The History of Cornhole and its Current Popularity

The Mystery of Cornhole

It is relatively obvious that Cornhole is one of the most popular outdoor games in the United States. Whether you’re hosting a family or company barbecue or just having some friends over on the weekend, Cornhole is irrefutably the most desired game to have available. However, for most Cornhole enthusiasts, the history of Cornhole is still somewhat of a mystery. While the origins of this wildly fun game are vastly unknown, we saw this uncertainty as a challenge.

How Did Cornhole Get Its Name?

As Cornhole has become such a popular game, many have laid claim to inventing the sport. However, legend has it that a fourteenth-century cabinet maker by the name of Mr. Matthias Kuepermann created the game after watching children toss rocks into a nearby groundhog’s hole. Kuepermann was said to have been so concerned for the safety of the children that he utilized his carpentry skills and designed a safer game for them to play.

So, where does the “corn” come into play? Well, during this time, corn was utilized more often as a weight rather than a food because of its abundance. Kuepermann determined a bag of corn was much safer to throw than a stone. The rest, as they say, is history.

Where Is Cornhole Popular?

Cornhole began its popularity in the midwestern states comprised mostly of farmland because, you guessed it, more corn. However, the game Cornhole emerged as a favorite pastime in Cincinnati about 15 years ago and soon spread like wildfire to back yard barbecues, beaches, breweries, and campgrounds across the United States

Bars and pubs across the United States now host regular Cornhole tournaments. The favorite game has also seen significant usage in marketing and custom Cornhole boards are regularly used at weddings and family events. There are even Cornhole classes being taught across the country.

The chances are very good that if you go to any backyard party or barbecue this year, you’ll likely find delicious food, tasty drinks, and people playing Cornhole. This game has grown in popularity because of its portability, easy-to-understand rules, and…let’s be honest, you don’t have to be a star athlete to play a good game of Cornhole.

Professional Cornhole on ESPN

Yes, you read that correctly. Cornhole has become so popular that the American Cornhole Organization’s World Championships of Cornhole X have even received airtime on ESPN. Hosted at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina, players from around the country came to the Championships of Bags (COBS 2017) to contend for five days of Cornhole with a $50,000 cash prize at the finish line and ESPN was on-hand to catch every second of the action.There was surprisingly so much action, in fact, that the tournament even earned a larger viewing audience than Major League Baseball (on two separate networks), the Women’s National Basketball Association All-Star Game, and the final stage of the Tour de France that weekend as nearly 300,000 people tuned in to watch the tournament.

So, the next time someone tells you, “Cornhole isn’t a real game,” well…that’s simply not true.

If you want to become the next Cornhole champion, take a look at some of our specialty boards and Cornhole gear!