Tuesday
September 26, 2023 
Once the mainstay of friendly backyard barbecues and beer-fueled football tailgates, cornhole has gone mainstream.
That’s right. The simple game of tossing bags full of beans into holes in slanted wooden boards – horseshoes without the dirt? – has hit the big time across the country.
Let’s see ... we have the American Cornhole Association, which bills itself as the “original and official governing body” of cornhole. There is also the American Cornhole Organization, which certifies officials, promotes tournaments, establishes player handicaps and publishes world rankings. And there is the American Cornhole League, which has a multi-year television deal with ESPN and $1 million in prize money. Don’t forget the National College Cornhole College Championship, which last year awarded $50,000 in scholarship money to winners.
And coming next month ... the Bux-Mont Cornhole League, the brainchild of Chadd Balbi, his brother Mario, and cousins Steve Balbi and Keith Slubowski.
“We’ve been playing together in leagues for a couple of years,” said Chadd Balbi, a Collegeville resident. “It’s been a real bonding experience.”
Chadd Balbi parlayed his co-ownership of breweriesinpa.com, a successful website covering the craft beer industry, to identify potential homes for a league closer to the Perkasie area, where his brother and cousins live. They settled on The Proper Brewing Co. on Broad Street in Quakertown as their first location. With vaulted ceilings in its banquet room, The Proper will allow the league to start indoor before going outside when the weather gets nicer, said Balbi.
“It’s a great venue,” he said.
So far, they’ve registered 24 two-person teams, with room for about six more before they start play at The Proper Brewing Co. on March 17. Some of the names are ... interesting: “Team Golden Arms” and “Let’s Bag It” are a couple suitable for a family newspaper.
Games will start at 6:30 p.m., although individual starting times will vary each week. Each matchup will last about 45 minutes, and every team will play three games each night.
As an incentive, The Proper will offer $1 off each beer and 10% off food orders during league hours plus “all you can eat” wings. At the end of the season, the winning team will receive $300 in prize money. Second place will be worth $100, while the third-place team will get free registration for the next session.
Depending on the level of success at The Proper, Balbi said he envisions the league setting up shop at the dozens of craft breweries operating throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties. It’s a fun, easy-to-learn but surprisingly competitive game to play, he said.
“Anyone can play and be pretty good at it,” he said.
About the league
WHEN:
March 17 through June 16
WHERE:
The Proper Brewing Company, 117 W. Broad St., Quakertown
COST:
$60 per team
MORE INFO:
buxmontcornhole@gmail.com
