Match Race

[roguedawg]

I snarfed my drink when I read about the ear wax suggestion and could not let a good story go to waste. A true story I have to share that occurred when I was on staff at Camp Brule' in 1984.

 

Our summer camp tradition was that every Wednesday night, we had our water carnival. The parents would come, have a chicken dinner, and watch the competitions.

 

We had about 12 troops gathered for a match race. They had to take a match, run around the lake passing it between non-swimmer runners, they would hand it to canoers, they would paddle out to a row boat, they would row to a swimmer, he would swim to the class B swimmer, he would swim and pass it to a class C swimmer, and he would run it to shore and light the match on a stone.

 

My brother and I were giving the directions to the scouts. We gave them a hint of coating the match with ear wax first and when they do the water areas, to place the match inside their mouth to keep it from getting wet. (Don't touch it with your tongue). All of the scouts just laughed. One troop with all new tenderfoots said that they would never win anything since they were all 11-12 year olds going against older boys. We told them to do what they were told. So the race started and one by one the older scouts came in and had wet mush matches. The last troop to come in was that tenderfoot troop. What happened? You guessed it. Their match lit. So they came in last, but won! They listened and put it into action. So it paid off to have a teachable spirit. Of course we HAD to rub it in to the older scouts in front of all of the parents. Later on at the campfire program it was brought up again. So most of the older boys were humbled that day. I hope you liked the story. RD

 

So if any younger scouts out there reading this, just remember to listen to your leaders. Sometimes us adults seem like we are speaking in tongues and are a little on the crazy side, but we tell you things to make your life easier.

[Stosh]

Age and treachery will win out over youth and exhuberance anyday!

[shortridge]

Is there a special technique for holding the match in your mouth while avoiding contact with your tongue? And are we talking wooden or paper matches?

[Stosh]

Hmmmm, does one hold the match in their mouth before or after they put the earwax on it? If it's after, then there should be some very strong incentive to keep it off the tongue.

 

Stosh

 

 

[roguedawg]

You place the match head just inside of the mouth and pinch it with your teeth and lips. Yes, the match is waxed before it is put into the race. I guess your own ear wax isn't as bad as someone elses. HA! RD