The best part of sports is winning and being able to rub it right in your opponents’ face; it doesn’t matter what your playing, or playing for. The best way to do so is to celebrate. Here at Kansas City Cornhole we’ve put together a list of some common (as well as some not-so-common) celebrations we’ve seen.
The High Five – is a classic celebratory gesture, and is usually executed by two people at a time. To properly execute a high five, each person raises a hand to make contact, or slap, the opposing raised hand of the other. If the initiator offers the right hand, the reciprocator offers the right hand, as one would with a traditional handshake. The gesture is currently most commonly employed to communicate mutual satisfaction between spectators and between participants alike, during a sporting event, or to extend congratulations from one person to another in any informal setting. The hand and arm are usually extended in an upward fashion to form the “high” part, and the palms of each hand make physical contact in final execution of the gesture. The usual and ordinary five fingers of the human hand equal “five” in number, hence the name “high five”. Five fingers must be used in order to complete a high five. Using four fingers, for example does not qualify.
The Fist Bump or Dap – (also known as “fo’ knucks”) is a type of gesture similar in meaning to a handshake, high five or nose rub. A bump also can be known as a symbol of giving of respect. Some claim that the Wonder Twins, minor characters in the 1970s Hanna-Barbera superhero cartoon Super Friends, who touched knuckles and cried “Wonder Twin powers, activate!” were the originators. The gesture is performed when two participants each form a closed fist with one of their hands and then lightly tap the front of their fists together. The participants’ fists may be either vertically-oriented (perpendicular to the ground) or horizontally-oriented. Unlike the standard handshake, which is typically performed only with each participants’ right hand, a fist bump may be comfortably performed using the left hand of one participant and the right hand of another, which is convenient if one’s right hand is holding an bag, drink, or otherwise preoccupied.
The Chest Bump – The chest bump apparently originated in professional sports and its said to symbolize vulnerability and elation. The chest bumpers throw their arms back, keep their hands open to show they have no weapons and expose their chests and hearts, indicating that they are vulnerable, joyful and nonthreatening. For females this may be painful.
The Toast – The word ‘toast’ became associated with the custom in the 17th century, based on a custom of flavoring drinks with spiced toast. The word originally referred to the lady in whose honor the drink was proposed, her name being seen as figuratively flavoring the drink. People joining in the toast signify their agreement by lifting their drinks into the air, often accompanied by shouted or murmured sounds of agreement, either repeating the toast word (e.g., “Cornhole!”) or confirming the sentiment with terms such as “Hole! Hole!”, and often followed by touching one’s drinkware against those of everyone else within reach.
The Fist Pump – is a gesture in which a closed fist is raised before the torso and subsequently drawn down and nearer to the body in a vigorous, swift motion. The fist pump is frequently carried out in parts of the Western Hemisphere, Europe, and Japan (where it is known as guts pose) to denote enthusiasm, exuberance, or success and may be accompanied by a similarly energetic exclamation or vociferation. The gesture may be executed once or in a rapid series.
The Hat Trick – A hat-trick in sports is associated with succeeding at anything three times, generally in three consecutive attempts. According to the Henri Henri hat store, between 1950 and 1970 when there were six NHL teams, the store rewarded players who had scored three goals or more in one game at the Montreal Forum with a free hat, which brought the “Hat Trick” expression into the world. In Cornhole, a hat trick occurs when one player gets 4 “cornholes” in three consecutive innings. If a member of either team scores a hat trick, fans acknowledge it by throwing their own hats from the stands onto the Cornhole court (often causing a delay in play as the hats are removed from the playing area).
more to come…
