Throwing Ringers in the Northland
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DULUTH - The game of horseshoes has been around so long it dates back to the days of the Roman Empire and in the Unites States became a way to have fun after a long day out on the farm.
"It started on the farms I suppose and built up and like that. In Minnesota I think they've had leagues in the 1920s and 1930s already," said Ray Tilli, a longtime horseshoe pitcher.
In Duluth, the sport really got going in the 1960's with the formation of the Duluth Horseshoe Club.
"I can remember when I was a kid my dad used to pitch in a town league. All these little towns around all had horseshoe clubs and unfortunately you don't see that anymore," said Kent Giese, a member of the Duluth Horseshoe Club.
The club had more than 100 members in its hay day, when popular summer activities like softball leagues weren't around.
But horseshoes in the Northland took a hit when a zamboni exploded, caught fire and burnt down Peterson Arena, where they played for many years.
"We had good lighting, good clay, we didn't have to worry about the rain and we had a lot of people pitching then and when that burned down it kind of cut our membership," said Tilli.
Now, the club is down to 25 members and plays out at Merritt Park in West Duluth, where the object of the game, to get ringers, remains the same.
Tilli said, "You have to have your shoe open to begin with, it's got to be open to go into the stake, then you have to get the distance and you have to be very consistent."
It's one of the few sports which has national championships for men, women, and juniors yet can still be played in the friendly confines of your own backyard.
"Anybody can do it and at any age. We have youngsters from about seven or eight years old pitching now in sanction leagues and then we have the older groups that are over 70," said Tilli.
Giese said, "I just think that you get to meet other people, you have a fun time and there's not a lot of pressure. You're just out here to play and have fun."
The Duluth Horseshoe Club plays twice a week, with doubles playing on Monday nights and singles on Thursday nights.
