The ‘Wimbledon of shuffleboard’ has reigned for a century in St. Petersburg, Florida

Friday evenings are hopping at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, the world’s oldest and biggest institution dedicated to the game. Those nights are open to the general public, so local children, retirees, and college students join club members on the 76 green courts, where the rules of Florida shuffleboard were codified.

In the shadow of the 1938 grandstands, players strategically shove well-polished disks into the opposing side’s triangles, hoping they don’t “end up in the kitchen,” in the parlance of the game. Landing in that section of the court would mean they lose points.

“It’s the only sport where you can go backwards” in score, asserts local champion Jerry Stannard as he watches a match.

Mr. Stannard, originally from Connecticut, drives a Jaguar with a “Hall of Fame Shuffler” decal. He has won multiple shuffleboard tournaments and has an embroidered winner’s jacket to prove it. He is one of the 2,600 or so club members, who each pay $50 a year to play any day, 5 a.m. to midnight.

The city of St. Petersburg built and gave the club its first two courts here in 1924. This is where the Florida Shuffleboard Association was founded and the “Peligator” was imagined. (The creature started as a tournament symbol for competitions between St. Petersburg, a city represented by the pelican, and shuffleboard rival Lake Wales, whose icon is the gator. Now the cute combo is a regional shuffleboard mascot.) The game has surged in popularity recently, and courts are filled on Fridays. The club is also a top spot for weddings, as the venue embodies both the history of old Florida and the funky culture of a rapidly growing coastal city.

“This is really the Wimbledon of shuffleboard,” says Christine Page, the club’s executive director.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES! Club member Josh Dulabaum plays doubles during Sunday Morning Mingles. He and his wife own Allen Shuffleboard, an equipment store that supplies the shuffleboard world.

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SHUFFLE ON OVER: Shadows fall over disks, known as biscuits, being set up for a doubles match.

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HOTSHOTS: Club members Cathy Hudspeth (left) and Deb Ferretti chat during a Friday match.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

THAT WAS THEN, DISK IS NOW: A sign hangs inside the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. The popular club celebrates its 101st anniversary this year.

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BOARD MEETING: Members and guests play at the club.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

CHIP, CHIP, HOORAY: A box holds stickers for winners as well as chips that are used to make teams. A card lists the players in a Sunday doubles meetup.

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