Backyard Games

With this pane of 16 Forever? stamps, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the variety of games Americans play for outdoor recreation.

Value: 66¢ 1-ounce First-class rate (Forever)
Issue Date: August 12, 2021
First Day City: Rosemont, IL
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 16

Horseshoes, a timeless lawn game with a rich history spanning over 100 years, is typically enjoyed by two players, although team play is also an option. The setup involves placing four horseshoes and two stakes 40 feet apart.
The game begins by determining which side throws first, often decided by a toss-off where players from each side throw a single horseshoe. The one landing closer to the stake secures the first turn for their side. The match unfolds with the winning side throwing both of their horseshoes, followed by the opposing side. Two widely used scoring methods, cancellation and count-all, come into play. In cancellation, each side’s total score is calculated for the round, and the higher score subtracts the lower, awarding the point difference to the higher-scoring team. In count-all, every point is tallied. Regardless of the scoring system, the round concludes when one side reaches 15 points, with a full game typically extending to 40 points.
Horseshoes gained such popularity by the 1940s that President Harry Truman installed a horseshoe pit at the White House. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush restored the pit, sharing the game with staff, family, and even visiting foreign dignitaries. Horseshoes, with its simple yet engaging nature, is truly accessible to everyone.