Washer tournament draws crowd and brightens 'dull evening'

The game of washers changes with the people who play it.

The weight of the washers, the width of the boxes and just what counts as a point all change with the tournament. But the concept is easy.

"You just basically throw them down there and whoever gets the most points wins," Ryan Boren said. He was a last-minute substitute to play in Saturday's American Legion washer tournament.

The players gathered around John "Doc" Yallaly as he announced the official rules of this tournament. They heckled him, asking for bonus points.

The boxes were set 21 feet apart, measuring from center cup to center cup. It was three points if the washer made it into the center cup; one point for the sand surrounding it. The first team that totaled 21 points won, and the team with the best of three games moved forward. It was double elimination with 39 teams.

"One year it lasted until about 10 o'clock," Yallaly said. He started the tournament in 2006.

"It's just to draw a crowd for a dull evening," he said. "It helps the fair and it helps us, too."

They plan to hold another tournament with a $10 buy-in at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. The tournament pays out all the money it charges, but the money from the Ye Olde Beer Garden where the tournament is held benefits the American Legion Post 63 in Cape Girardeau. Yallaly announced the first bracket teams to play and said the rest "will just have to drink and be happy."

A radio station set up across the path played rock music for the crowd and the first round of washers started flying at about 1:30 Saturday afternoon. By 3 p.m. some teams had already been knocked out and others were staying afloat with only one loss.

"We're in it to win. We're going to get second place," Scott B. Smith said. He and his partner have taken second in past tournaments and Smith said he'd be happy to do it again.

The tournament awarded $234 to first place, $117 to second place and $39 to third.

Smith said players should perfect their throw and do the same motion every time to get it in the box. And make sure to get plenty of "aiming juice" from the American Legion.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246

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