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Aunt Sally is a traditional throwing game. Nowadays the term is more often used metaphorically to mean something that is a target for criticism.
The game
The game was traditionally played in British pubs and fairgrounds. An Aunt Sally was originally a figurine head of an old woman with a clay pipe in her mouth, or subsequently a ball on a stick. The object was for players to throw sticks at the head in order to break the pipe. The game bears some resemblance to a coconut shy, or skittles.
Today, the game of Aunt Sally is still played as a pub game in Oxfordshire. The ball is on a short plinth about 10cm high, and is known as a 'dolly'. The dolly is placed on a dog-legged metal spike and players throw sticks or short battens at the dolly, trying to knock it off without hitting the spike.
Aunt Sally is portrayed as a character in the children's television series Worzel Gummidge.
Modern rules of play
Two teams of six players throw six sticks each per leg. The game is played over three legs. The largest number of dolls scored per team wins each leg. If there is a tie, each team then throws three sticks and then one until there is a decisive result. If a player fails to score in a leg, it is called a blob. It is a custom that the winner of the fourth leg is bought a drink of their choice by a member of the opposing team.See also
References
Games
"Aunt Sally"