Dwarf tossing is a bar attraction where dwarfs wearing special padded clothing are thrown onto mattresses by patrons who compete to throw the dwarf the farthest. The term "dwarf throwing" is sometimes used. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... An example of a man afflicted with Dwarfism see dwarf, and for insular dwarfism and other meanings see Dwarf (disambiguation). ...

1986 World Dwarf-throwing Championships

In 1986, the World Dwarf-throwing Championships were held in Australia. The USA was not represented, which may weaken the claim that the sport originated in the United States. The undisputed world champions who still currently hold the record were Team GB from London, England Danny Blue, Adam Aisthorpe, Roy Merrin and Lenny The Giant. Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

The current proven world record for the longest throw is held by a man known as Adam Aisthorpe, a member of the group referred to as The Oddballs with a throw of 12 feet 9 inches. However, there have been many claims of over 14 feet. The longest throw yet to be proven is believed to have reached 15 feet 2 inches by a man from Topeka, Kansas named Lou Sanus. The female record-holder, Lucey Normosbuthol, hails from Sweden and entered the record books with an amazing throw of 11 feet 11 inches.

Challenges to the legality of dwarf tossing

Dwarf Tossing is widely considered to be offensive to the dignity of dwarfs. As a consequence, various legislators have considered banning it. Such moves have attracted criticism from proponents of the sport and some who think that these prohibitions deny a possible source of income for dwarfs.

United States

In 1989, Robert and Angela Van Ettan of Florida, USA, members of the Little People of America, convinced Florida's legislators that dwarf-tossing should be illegal. The measure banning dwarf-tossing was passed with a wide margin, and New York also later banned dwarf-tossing. Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Little People of America (LPA) is a not-for-profit organization which provides support and information to dwarfs and their families. ... NY redirects here. ...

A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by Dave Flood, who appears on a morning radio talk show as "Dave the Dwarf," names Governor Jeb Bush and the head of the state agency which enforces the 1989 law which allows the state to revoke the liquor license or fine a bar that allows dwarf-tossing, an activity that was popular in some Florida bars in the late 1980s. The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... John Ellis Jeb Bush (born February 11, 1953), a Republican, is the forty-third and current Governor of Florida. ... A Liquor license is a permit to sell alcoholic beverages. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

France

In France, the mayor of a small town (Morsang-sur-Orge) prohibited a spectacle of dwarf tossing. The case went all the way up the appeal chain of administrative courts to the Conseil d'État, which found that an administrative authority could legally prohibit dwarf tossing on grounds that this activity did not respect human dignity and was thus contrary to public order. The question raised deep legal questions as to what was admissible as a motive for an administrative authority to ban an activity for motives of public order, especially since the Council did not want to include "public morality" in public order. The ruling was taken by the full assembly and not by a smaller panel - proof of the difficulty of the question. The Conseil ruled similarly in another case, between an entertainment company and the city of Aix-en-Provence. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Morsang-sur-Orge is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. ... In France, the Conseil dÉtat (English: Council of State and sometimes Counsel of State) is an organ of the French national government. ... This article is about virtue. ... Aix (prounounced eks), or, to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, Aix-en-Provence is a city in southern France, some 30 km north of Marseille. ...

The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights judged on September 27, 2002, that this decision was not discriminatory with respect to dwarfs, ruling that the ban on dwarf-tossing was not abusive but necessary in order to protect public order, including considerations of human dignity.^{[citation needed]} United Nations Commission on Human Rights - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... This article is about discrimination in the social science context. ...

It is, however, somewhat hasty to consider that as a result of this legal action, dwarf tossing is prohibited in France. The Conseil d'État decided that a public authority could use gross infringement on human dignity as a motive of public order to cancel a spectacle and that dwarf tossing constituted such a gross infringement. However, it is up to individual authorities to make specific decisions regarding prohibition. It remains to be seen whether an administration's refusal, should a local administration refuse to take action against dwarf tossing, could be litigated against.

References

• (French) Commentary on the site of the Conseil d'État

Canada

In Ontario, Canada, the Dwarf Tossing Ban Act, 2003 (Bill 97 2003) tabled by Windsor MPP Sandra Pupatello was enacted, with penalties of a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both. This was in response to a dwarf tossing contest that was held at Leopard's Lounge in Windsor Ontario featuring a performer by the name of "Tripod". Interestingly, the Act does not define the terms "dwarf" or "dwarf tossing", as a result, some normal-sized people have entered into dwarf-tossing contests, calling themselves a "dwarf" despite 6-foot-plus statures (Amigo's in Ottawa, Chilly Willy in Toronto).

Popular culture references to dwarf tossing

References to dwarf-tossing feature in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, at the broken bridge in the Mines of Moria, where Gimli tells Aragorn "Nobody tosses a dwarf!" and at the Battle of Helm's Deep, where (with a promise that Legolas will not be told) Gimli agrees to allow Aragorn to throw him over a narrow defile in order to attack Saruman's armies hand-to-hand. The director's commentary in the special extended DVD edition of The Fellowship of the Ring debates whether the sport originated in the United Kingdom or in Australia. The Lord of the Rings film trilogy comprises three live action fantasy epic films; The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). ... This article is about the fictional underground city. ... Gimli is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. ... Aragorn II, son of Arathorn II, is an important character from J. R. R Tolkiens legendarium. ... The Battle of the Hornburg (or Battle of Helms Deep) is a fictional battle in J. R. R. Tolkiens novel The Lord of the Rings. ... Legolas is an important character in J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. ... Aragorn II, son of Arathorn II, is an important character from J. R. R Tolkiens legendarium. ... Saruman is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium. ...

Author Hugh Cook includes a dwarf-tossing scene in his 1992 fantasy novel The Witchlord and the Weaponmaster. Hugh Cook (b. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

In the 2004 comedic film Dodgeball, a magazine titled Obscure Sports Quarterly features midget tossing. shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is a comedy from 20th Century Fox, written and directed by Rawson Thurber and available on DVD or VHS December 2004. ...

Featured prominently in an episode of The Oblongs. The Oblongs is an animated television program aimed at adults and teenagers. ...

In the Steve Jackson Games card game Munchkin, there is a card called "Dwarf Tossing".

Hornswoggle (AKA "Little Bastard"), a character on WWE's SmackDown!, is regularly dragged out from under the ring (where he "lives") and is tossed by Finlay into his opponents. Dylan Jacob Postl (born May 29, 1986 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin), better known as Little Bastard is an American midget wrestler on World Wrestling Entertainments SmackDown! brand. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... WWE Friday Night SmackDown! is a professional wrestling television program for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and is the flagship broadcast of the SmackDown! brand. ... Finlay may refer to any of the following: Finlay Calder, former Scotland rugby player Carlos Finlay, Cuban doctor who first identified mosquitos as a disease carrier Dave Finlay, Northern Irish professional wrestler, currently in the WWE David Finlay, Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross Dr. Finlay, a fictional character created...

The music album Midget Tossing by Yellowcard. For the bar game, see dwarf tossing. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

External links

• A guide to Dwarf Tossing

• UK Dwarf Throwing Champions