Briny Breezes Shuffleboard

By Lynn Thomas

Swoosh… Plunk

I can still hear the sounds of the court…. swoosh as the disks “pucks” are pushed by the cue… then plunk as the disk taps into another disk at the far end of the court.

The players on the court would seem to fall into a rhythm. Standing with cue in hand, they would pull a disk towards them with the handle tip of the cue, then align the face of the cue with the disk… then push it along. All eyes would be on the disk as it made its way across the green court. It was a meditative game, fully enjoyed by all ages.

One rule that was constant — do not walk on the courts. This was so drilled into my young mind that I feared something truly dreadful would happen if I so much as put a toe to the green surface.

I’d be riding my bike around the park when suddenly I’d be aware of hearing cheers coming from the recreation center. This would be my first clue that a game was on. I would peddle to the courts and park my bike and then run up the stairs in anticipation of the game.

The spectators would be seated around the court, the players seated on benches on either end of the court.

Most wore sunglasses and hats. I would search the crowd looking for my father, or my Uncle Bert or Romie or other players that I knew. When I would spy them, I would watch intensely and root for them to win.

Shuffleboard’s popularity goes back a long ways.

Shuffleboard also called shovelboard was popular in England as early as the 15th century. Shuffleboard, apparently is derived from curling or lawn bowling, was especially popular with the aristocracy, and played under the names shovegroat, slide-groat, and shovel-penny.

Long popular as a deck game aboard ship, shuffleboard was played in the early 1900s on hard-packed sand at Daytona Beach, Florida. One local couple, having seen the game aboard a ship, marked out a court on the sidewalk in front of their hotel and the game caught on among the guests. From the hotel guest’s donations, the first cement court was built.

In 1931 a National Shuffleboard Association was set up, and the game was standardized.

For what started out as a leisure pastime, my father soon became quite involved in the sport, playing in the Southeast Coast District of the Florida Shuffleboard Association tournaments. For several years he served as captain of the Boynton Beach A team.

Among the Brinyites that became Shuffleboard Tournament players: Frank Seeley, Bert Aikens, Lola Aikens, Duke Armstead (who was a pro and gave lessons at the Boynton Beach center) and Romie Schneider.

Behind the shuffleboard court, I would often find my grandmother playing cards with friends inside the shade of the clubhouse.

Always present, whether on the court or in the clubhouse was the sound of the palm fronds blowing in the wind… and the meditative calling of the court…

Swoosh… Plunk

For additional information about Shuffleboard, its rules and where to play see: The Florida Shuffleboard Association which is an organization of clubs, formed into seven Districts, which promote all aspects of the game of shuffleboard. The FSA assists in the formation and organization of new clubs, facilitate and direct statewide tournaments and encourage inter and intra club contests. The FSA also maintains and encourages the use of the Association’s State and District Official Shuffleboard Rules and Regulations.

FSA | National Assoc. | International Assoc.

(all photos 2008 copyright – Lynn Thomas)