Beer Pong Day
Gather your friends, set up the table and get ready for an epic game of beer pong. Perfect your aim, master your bounce shots and don't forget to stock up on cups, balls and beer, it's gonna be a wild ride!
Whether playing in an official tournament or just for fun, Beer Pong Day brings with it the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy this sometimes underrated and underappreciated sport. Get ready to play and have fun with Beer Pong Day!
History of Beer Pong Day
Originally played making use of all of the equipment of a ping pong or table tennis game, plus some cups of beer, beer pong is a drinking game that is mostly played by college students and young people. The game probably originated on a college campus when some cups of beer were inadvertently left on a ping pong table. Some players began using the ping pong paddles and balls to aim at the cups.
Beginning with the use of four cups, the game has evolved to six cups or even ten cups, and eventually dropped the use of the paddles.
Although the game of beer pong seems to have gotten its start back in the 1950s, the first official or public use of the term beer pong didn’t happen until 1979.
Because of its grassroots history, beer pong has been known by a number of different names, although “beer pong” is certainly the most common. At one point the game took on the name “Beiruit”, possibly in relation to the 1983 suicide bombings in Beiruit, Lebanon that killed hundreds of Americans. Other names for the game might include six-cup, ten-cup, fast pong or even Bucknell.
By 2006, the World Series of Beer Pong (WSOBP) was created by beer pong players, for beer pong players. This annual event takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada which is a city that eventually declared beer pong to be the official sport of the city in 2013. The WSOBP now brings people from all over the world to participate in their tournaments, having awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money to participants and winners.
The first Beer Pong Day was established in 2006 and is scheduled to fall on the first Saturday of the month of May each year. Of course, it needs to be celebrated on the weekend since drinking is one of the activities – giving plenty of time to recover before Monday comes around again!
So grab some friends, source some equipment and make plans to enjoy and celebrate Beer Pong Day!
Beer Pong Day Timeline
1950s
Beer pong is invented
Beer pong is probably invented at Dartmouth College by student shooting ping pong balls into cups of beer left on a ping pong table.
1979
First public use of the term “Beer Pong”
The term “beer pong” is printed in a Leigh University newspaper.[1]
1980s
Beer pong drops the paddles
The use of paddles becomes less common as people throw their beer pong balls with their hands instead.
1983
Beer pong gains the name “Beiruit”
In connection with several suicide bombings in Beiruit, Lebanon, the game takes on a new moniker. [2]
2006
First World Series of Beer Pong is held
Hosted in Las Vegas, the first international beer pong tournament is held and grows to include participants from countries all over the world. [3]
How to Celebrate Beer Pong Day
Have some fun and get involved with Beer Pong Day in all sorts of way, including some of these activities:
Host a Beer Pong Day Tournament
Whether an official version of a beer pong tournament or just a few friends who are gathered for fun, Beer Pong Day is the perfect time to let loose, have some fun, bounce some ping pong balls and play some beer pong! Don’t forget that the list of equipment needed will include a table, ping pong balls, cups and – of course – beer. Providing snacks might be an extra for the party.
To make it even more fun, set up a bracket to determine which players will be pitted against which. And for those who are more competitive, perhaps have everyone buy in with a few bucks so that the winner can go home with the whole kitty!
Learn Some Fun Facts About Beer Pong
In celebration of this delightful day, try building some hype and raising awareness for National Beer Pong Day by learning and sharing some of these interesting bits of trivia built around the game of beer pong:
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Beer Pong has its own professional league
Founded by professional athlete Billy Gaines in 2001, the league has continued to grow over the past few decades. And because there is tons of prize money available, it could actually be a viable way to make some cash!
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Canadians have their own unique version of beer pong
This version of the game played by the neighbors to the north takes place on an air hockey table, using pucks instead of ping pong balls.
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Beer Pong has two sets of rules
One set of beer pong rules is used for official tournaments, while another set of rules is put into place for house parties and more casual tournaments.
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Originally Beer Pong was just for guys
At first, women were not allowed to play beer pong because the game originated in college fraternities that were only for male students. Eventually, however, it became commonplace to allow women in on the game as well.
Visit Las Vegas
As the place where beer pong has been named as the official sport, it only makes sense to hop on a flight to visit this desert city and see what opportunities there are for entering into a game or tournament in honor of Beer Pong Day. See some sights, catch some shows and play some beer pong.
For those who want to watch or participate in the World Series of Beer Pong, it always takes place in Las Vegas, usually on a weekend in June. Take this time to sign up for the tournament and make travel plans for this annual event that puts $50,000 up for grabs for the winner!
Grab Some Beer Pong Swag
In honor of Beer Pong Day, a fun way to celebrate might be to add some merch to your collection. Today, beer pong items are available in various versions of t-shirts, tote bags and even dresses! It’s a great way to show support for the day. Plus, it can be super advertising for helping to make the sport grow.
Try Some Different Beers
While beer pong is often played with cheap beer, it might be fun to host a beer pong tournament for slightly more established tastes. For a better flavored tournament, try out some craft beers or even home-brewed beers to make things a bit more interesting and palatable.
Beer Pong Day FAQs
What is beer pong?
Beer pong is a drinking game where a ping pong ball is bounced into cups of beer. [1]
How many cups for beer pong?
Beer pong is typically played with anywhere from 6 to 10 cups.
When was beer pong invented?
Beer pong seems to have been invented somewhere between 1950 and 1960. [2]
Who invented beer pong?
Students in a fraternity at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire claim to have invented the game of beer pong.
How does beer pong work?
Beer pong is usually played by two teams of two who aim for cups filled with beer at the opposite end of the table. If the ball lands in a cup, the opponent has to drink the beer. [3]
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