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All the United States Pennsylvania Philadelphia Urban Axes
Urban Axes is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Urban Axes

The first American axe throwing club.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Added By
Molly McBride Jacobson
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CAPTION
A clink of the axes to start the match.   Courtesy of Kirby Sybert for Urban Axes
Gearing up to throw the axe.   Courtesy of Kirby Sybert for Urban Axes
An axe in the target.   Courtesy of Kirby Sybert for Urban Axes
An “axepert” and her bullseye.   Courtesy of Kirby Sybert for Urban Axes
Competitors at Urban Axes.   Courtesy of Kirby Sybert for Urban Axes
Urban Axes   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
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About

You stand behind a line with your weight on your back foot, facing a wooden target. Raise your arms behind your head and with a flick of the wrist your weapon spirals through the air and (hopefully) slices into the inner circle of the target—bullseye. That's really all there is to axe throwing.

The bullseye is five points, the second circle is three points, and the third circle is one point. In the last round a thrower can call one of the "clutch boxes" in the upper corners for seven points if they hit their mark. It's a lot like darts, but instead of tiny pointed arrows the players chuck deathly sharpened axes. 

Axe throwing has likely been around for centuries, but this kind of organized club can be traced back to Toronto, where a Backyard Axe Throwing League (BATL) has expanded its operations across Canada. The brutal sport hasn't caught on in the States quite yet though, and that's where Urban Axes comes in. "Axe Master General" Lily Cope hopes that axe-throwing will take hold like other obscure sports (shuffleboard, cornhole, bike polo) have.

Despite appearances, the directors of Urban Axes promise the sport is safe, as long as proper precautions are taken. Anyone can do it, physical strength or athleticism don't necessarily determine your skill at the game, and a little practice goes a long way.

Related Tags

Sports Weapons Clubs Shops

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Added By

Molly McBride Jacobson

Edited By

blimpcaptain

  • blimpcaptain

Published

November 30, 2016

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Sources
  • http://6abc.com/hobbies/first-competitive-axe-throwing-facility-in-us-opening-in-philadelphia/1484896/
  • http://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/06/03/urban-axe-throwing-kensington/
Urban Axes
2019 E Boston St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
United States
39.984175, -75.128812
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