13 Comments
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Josh Datko's avatar

As long as kids find skipping rocks something to strive for, I have hope in humanity! 😀

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James Hart's avatar

I've always loved that scene in Time Bandits, in which Kevin longs to be in the Trojan Wars and asks Agamemnon to teach him how to swordfight. Agamemnon tells him that he'll teach him something "much more useful." And it's the cups and balls. I think rock-skipping is somewhere along similar lines.

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Hasse's avatar

I've never been great at skipping rocks -- probably because I don't know who Satchel Paige is.

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James Hart's avatar

Best submarine pitcher to ever grace the American League! But yeah, there's got to be some kind of overseas equivalent. Is cricket a big thing where you are?

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Hasse's avatar

Not really. There may be an equivalent in handball though. That’s a sport that leaves a lot of Americans scratching their heads, I think.

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James Hart's avatar

We play something we call handball here, but I wonder if it’s the same? It’s big with some office workers.

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Hasse's avatar

Ours is a sort of a mix between basketball and soccer: https://youtu.be/8noap_2K3VI?si=ADlfAZDGq97EPWyS

When my American host mother caught it on TV, when she visited Denmark, she couldn't believe her eyes.

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Chris Gartland's avatar

Great telling of a story that should be vital to every child's life. Once, probably high school age, and probably high, some friends and I got into a contest to see who could skip the least perfect skipping rock. We got very wet.

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James Hart's avatar

Thanks, Chris. Gotta say, that sounds like an ideal afternoon.

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Richard Bryant's avatar

#1

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James Hart's avatar

Yeah, admittedly that's the one that occurred to me most immediately.

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Daniel Bishop's avatar

Satchel Paige has the name of a legend, and now he is one.

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James Hart's avatar

Oldest player in MLB history, still to this day!

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