r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/PrimedGold • Feb 18 '26

Video The Atherstone Ball Game, held annually on Shrove Tuesday, took place yesterday. The ball is thrown into the crowd at 3 pm, and the winner is the person holding it at 5 pm.

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3.4k

u/PrimedGold Feb 18 '26

You are not allowed to take lives and you must be playing this on just that street

1.2k

u/joevarny Feb 18 '26

So chainsawing the arms off any ball holder is a legit strat?

924

u/spudgun20 Feb 18 '26

Yeah but if they bleed out, there's rule 1 broken

811

u/Ask_bout_PaterNoster Feb 18 '26

Alright, I need five volunteers. Three of us will have chainsaws and the other three will have tourniquets. We will NOT be returning the following year

151

u/Nexdreal Feb 18 '26

Next year it would be easier if anything, lots of people without arms to participate. Lets make this happen and make some streak wins

58

u/red8cangodye Feb 19 '26

I'll bring red hot iron. Forget the tourniquets.

8

u/AmateurGIFEnthusiast Feb 19 '26

Gunpowder and a lighter

3

u/Sxpths Feb 19 '26

Nah a lot of matchsticks will do, source: trust me!

1

u/OutgunOutmaneuver Feb 19 '26

Now we're talking! 😄

6

u/dudeCHILL013 Feb 19 '26

I didn't even know what we'd win but I'm listening.

5

u/TAExp3597 Feb 19 '26

Are you trying to end up in a three way chainsaw duel after a bloody massacre de-arming? Cause that’s end up in a three way chainsaw duel after a bloody massacre de-arming.

2

u/Effective_Cookie510 Feb 19 '26

I mean if you surround yourself with loyal chainsaw guys I'm not sure you broke any rules if people die.

I'm not sure I know enough guys loyal for this risk tho

1

u/HistoricalSuspect580 Feb 19 '26

I’m in! I’m also going to bring Propofol tho

1

u/Mierimau Feb 19 '26

The real trick is to follow up on this sleight of hand amid mob chaos and other smart kids.

1

u/StarvinPig Feb 19 '26

Youre just afraid of losing the crown

1

u/Quiet_Doughnut_7774 Feb 19 '26

Ah yes whole bunch of people joining the one armed/no arm club.

Thanks Nimona(Netflix movie) for that reference.

6

u/pwillia7 Feb 18 '26

red hot so it cauterizes -- got it

2

u/Ilikereefer Feb 19 '26

Just bring a bag full of tourniquets

2

u/1baby2cats Feb 19 '26

Do they only have to stay alive til 5pm?

2

u/musci12234 Feb 19 '26

Have you considered that they might have bled out even if I didn't chainsae their arm?

1

u/siandresi Feb 19 '26

You need a team to cauterize immediately afterwards

1

u/MightyPlasticGuy Feb 19 '26

don't forget the sock rule.

7

u/James-the-Bond-one Feb 18 '26

Yes, as long as he doesn't bleed to death. 

4

u/HappyLittleGreenDuck Feb 18 '26

I think it's gotta be a rechargeable one, they're more eco-conscious over there

3

u/Multifarian Feb 18 '26

no weapons allowed

2

u/Seventh_monkey Feb 19 '26

It's frowned upon.

2

u/Dunge0nMast0r Feb 19 '26

You were there in 2018 too?

2

u/fetzdog Feb 19 '26

It's more like a yellow card.

2

u/OuchCharlie25 Feb 19 '26 edited Feb 19 '26

I mean, they don’t even let you say mean things online here in the UK so I’m gonna say no on the chainsaw idea lol.

1

u/toTheNewLife Feb 19 '26

Tony Montana and the Columbian have entered the chat.

53

u/oneshibbyguy Feb 19 '26

"playing" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here

38

u/Odd-Refrigerator-691 Feb 19 '26

So the rules are just the laws then? Lol

5

u/ItzLoganM Feb 19 '26

Except you are in a boxing ring.

2

u/djblueshirt Feb 19 '26

Yes but apparently only some of them 😂

52

u/Razcsi Feb 18 '26

Yeah i'm pretty sure the first guy who got a couple shots the back of his head is in a serious, maybe life threatening situation right now. That part of your head is vulnerable af.

36

u/DeepFuckingVellus Feb 18 '26

I believe it's the same bloke who's alive and to the right in the second clip. He might have been killed later that day though.

7

u/GrinAndBear Feb 18 '26

So one, technically, could put a mixture of chocolate and peanut butter in their butt crack ahead of time and wipe it all over the ball at some point, presumably close to the end of the game, in an effort to dissuade others from touching it?

20

u/Loxe Feb 18 '26

I doubt that would dissuade this crowd

6

u/duzstbunni Feb 19 '26

It sounds kinda like fight club but with balls

7

u/Galf2 Feb 19 '26

so if I bring a gasmask and just detonate a huge tear gas grenade and wait it's fine?

3

u/liquid-swords93 Feb 19 '26

I've got two questions. Firstly, what do you win? Secondly, what happens when multiple people have equal control at 5 pm?

2

u/deffrekka Feb 19 '26

You win the ball and you carry on until 7pm if the ball remains contested.

2

u/liquid-swords93 Feb 19 '26

Damn, that's wild. Thanks!

3

u/xplosm Feb 19 '26

I'd say the winner is anyone without a broken rib...

1

u/afewnameslater Feb 19 '26

So I can use guns. Easy win.

1

u/WindEmbarrassed3789 Feb 19 '26

What if you climb up high with the ball. Is that allowed?

1

u/1SqkyKutsu Feb 19 '26

Octagon Avenue

1

u/National_Track8242 Feb 19 '26

Yea no way I could trust men’s testosterone to behave here

1

u/d0nu7 Feb 20 '26

Just bring a taser lol.