International Cherry Pit Spitting Day

About International Cherry Pit Spitting Day
When is International Cherry Pit Spitting Day? This holiday is celebrated on the first Saturday in July
Today is a celebration of a very important annual event. It is International Cherry Pit Spitting Day. On this day, people compete to see who can spit a cheery pit the furthest. This tournament began as a joke. However, it quickly evolved into a serious contest, complete with awards for the winner and recognition in the Guinness World Book of Records for breaking the world record.
In 1974, Herb Teichman of Eau Claire, MI. Held a cherry pit spitting tournament as a joke, at a picnic. It was a real hit, and has been held annually since that very first tournament in 1974. Little did Teichman know at the time, that this would become an annual event, and spark the creation of International Cherry Pit Spitting Day.
The timing for this holiday on the first Saturday in July is perfect, as the cherries are ripe. As we hold the Fourth of July and summer picnics, fresh cherries are available in abundance.
For the Record: Are you looking to break the record? Well, you’d better start practicing. In 2004, Brian “Young Gun” Krause spit a cherry 93′ 5.5″ at the International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship in Eau Claire, Michigan. On the same day, he spit a cherry 110′ 4″ in the freestyle competition.
Question on Everyone’s Mind: Do you eat the cherry before you spit the pit? Of course! We hope you like them.
About the date: Herb Teichman, the originator of the Cherry Pit Spitting contest, set the first Saturday in July for this annual event. There are some references to this day always being on July 7th. This is erroneous. It is not a fixed date.
Cherry Trivia and Fun Facts
Here are some cherry trivia and fun facts to read as you munch on some fresh-picked sweet cherries:
- The world record for cherry pit spitting is 93 feet 6.5 inches.
- The first recording of the cultivation of these trees goes back to ancient Mesopotamia in 300 B.C.
- Ancient Romans and Chinese dynasties also cultivated them.
- Cherry pits have been found in prehistoric caves in Asia and Europe.
- The trees are not native to North America. Early settlers brought them to the New World in the 1600s.
- According to legend, George Washington chopped down the family cherry tree. But, when confronted by his father, he could not tell a lie. He admitted to it.
- Cherry blossoms are a symbol of beauty and renewal.
- On August 30, 1909, Japan announced it was donating 2,000 cherry trees to the United States for planting along the Potomac River. The trees arrived in the United States on January 6, 1910. Today, millions of people visit D.C. at Cherry Blossom time just to see them in bloom.
- Japanese cherry trees do not produce fruit. Rather, they are ornamentals.
- The average mature tree produces approximately 7,000 cherries.
- It takes about 250 cherries to make a single pie.
- Remove the pits and put them on vanilla ice cream.
- In the U.S., 650 pounds of cherries are brought to market every year.
- With over 30,000 acres of trees, Traverse City, Michigan is considered the Cherry Capital of the world.
How to Celebrate International Cherry Pit Spitting Day
There are many things you can do to celebrate this holiday. Here are a few ideas:
- Go to a cherry pit spitting contest.
- Hold a cherry pit spitting contest.
- Practice at home with friends.
- Eat cherries.
- Make a special cherry dessert for dinner.
Today's Quote
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” – – Vince Lombardi
History and Origin of International Cherry Pit Spitting Day
We know almost everything there is to know about the roots of this holiday. The creator of this holiday and the year it was created is unknown. However, we suspect it was Herb Teichman, and the special day was coined a year or two after the first tournament in 1974.
We also do not know why it is referred to as an “International” day. But, we encourage people around the world to hold a cherry pit spitting tournament.
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