Doug McClure and Jim Culver, two members of Henderson’s 270 Cornhole team, won the World Senior Doubles Championship at the American Cornhole Organization Worlds in Owensboro July 24-29.
More than 650 cornhole players from all over the United States took part in the weeklong competition that included dozens of different tournaments.
It was McClure’s and Culver’s victory that took top honors for the Henderson team. The seniors division is for players 55-year-old and up.
McClure, 56, and Culver, 79, met playing cornhole at the Morganfield VFW several years ago. They drew as partners that night but didn’t become a competitive duo until a year later. Since then, they’ve pitched three or four nights a week and competed in four major tournaments.
Culver said in an interview with the Hendersonian in mid-July that he grew up playing washers and then horseshoes and now this. He’s often the oldest player at tournaments he enters but that doesn’t phase him.
“I’ve always been competitive,” he said. “It’s a challenge.”
Culver, who’s retired from Whirlpool and lives in Country View in Henderson, has a building on his property where he practices his technique.
“I pitch a few every morning,” he said.
McClure, of Sebree, was ranked 98th while Culver was ranked 120th in the ACO before the Worlds.
“This is one sport that everyone can play,” McClure said
270 Cornhole is led by Chucky Haygan, who said he began to be drawn to the game during the COVID-19 pandemic. He couldn’t find any sport to watch on TV except the popular backyard and tailgating game, he said.
Pretty soon he formed an idea and started asking around town if others wanted to play. That led to the first tournament he hosted in the summer of 2020. It was 100 degrees outside, but 15 teams showed up to take part in a field at the corner of Alvasia and Vine streets.
That early success quickly morphed to Haygan securing a pitching space in Firedome Pizza’s event space, the Lumberyard, which is where you’ll find a group of men, women and children most Tuesdays and Thursday evenings.
Haygan, the host, owner and creator of “270 Cornhole,” said the competitions are family-friendly and the group welcomes all-comers.
“Our goal in doing this is giving people something to do,” Haygan says, adding he also wants to start cornhole competitions in schools. He says some colleges offer scholarships to play cornhole.
“I really love the sport,” said Haygan, 38. “I want to see the sport grow.”
With all the organizing and then hosting events, Haygan no longer gets to pitch many bean bags.
“I get just as much enjoyment watching as playing,” he said.
270 Cornhole is a part of the Cincinnati-based ACO, which runs a season from September to May. During this time, players can join tournaments throughout the country, racking up points to qualify for the ACO Worlds.
Haygan said 270 Cornhole has about 40 ACO-registered players, and of those, 27 qualified to go to the ACO Worlds this year.
A typical night at the Lumberyard involves players arriving at about 6:30 for a blind draw that determines that evening’s bracket. The ACO charges $10 to play and gives out money to first through third place. On one recent evening that drew 54 players, the winner walked with $250.
Other local winners from the week at the Worlds include:
• Hampton Farms Big Blind Draw, Eric Happenjans, 1st place
• Ruthless Tailgate Tournament, Eric Hoppenjans, 1st place
• Blueprint Cornhole Tailgate Tournament, Shane Goben, 3rd place
• Non-Pro Quads Tournament, Russell Carlisle, Rob Tustin, Perry Russellburg and Ricky Evans, 2nd place
