In the legacy of wacky products that Wham-O released in the 1960s and 1970s, Poke-a-Bone is surely top of the list.
Marketed as a game of skill, Poke-a-Bone challenged players to “swing it up and poke the bone.” In this case, the bones in question were oddly shaped plastic pieces labeled with a specific part of the body: knee, arm, leg, shoulder, neck, head, foot, ankle, back, and hip.
Players threw the bones in the air and tried to catch them on the miniature plastic femur that was pointed at one end. Once collected, the ten bones and femur were kept together with a leather strip. A metal piece shaped like a fish provided a counterweight and completed the Neanderthal vibe.
TV ads at the time challenged kids to complete a variety of tricks using the toy, including the Poke Chop, Going Fishing (catching the metal fish on the bone), and a Bone Run (spearing all pieces at one time.)
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