There's some history to that name: "An amusing story is that the game is so called from the fact that Captain Cook hid away in his cabin for hours playing this game, his crew supposing that he was locked away with a mistress. Whether true or not, it certainly gives the game a charming name" (as I've written elsewhere). I'm not sure how old the name is.
There's some history to that name: "An amusing story is that the game is so called from the fact that Captain Cook hid away in his cabin for hours playing this game, his crew supposing that he was locked away with a mistress. Whether true or not, it certainly gives the game a charming name" (as I've written elsewhere). I'm not sure how old the name is.
I have read a similiar account in a couple places. Makes for a good sea story.
"The origin of this game is unknown. It certainly dates back to about 1900, though it could be older. It is unusual among traditional board games in that the board is mounted vertically, and it involves the force of gravity in its mechanism of play. Plenty of other old table games use this method, for instance, bagatelle, but among old board games it is rare if not unique to this game.
An amusing story is that the game is so called from the fact that Captain Cook hid away in his cabin for hours playing this game, his crew supposing that he was locked away with a mistress. Whether true or not, it certainly gives the game a charming name.
More concrete proof of the games age is given by an example once owned by the game historian R.C. Bell, which dated from the Edwardian period (1901-1910). It used wooden balls dropped into slots in the lid of a box, as illustrated on the cover of this leaflet. The outside of the box advertised Rémy Martin Cognac, giving Bell the idea that this might have originally been a pub game."
