Beanbag game hot summer activity

The simple concept of tossing bags filled with beans into a hole is hitting the target as the summer's most popular backyard barbecue game.

The beanbag game, also known as bags or cornhole, already widely popular in Naperville and the South suburbs, is finding its way up north as the game of choice in Cook and Lake county backyards. It's also a hit at tailgating events and bars and businesses that hold tournaments.

"It's one of my hottest sellers. It's driving quite a few people into my stores," said Ed Wong, owner of Play It Again Sports stores in Schaumburg, Villa Park, Oak Lawn and Northbrook. Wong, of Wheaton, has carried the boards for about five years. "I'm selling over 1,000 of them a year. It's been steady year after year."

Beanbags are what horseshoes used to be.

"Except this doesn't ruin your lawn," he said.

The game is also safer and easy to play. Two wooden boards with a hole in the middle are placed about 30 feet apart. Points are tallied after four tosses per player. One point is calculated for each bag on the board, and three for each one in the hole. At the end of each round, the difference in points is delegated to the more successful team. Games go to 21.

Rules can differ as well as the size of the boards, a point of contention among some players. Believed to have started in Cincinnati, players there traditionally use boards that are 2 feet by 4 feet. In the Chicago area, the boards are 2 feet by 3 feet, which makes transporting the game much easier.

Organizations have formed to help standardize the game and rules. Bill Vail of Oak Lawn launched the World Beanbag Association.

Before launching the group, Vail, 36, started a business in his garage about six years ago making the beanbag games.

His company, at www.wbba.com, grew, and he now operates out of a warehouse where he makes between 100 to 300 of the games a week and employs 11.

There are dozens of small companies in the area making the game. Wong at Play It Again Sports says he has about eight small cottage-type businesses providing him with the game.

They all differ slightly.

Vail says quality is important to him. Favoring cabinet-grade oak, birch or mahogany, he uses computers and high-tech equipment to put the boards together. Trying to use all American-made products, Vail paints company or sports logos on the boards as well as photographs.

Quality is also important to Richard Gonzalez, 53, who started Beaver Woodworks six years ago. A design engineer by trade, Gonzalez, also says the wood selection is important. When buying a game, he stresses shoppers should make sure they look for the 1-pound beanbags.

"Then you know it's a quality game," he said.

He notes that his bags are waterproof and can be washed. Top-of-the-line boards come with a neon border that lights up the board for night play. Gonzalez' games range in price from $129 to $250 at www.beaverboards.com.

"The game is spreading quickly," said Gonzalez who sells about 1,000 of them during the summer season.

Vail says Naperville is a hot spot.

"It's starting to grow up north, though," he added.

Pat Baldwin, assistant manager at Ace Hardware in Round Lake, is seeing more and more interest in the game.

"We started selling them here three or four years go and sales are steady," said the Spring Grove resident.

He said he plays the game himself while tailgating at NASCAR races.

"The parking lot is a sea of beanbags. There are hundreds. They're everywhere," said Baldwin, 42.

Gonzalez says the trend shows no signs of slowing. It's really picking up steam on college campuses as well.

"The game is addicting. Once you start, you can't stop," Wong said.

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• Kim Mikus covers retail. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or at kmikus@ dailyherald.com.