Finding shuffleboard’s LW roots
The game of shuffleboard and the LW Shuffleboard Club have something in common. It turns out the beginnings of each is not well-known or -documented.
Shuffleboard likely began as a game in the pubs and palaces of England. During the 15th century, the aristocracy and the peasants alike would slide English coins, originally called “groats,” down polished tabletops. The object was to get the coin to stop as close the edge as possible. Plenty of drinks and money were wagered on those games of “shove board.”
As for the LW club, there are no founding documents in the GRF’s Recreation database. However, around January 1962, along with woodworking, ceramics, sewing and roque (a form of croquet), shuffleboard was advertised in the Rossmoor Leisure World newspaper. Photos later in the year show shuffleboarders in action at the Clubhouse 1 courts, which were open air, and at partially covered courts behind Clubhouse 2. Because they were outdoors, rain-outs and wind-outs occurred several times a year.
Though shuffleboard has been played continuously in Leisure World from late 1962, it appears that an official club was not started until 1965 at the Burning Tree (Clubhouse 1) and Northwood (Clubhouse 3) courts. According to a 1965 letter from Robert Q. Jones, then-president of the club, it was called the unified Leisure World Shuffleboard Club rather than by an individual Clubhouse name.
Currently, the League standings are as follows: First place: Shufflers; second place: Hot Shots; third Place: Sliders. The top individual winning percentage for the men is Sal LaScala at .846 , and for the women, it’s Kelly Johnson at .667.
Shuffleboard League games will resume Feb. 18 with Hot Shots hosting the Shufflers. Anyone not fully vaccinated must wear a mask. Practices are held on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The St. Patrick’s Day potluck will be on March 12 at 5 p.m. in Clubhouse 3, Room 3. The club will play left center right.
—Dave LaCascia
The outdoor shuffleboard area behind Clubhouse 1 in the mid-1960s. An enclosed court took its place in 1995.
