#fox tossing

[davidsvlogs]

Scott's tattoo kinda looks like a kramoda dragon

[davidsvlogs]

has anyone watched Fox Tossing??

[davidsvlogs]

Fox Tossing Official Trailer | Fullscreen

[cutescholar101]

Interesting! Can't wait to read.

[peashooter85]

The Noble Sport of Fox Tossing,

Popular during the 17th century, fox tossing is one of those bizarre cultural things that people of the modern age could not possibly understand.  Fox tossing usually took place in a specially made court with players spaced out in rows and columns.  Two players would work as a team, standing about 7 feet away from each other while holding a large sling. It was not uncommon for players to dress in costume as Greek or Roman mythological figures. Then dozens or scores of foxes would be herded into the court.  As a fox crossed over a sling, the players would simultaneously pull on both ends of the sling, thus propelling the fox into the air as if being shot by a slingshot.  Those who slung a fox the highest, or slung the most foxes would win.

As ridiculous as such a thing may sound, unfortunately fox tossing was often fatal for the animals, many of which could be propelled over 30 feet into the air if done by skilled slingers.  The game could also be dangerous for the participants, as frightened, angry, or rabid foxes may attack the players.  While foxes were the most popular, other animals could be used.  For example in a contest held at Dresden at the behest of Augustus II Elector of Saxony, King of Poland, 647 foxes, 533 hares, 34 badgers, and 21 wildcats were tossed.  In another tournament held in 1648, 34 boars and 3 wolves were driven into the enclosure.

Fox tossing continued in popularity until around the early 18th century, and had died out by the middle of the century.

[radhistory]

Fox Tossing was a blood sport in the 17th and 18th Century. Although dangerous, it was a fairly popular past-time that involved standing in a field with a partner, each holding one end of a sling, waiting for a fox to be released and then flinging it high in to the air.

Augustus II, King of Poland once held a grand tossing in which 647 foxes, 533 hares, 34 badgers and 21 wildcats were tossed.

Sometimes they dressed up the foxes.

... With tinsel.

[theopinionate]

The tossing of foxes and other animals was not without risk to the participants, as it was not uncommon for the terrified animals to turn on the tossers. Wildcats were particularly troublesome; as one writer remarked, they “do not give a pleasing kind of sport, for if they cannot bury their claws and teeth in the faces or legs of the tossers, they cling to the tossing-slings for dear life, and it is next to impossible to give one of these animals a skilful toss”.

Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries was a fascinating yet horrifying place.  Also, at least the cats tried to hold on to their last shred of dignity while being flung to their doom.

[wellingtonskeleton]

"Fox tossing (German: Fuchsprellen) was a popular competitive blood sport in parts of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, which involved throwing live foxes and other animals high into the air.:

Isn't history amazing?