Lawn Darts - "Jarts" (C. 1961-1989)

Lawn Darts

Lawn Darts (often known by the brand name Jarts) were a popular mid-century backyard game that became one of the most controversial consumer products in American history. Designed as an oversized, outdoor version of traditional darts, the set typically included four 12-inch-long aerodynamic projectiles with heavy, weighted metal tips and plastic fins, which players would toss underhand toward plastic hoops placed on the grass. While the game was a staple of summer barbecues from the 1950s through the 1980s, its design—essentially a falling 5-ounce spear—posed a severe puncture risk, particularly to children. Following thousands of emergency room visits and three high-profile fatalities, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission enacted a total ban on the sale of pointed lawn darts in December 1988, a move sparked largely by the tireless advocacy of David Snow, whose seven-year-old daughter was tragically killed by a stray dart in 1987. Although modern versions of the game exist today using blunt-tip or beanbag designs, the original metal-tipped Jarts remain illegal to sell in the U.S. and Canada, serving as a permanent case study in the evolution of federal toy safety regulations.

Source: Estate Sale, Norwalk, CT