Shuffleboard at Starlight Tower is a very big affair for many years and favorable pastime to many residents so much so that we even have our own tournaments and Champions each year.

At the lobby of the building on a prominent location is displayed the New Millennium Shuffleboard Tournament Champions plaque which clearly indicates the seriousness with which the folks here take this event.

The pictures below were taken on St Patrick's Day, March 17th 2007, day of this year's annual event.

Participants were a plethora of players and onlookers encouraging their friends and neighbors to excel in the game and become this year's new champions. This event was extra special coinciding with St Patrick's Day which added an additional cheery mood to the crowd and having as added bonus the expectation of a succulent after-game feast catered by one of the residents. 

Bird's eye view of our Shuffleboard court from the ninth floor of our building.

Even though the weather was a little windy thankfully the sun was very cooperative shining full blast and warming just enough both players and spectators which embedded the stamp of success at the games. Several tourists walking at the beach stopped by our seawall to see what is the commotion about and seeing the games in progress linger others for a while others for longer periods of time cheering the players.

The current form of the game was initially found on Ocean liners in their attempt to entertain bored travelers during long sailing days between ports of call. Soon the success of this favorite pastime was transplanted ashore probably by an ingenious vacationing business person at a resort area on Daytona Beach Florida in 1913. And the rest as they say is history. Neighboring resorts adapted the new activity then neighboring towns and retirement villages and finally the whole state of Florida with the largest complex in St Petersburg counting 107 courts in 1965.

The basic rules of the game is to propel discs by means of the cue onto a scoring diagram on the opposite end of the court. When thrusting the discs the players may score or prevent their opponent from scoring or both. A play begins by propelling a disc using a cue and alternating shots of yellow and red discs followed by black until all discs are shot. Each game may be played to 50, 75 or 100 points. Winners on match plays are decided on who wins 2 out of 3 games.
There are also penalty points and are given whenever a disc touches the front or back of a line or when a disc touches the side or middle of a line or when a player leaves the court without permission or when a player shoots his disc before his opponent's disc comes to a complete stop.

This year's tournament started at 10 a.m. with all participants singing the National Anthem and concluded a little after 3 p.m. There was pleasant background music throughout the event via loud speakers and announcements during match points. 

So another successful tournament has come to an end and in a few days this year's champions name will be added at our Millennium Tournament plaque. Congratulations to all.