Tug of War Day

If your only introduction to the game of tug of war was at summer camp or in elementary school, you are in desperate need to celebrate Tug of War Day on February 19. Tug of war has grown up from the days of your youth. In addition to having its own holiday, tug of war has national and international federations that sponsor worldwide tournaments. And there are rules … lots of them.Fortunately, the international federation’s tug of war rules don’t have to apply to you if you’ve decided to relive your youth and find a tug of war game nearby. Tug of war is one of the simplest games to play. All you need is a long rope and anywhere from a few people to dozens of people. Heck, you can even play one-on-one tug of war with a short rope and your dog. (Just be prepared to lose; dogs are naturals at this game.) To play tug of war, place the rope in the middle of a field. Tie a cloth in the middle. Set up marker lines 10-20 feet from the center. Then split into teams and try to pull the cloth on the rope (and the other team by default) across your marker line. Simple enough. It’s great for building muscles and for fun. And be thankful that you don’t play tug of war the way ancient Vikings did, where they tugged on animal pelts stretched over a fire pit. The game’s losers received a hotfoot … or worse if they were unlucky.