RODS N RINGS

Also known as "Chinese Horseshoes" or Railman's Rings" this simple game of skill has its roots in American Railway lore. A resourceful rail worker in the 1800's devised a game for himself and his coworkers utilizing the materials on hand. With a pair of steel rods, some stones and large washers, they had a way to combat the boredom between shifts. This variant of ring toss grew in popularity, particularly among the Chinese rail workers, but also was played in towns formed by the railway, or by railway transients in their impromptu camps. With the decline of the American Railway, knowledge of the game nearly vanished. Historian Kevin Moore is credited with rediscovering it and evolving it to this new precision crafted level.