Old Carny Game Examination

[Jim Morton]

For those of you interested in carny games, check out the thread on Boing Boing about a crooked ball toss and how it worked. You could use this game to teach physics. :)

Jim

[Jim Morton]

This story is moving down the page and has no external link, but here are the two videos from the page. The first shows the device in action; the second shows the inside of the device. With this explantory text:

When the carny wants to demonstrate how easy it is to throw a ball into the basket and have it drop through the hole, he reaches into the catching apron and pushes the green fabric tacked to the backboard, which makes the cylinder flush against the backboard. Then he tosses the ball into the basket. The cylinder absorbs the ball's energy, so the ball does not bounce out of the basket, but instead drops through the hole.

Video 1

Video 2

Jim

[Jim Maloney_dup1]

Here is a direct link to the article: Rigged carny game -- secret revealed! (with videos)

-Jim