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Have you ever truly pondered the history of beer drinking?
Man probably stopped dragging his drinking knuckles and let the evolution of guzzling begin. ‘What happens if I open this can, poke a hole in the bottom and drink the whole thing in five seconds?’ The shotgun triggered more tomfoolery. Then came handstands on kegs (tap in mouth), funnels and drunken poker.
And then, when it seemed like all the cool ways of drinking a brew had been discovered, someone found the perfect threesome in a ping pong ball, a Solo cup and a can or twelve of cheap beer.
Beer pong was born.
Beer pong, or “Beirut” in some regions, is perhaps the most popular of all drinking games. With its roots firmly dug into college campuses, the game has grown into national tournaments and beer pong nights at bars, on which thousands of dollars can be made. More than merely a way to have fun and get drunk, beer pong has turned into a sport, a business and, for some, a way of life.
“There is a competitive side to it,” says A.J. Feldt, a recent graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology. “It’s like challenging someone to a game of one-on-one. It’s something you can brag about and hold over your friend’s head if you’re better than him at it.”
Feldt even tasted a memorable but bitter beat while playing at his graduation party.
“We showed her how to play and she took it from there. My 80-year-old grandmother beat me,” he says. “Every single shot, she bounced in. She did the under-handed bounce shot every time.”
Of all the drinking games, beer pong is closest to an actual sport, with its reliance on aim and hand-eye coordination. “I think the people who play like to compete and it’s a way to do it while hanging out at the same time,” says Billy Gaines, an attorney and former collegiate swimmer.
