Those who were in Walsberg on a Saturday morning probably saw the caravan of corn players passing through the neighborhood. Due to the extremely wet field at Sportpark Leeuwkensbroek, the tournament was moved to the gymnasium at Gerardusschool. The place where five years ago the first and only Dutch club started throwing beanbags.
The founder of Zakkensmijters Walsberg (ZSW) is 67-year-old Karel Sleegers. He discovered the sport in Germany and has been an ardent advocate for it ever since. “It is very accessible. Anyone can learn it. Age or status does not matter. You just have to throw the ball.”
Something small
Sleegers points out the way the square bags are thrown towards the game board, which is eight meters away. This sign is 1.20 meters long and it goes up a slope. There is a hole at the top. If it hits the bag, the player gets three points. next to it, but on the board it means 1 point. Whoever gets 21 points first wins. This is cornhole in a nutshell.
During the fourth tournament organized by ZSW, inexperienced players and the public can witness the art of the (inter)national and award-winning participants. Bags move up and down from side to side during doubles play. With a dull thump they landed on a plank. Players do not throw straight forward, but in an arc.
International company
34 participants are competing for the cup today as a duo and/or as a single player. There were only 12 the first time around, says the initiator. “And that was mostly family. Now we have people from Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. There are also two Americans who are stationed at the air base in Volkel.”
This international group is due in part to ZSW’s efforts in foreign competitions. “We play regularly in other countries. Then we have a good connection right away. New friends are formed through the atom hole. Then we invite those friends to come here.”
The origin is in America
In their first doubles match, De Deurnenaar and his cousin Timo Sleegers will play against Americans Jacob Babich and John Knight, or “Double J”. They narrowly lost with a score of 21 – 20. That’s quite an achievement when you consider that the Dutch duo only played the sport for five years and the American grew up with it.
Cornhole has been around in the United States for forty years. Initially, bags filled with maize, or “maize”, were used, hence the name. Because of the pellets that were fired, the Americans switched to the pellets. The official league, the American Cornhole League, holds amateur and professional tournaments. The latter can sometimes win a thousand dollars per game.
The popularity is growing
We haven’t gotten that far in the Netherlands yet, but Sligers and his kin are no longer the only enthusiasts in our country. Slowly but surely more people are discovering the game. “Most of them do it in a small group, not in a club. We are the only official club so far. That’s why we also have members from outside the region, such as Nijmegen and Duenried.”
The fact that bean throwing is growing in popularity is evidenced by the fact that a federation has recently been created for it. The Dutch Cornhole Association (NCHB) held its first NK in Papendal in April, with Karel and Timo taking first prize. The association wants to develop sport in the Netherlands. So skiers no longer have to pull the cart on their own.
Photographs: Harold van der Burgt
