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Klootschießen is a competitive sport where you throw a heavy, fist-sized ball with a short start and ramp as far as you could. It is known in Northern Germany and the Netherlands. The game is ultimately of Frisian origin. The term Kloot means the act of throwing a wooden ball. It is a relatively difficult throwing style that requires speed, power, and concentration. The distance of the throw is measured by meters. The sport was considered dangerous and bloody, often gaining a bad reputation and was banned a few times. Ultimately, this competitive game prevailed. It's first league was developed by Hinrick Dunkhase in 1902. The sport divides into field fighting and stand fighting. Field fighting has two teams playing against each other, while stand fighting is individual. Stefan Albarus is the current record holder, throwing the ball 106.20 meters.

History
The Klootschießen likely arose from an ancient Frisian weapon, which flung the Frisians on ships and opponents. The Frisian fighters are said to have been feared for their missles. The term Kloot comes from Low German and derives from Kluten. In further development of this sport, heavy flint bald and two-pound iron balls were used. Later, the wood from the apple tree was turned into fist-sized balls, which were pierce crosswise. The resulting cavity was filled with lead.

The Dutch reformer Jacobus van Oudenhoven took in 1659 the Kloot werpen on a Sunday after the service in his sins register.

In the past, many concomitants were associated with Kloot shooting. So often competitions were held in which were played for money or other valuables. Since the sport was practiced in winter and in earlier times, the sportswear made it possible for deaths from pneumonia. A lot of alcohol was often consumed during the competition. It was even argued to get bloody at times. Accordingly, the sport was occasionally banned by the authorities, but ultimately the Klootschießen prevailed again and again.

Hinrich Dunkhase (1857-1905), in Burhave, Butjadingen, merged the Oldenburg and East Frisian klootschieten for the Friesian klootschieten Association (FRP) on May 25, 1902. This was the first competitive league developed for the sport. Dunkhase was its chairman until his death.

In the National Socialist period, the FKV resisted the inclusion in the (NS) Reichsbund for physical exercises by not imputing to the organizations of sports, but wanted to know the Klootschießen in his tradition as a home and Friesenspiel understood. The FKV joined the Nazi cultural community and was able to maintain a certain degree of independence. Above all, Low German or Frisian could be spoken at the competition, which was prohibited in a sport. Only after the Second World War, the FKV oriented again and became a member of the National Sports Association Lower Saxony a sport. The NKV is today the umbrella organization of more than 40,000 Klootschießers and Boßlern. The sport is now also represented in the Landessportbünden of NRW ( Klootschießer- and Boßelverband North Rhine-Westphalia ) and Schleswig-Holstein. European championships (as road bowling) have been held since 1969 (every four years since 1980) between the Netherlands, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Germany in the disciplines of standing competition, field competition and street riding. In the Netherlands there is the Dutch Klootschieters Bond (NKB, founded in 1967) and in Ireland the Irish Road Bowling Association (Irish: Ból Chumann na hÉireann). (founded in 1954). International umbrella organization is the International Bowlplaying Association (IBA, founded in 1969). Competitions also take place among Irish immigrants in the US and Canada as it is part of traditional Irish folk culture

The Competition
The aim of the game is to throw a small ball as far as possible with a short start and jump off a ramp.

One differentiates between field fight and stand fight.

More traditional and common is the field fight. There are two teams against each other. Field battles are fought in freezing weather. There is a certain distance over fields and meadows is thrown through. In contrast to the stand fight the field fight, the balling out, is counted. The distance is about seven kilometers. Each team consists of several throwers and throws against each other in succession. The point at which the Klootkugel remains after unrolling marks the next discharge point.

In stand fighting all participants play against each other; The winner is the thrower who throws furthest. Only the actual thrown width is taken into account. The stand fight is often used by clubs for championships, since you can build the Klootschießerbahn on a normal sports field or pasture (measure and stake).

The motto of Klootschießer is "Lüch up un fleu herut" (pick up and fly far out!).

Records
For the first time in 1935, the bullet was thrown over the 100-meter mark by Ostfriesen Gerd Gerdes. This record lasted until 1985, when Auricher Harm Henkel threw 102.00 meters. This record was dropped the same day by the "Bear of Ellens" Hans-Georg Bohlken with 105.20 meters. The current (as of January 2006) record is 106.20 meters, held by Stefan Albarus from the north in East Frisia.