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1.5 Spin Turnpike Strike!
Since it’s inception a couple of years ago, the monthly Turnpike Strike! was intended to be a FUN and competitive tournament shared with friends from all over. It shouldn’t be a chore to attend. It should be something you look forward to each month. We have always tried to bring something different to these and make them fun. My favorite so far was the Team TPS!, but this 1.5 Spin seemed to rank up there with the original intent of the monthly TPS! theme of a fun night of skills and a tournament.
I really believe we need to get back to the fun of what we all fell in love with at one point. Was it really axe throwing we fell in love with? Or was it the comradery with others while being challenged at something fun? I feel like a huge part of it had to do with not knowing the outcome of an axe throwing match. Combine that with cheering each other on and celebrating victories. In my opinion, at least locally, that is quickly disappearing as perfect games and matches are expected and winners are defined by not messing up first.
The October Turnpike Strike! proved to add that element of fun back. Being 1.5 Spin hatchet throws and underhand big axe tie-breakers added a needed element of suspense. The night was so unpredictable that a DISC GOLFER showed up and won the tournament. It was crazy!
Skills for 1.5 Spin Tournament
Skills were Around the World and Blackjack. These were thrown as 1.5 Spin. Around the World was taken by Mike (Rupert) Moore Jr. Blackjack winner was Mickey (Anonymous Honeybadger) Gill. Congratulations to both of them. Throwing fire!
The Main Event – 1.5 Spin Tournament
We have never held a 1.5 Spin Tournament, and many people have never seen the others throw a 1.5, so the expectations were very different than a normal axe throwing tournament. Additionally, the outcomes were all over the place. It was a good time, and the fun was brought back. I was in the office doing not fun stuff and all I could hear was loud cheering, oohhh’s and Ahhhh’s…. Excitement! I had to break away and go join in.
Some pretty fair matchups were how seeding ended up, if it were standard tournament. This is ALWAYS a thing that is questioned. Its not a secret, its how its done every TPS! Seeing is based on the last month’s placement. After that, the order in which you registered becomes your place. Unfortunately for Warner, Kump signed up last minute. Unfortunately for Shady, even though Joe Perry waiting until the day after to sign up, he placed 4th last month.
B-Bracket
B-Bracket, as always was where the action happened! In the match-up with Shady and Krista D; she DESTROYED him. It was as if Shady had never thrown a 1.5 hatchet! In the next round she wasn’t so lucky. Anonymous Honeybadger took her down but went on to be knocked out by Rupert, who was throwing fire, even with stitches in his throwing hand.
Warner was taken out in a 0-2 night by Ben B who throws out of BTH in North Jersey. Ben is a regular at these Turnpike Strikes! and its always good to see him throwing. He doesn’t typically throw IATF, but can compete as an axe thrower. Ben was eventually taken out by roosteR aka Joe Perry or Aerosmith who went on to come in 2nd place to Kump. Joe also knocked out Stu by 2 who is another distance thrower who is a regular at TPS! and throws in our Thursday Black League. Coming all the way from Maryland, Stu made it to the quarter finals of A, but only lasted 1 round in the B Bracket.
Krista D stayed the whole time.
The Finals
The finals were decided in round 6 with Kump taking out roosteR in Big Axe. Although he was pictured with a Bull, he managed to do it with a 3. The crowd wanted to change his name to Corey, but we didn’t have time as it was approaching 9pm, instead of our normal 1am finishes.
Congratulations to Mike Kump. Not a bad showing for a Disc Golfer. Glad you gave it a shot.
All in all… I think this night got my wheels turning more on how we can bring back that fun we all once knew. As much as we still love hanging out with friends, we need to evolve.
If you have any Ideas on new skills, don’t forget that we have a skills submission form where you can give us ideas on new games/skills to play.
Co-Owner of Choppers Hatchet House