for ways to promote their mission and name recognition in the community.
When the 2 x 3 sheets of plywood were donated, cornhole enthusiasts on staff saw a great opportunity to teach people with disabilities how to build cornhole sets. And why not, they reasoned, use the boards to host a cornhole tournament as a fundraiser? And thus was born the precursor to Tailgate Bash, Cornhole Fest. Held at Lunken Park, Cornhole Fest was one of the first fundraising tournaments outside of church festivals and drew more than 100 players in its first year, including Matt Guy, Steve Vanderver and Randy Atha, now the top three ranked pros on the ACO tour.
Six years ago, no one at Easter Seals Work Resource Center could foresee that 20 sheets of donated plywood would launch a new job training program for people with disabilities, a major fundraiser for the agency, and the Monster Energy World Cornhole Championship.
In 2004, Easter Seals WRC had just opened Building Value, a retail building materials reuse outlet stocked with donated and salvaged building materials. Proceeds from sales would support job training for people with disabilities and life disadvantages served by the agency. At the same time, the agency was looking for ways to promote their mission and name recognition in the community.
When the 2 x 3 sheets of plywood were donated, cornhole enthusiasts on staff saw a great opportunity to teach people with disabilities how to build cornhole sets. And why not, they reasoned, use the boards to host a cornhole tournament as a fundraiser? And thus was born the precursor to Tailgate Bash, Cornhole Fest. Held at Lunken Park, Cornhole Fest was one of the first fundraising tournaments outside of church festivals and drew more than 100 players in its first year, including Matt Guy, Steve Vanderver and Randy Atha, now the top three ranked pros on the ACO tour.
Following the third successful year of the tournament, Easter Seals WRC, its beer sponsor Christian Moerlein, and the American Cornhole Organization decided it was time to go big, and the concept for Tailgate Bash was born. The event was moved to Fountain Square and the format was completely overhauled. Instead of another double elimination tourney, the event would have two unique cornhole competitions. The first, the World Cornhole Championship, would be an ACO-sanctioned invitation-only pro event. The second, Cornhole-athon, would be an eight-person team event targ
eted to community organizations and corporations.
Fast-forward to 2009, and while lots of things have changed since the first Cornhole Fest, a few things haven’t. Matt Guy, the winner of 2004 Cornhole Fest, will be shooting for a three-peat at this year’s Tailgate Bash. And the agency has found a way to incorporate the making of cornhole sets and other household and garden items into a year-round job-training enterprise, Building Ability. Building Ability offers individuals with disabilities the opportunity to learn woodworking skills, a skill they would likely never be entrusted to learn anywhere else. By building and creating quality products like Adirondack chairs, porch swings, flower boxes, chess sets and much more, all from recycled and re-used materials, participants learn valuable work skills and gain confidence to help them succeed. Products are available for purchase and special orders are welcome.
Tailgate Bash has grown from a simple cornhole tournament to the official kick-off of Tailgating Season in Cincinnati, and raises $100,000 a year in support of the people served by Easter Seals WRC. Easter Seals WRC is proud to partner with ACO in growing the event from a mid-sized open cornhole tournament to one of the premiere cornhole events in the country.
For more information about Easter Seals, visit http://www.easterseals.org.
Following the third successful year of the tournament, Easter Seals WRC, its beer sponsor Christian Moerlein, and the American Cornhole Organization decided it was time to go big, and the concept for Tailgate Bash was born. The event was moved to Fountain Square and the format was completely overhauled. Instead of another double elimination tourney, the event would have two unique cornhole competitions. The first, the World Cornhole Championship, would be an ACO-sanctioned invitation-only pro event. The second, Cornhole-athon, would be an eight-person team event targeted to community organizations and corporations.
Fast-forward to 2009, and while lots of things have changed since the first Cornhole Fest, a few things haven’t. Matt Guy, the winner of 2004 Cornhole Fest, will be shooting for a three-peat at this year’s Tailgate Bash. And the agency has found a way to incorporate the making of cornhole sets and other household and garden items into a year-round job-training enterprise, Building Ability. Building Ability offers individuals with disabilities the opportunity to learn woodworking skills, a skill they would likely never be entrusted to learn anywhere else. By building and creating quality products like Adirondack chairs, porch swings, flower boxes, chess sets and much more, all from recycled and re-used materials, participants learn valuable work skills and gain confidence to help them succeed. Products are available for purchase and special orders are welcome.
Tailgate Bash has grown from a simple cornhole tournament to the official kick-off of Tailgating Season in Cincinnati, and raises $100,000 a year in support of the people served by Easter Seals WRC. Easter Seals WRC is proud to partner with ACO in growing the event from a mid-sized open cornhole tournament to one of the premiere cornhole events in the country.
For more information about Easter Seals, visit http://www.easterseals.org.