What the Heck is a Beer Pong Table?
What the Heck is a Beer Pong Table?
Beer pong is a game that is thought to have started in the Dartmouth College fraternities in the early 1960’s and was played with ping pong paddles. The evolution of the game is somewhat unclear, but in the 1980’s the name ‘beer pong’ (sometimes known as ‘Beirut’) was adapted, and is now the official name of the ‘sport’.
Materials needed to play beer pong:
- Rectangular shaped table
- Plastic cups
- Ping-pong balls
- Beer (lots!)
6 to 10 cups are placed at each end of the table in a ‘bowling pin’ formation. Each team consists of 2 – 4 players. Each team takes turns trying to throw a ping-pong ball into one of the other teams cups. If this is accomplished, the opposing team member has to drink the cup of beer. The first side to eliminate all of the opposing teams cups is the winner. The exact rules are unclear and are typically set by the ‘house’.
As the sport became more and more popular, beer pong tables evolved from ‘using the kitchen table’ to a highly profitable business. You can now get a basic beer pong table for around $40.00, or (if you have the funds), you can get a really outstanding table for up to $700.00. The tables are available in many styles, folding, lighted, neon, floating, with NFL team or college team emblazoned on the tables, with skulls, marijuana leaves – too many options to name! As you can imagine, beer pong is a messy ‘sport’, so all tables are made from material that is easy to clean. TIP: If you are playing at home, place a plastic tarp under the table to minimize clean up.
You may wonder why I continue to refer to this game as a sport. Beer pong has become extremely popular – to the point that there are leagues and tournaments. Participation in a league or tournament usually requires that you turn in your car keys prior to starting the tournament. The keys will not be available to you until the next day. Various means of transportation will be provided so that you can get home.
