High striker
Encyclopedia
Funfair
A funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
s, fundraisers
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
, and carnivals
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
. It operates by utilizing the lever
Lever
In physics, a lever is a rigid object that is used with an appropriate fulcrum or pivot point to either multiply the mechanical force that can be applied to another object or resistance force , or multiply the distance and speed at which the opposite end of the rigid object travels.This leverage...
where one end holds a puck
Hockey puck
A puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...
attached to the tower and the other end is struck by the person or contestant using a hammer
Hammer
A hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object. The most common uses are for driving nails, fitting parts, forging metal and breaking up objects. Hammers are often designed for a specific purpose, and vary widely in their shape and structure. The usual features are a handle and a head,...
or mallet
Mallet
A mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
. The aim of players is to ring the bell suspended on top of the tower. If the lever is struck with enough force, the puck will rise high enough to hit the bell, indicating a success. Modern versions use a spring-loaded version of the lever, others use an enclosed striking mechanism.
The inventor was Arckie Marcus, uncle to Jules Irving, great uncle to Amy Irving, David Irving and Katie Irving.
Operators entice people to try the high striker with phrases such as: "Step right up!","Test your strength!", or "Who are the men out of the boys?"
Construction
A high striker is usually composed of a heavy base, a long vertical tower, a bell, a puck, a leverLever
In physics, a lever is a rigid object that is used with an appropriate fulcrum or pivot point to either multiply the mechanical force that can be applied to another object or resistance force , or multiply the distance and speed at which the opposite end of the rigid object travels.This leverage...
, and a mallet. Initial versions of the base were of frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
construction; later models were of unibody construction. The tower may be of wood, fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
, or aluminum material. The puck/dinger/chaser is suspended to a small groove that runs along the tower's length and can move freely up or down. The bell is identical to that of a traditional school bell in construction, mainly because it is to be struck from the side (bottom). Levers were traditionally constructed with a rubber padding above and below the end where the mallet is supposed to strike, in order to amplify the force and protect the lever. Long-handled 10-pound rubber mallets are used, but can vary depending on the high striker's size.
Types of High Strikers
High strikers come in different shapes and sizes. Heights range from 4 feet to 20 feet. There are many brands of high strikers commercially available. Most models use a spring-loaded lever that can be adjusted to increase or decrease the force required to propel the puck to hit the bell.Other high strikers are themed in design. The tower can feature an image of a tall person, with the bell representing a part of the head.
Other Types of High Strikers
Electronic high strikers exist in arcades. These variants are not as real-time as the more popular high striker. When the target is hit by the player, sensors underneath determine a measured amount of distance that the puck will climb. Depending on the force, the game will indicate how the player ranked, ranging from poor to excellent.Events with High Strikers
Fundraising
High strikers are useful as fundraisers. It gives operators an advantage because there are no power requirements to use it. The ease of use allows for a long queue of contestants with a short waiting time. Some models are mobile; they have wheels under the base and can easily be moved from one location to another. Some high strikers may be moved indoors when the weather does not permit outdoor use.Parties, Carnivals & Picnics
High strikers are also frequently rented for school events and town celebrations. People usually go to the high striker in the hopes of hitting the bell hard to get the attention (and possibly admiration) of the crowd. Prizes such as stuffed toys are awarded to individuals who succeed.Safety
There are no serious safety implications with the high striker. The detachment of the bell is a rare occurrence, only appearing in television shows, films, and cartoons as an exaggeration to show excessive strength. The high striker's operator usually gives the contestant the liberty to hold the mallet in any manner. On some instances, the operator supplies the contestant with a pair of gloves to firmly grip the handle of the mallet. Still, there is a potential risk that the contestant may lose his grip and throw the mallet.Social effect
It has strong appeal to individuals in their youth because it offers a display of strength. Young boys use the high striker to determine who among them is the strongest. More often than not, high strikers are used to impress other people.In the 1930s some High Striker operators prey on young men and rig -- i.e. fix -- the High Striker unit so as they can prevent anyone, no matter how strong from striking the bell. They usually pick a small man to demonstrate how easy it is to swing the mallet and impact the arm, ring the bell. Then when the stronger person (usually young men in their late teens and early 20s) attempt they fail. No matter how hard they tried. And in attempt to avoid humiliation keep paying hoping to ring the bell. Eventually the operator allows them to ring the bell so as to not discourage others from attempting. Popular Mechanics in a 1935 article revealed the secret and since then most High Striker operators have ceased fixing their units.
High Strikers in popular culture
- Final Destination 3 - Character Lewis Romero uses the high striker, hinting at his demise.
- In Mortal Kombat 3Mortal Kombat 3Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed by Midway and released in 1995, first as an arcade game. It is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series...
, SektorSektorSektor is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series. Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3 in 1995, Sektor is a cyborg ninja who used to be human until he was automated, along with Cyrax and Smoke....
's "friendship" move involves playing a high striker game.
- In Left 4 Dead 2Left 4 Dead 2Left 4 Dead 2 is a cooperative first-person shooter video game. It is the sequel to Valve Corporation's award-winning Left 4 Dead. The game launched on November 17, 2009, for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in the United States and November 20 in Europe; in 2010, Left 4 Dead 2 was made available to...
, one of the campaigns has a usable high striker. Winning it earns the player an achievement.
- Castlevania: Dawn of SorrowCastlevania: Dawn of SorrowCastlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series and the first Castlevania game to be released on the Nintendo DS. The game is the sequel to Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and...
features a high-striker like game. There is a see-saw with a boulder on one end, and striking the opposite end with one of the three hammers collectable in the game makes the boulder fly to one of three heights, which earn the player a Potion, High Potion, and Super Potion respectively.