Author Topic: Pitch and Toss  (Read 197 times)

Offline AllanUK

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Pitch and Toss
« on: Tuesday 04 February 25 13:18 GMT (UK) »
As a young lad in the late 1950s, I can remember walking on the path beside the River Wansbeck from behind St Johns Church, Ashington to North Seaton Colliery and coming across a group of men playing 'pitch and toss' --- can anyone remember what the 'rules' of this game was? My memory tells me that three penny coins were thrown up in the air and that men would gamble on the outcome when they landed, i.e. 2 heads and 1 tail; 3 heads; etc.

I have searched online but can't find anything definitive.

Online Tickettyboo

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Re: Pitch and Toss
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 04 February 25 13:34 GMT (UK) »
My memories of Pitch and Toss are that it was throwing coins against a wall, nearest to the wall got all the coins.
I did find this though - a fair bit further north but it seems like the kind of game you are talking about
https://urbanglasgow.co.uk/back-court-gambling-in-gorbals-t3871.html

Boo

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Re: Pitch and Toss
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 04 February 25 13:38 GMT (UK) »

Offline AllanUK

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Re: Pitch and Toss
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 04 February 25 13:57 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Boo, I have seen the 'rules' for the Mansfield area but not the Glasgow 'rules' which are basically what I remember. I can't remember the pennies being launched from a flat piece of wood but it was a long time since I saw the game being played.


Offline Pete E

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Re: Pitch and Toss
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 05 February 25 12:48 GMT (UK) »
Allan, I recall my grandfather telling me of the days he used to play pitch and toss back in the early years of the 20th century. There was always a large group of men playing and they would try to find somewhere out of the prying eyes of the law. He said if the "Polis" appeared everyone would dash away into the colliery rows and disappear into anyone's front door to hide! Not long ago I found a newspaper article in the British Newspaper Archive, describing how the police broke up a, "school" as the games were called. My grandfather was one of those summoned to court and fined 7/6
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Offline AllanUK

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Re: Pitch and Toss
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 05 February 25 13:10 GMT (UK) »
Many thanks, the article makes an interesting read.

Offline belfordian

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Re: Pitch and Toss
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 11 February 25 16:41 GMT (UK) »
My mother lived in Beatrice St, Hirst - now Ashington- from about 1920 to 1940 and remembered seeing groups of pit men playing pitch and toss. There was usually 1 man keeping a lookout for the “polis”.
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