Profile of slingshot champion

The late Rufus Hussey shows off his respectable beanshooter (slingshot) skill in this video, probably made in the early 1990s. Watch him throw a quarter in the air and ding it with a rock, and shoot a Japanese beetle off a leaf. Rufus Hussey - The beanshooter man

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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snagglepuss

Lizardman…You’ll Put Yer Eye Out, Kid.
cha0tic

My Grandad said he used to go poaching with a catapult* because it was easy to knock roosting birds off a branch as they were silhouetted against the sky. It was relatively silent so didn’t disturb the other birds. Or the game keeper. He also said that he knew someone that could turn a tap on using a catapult.

*Catapult is British for Slingshot.
the_boy

so that’s what happened to Dennis the Menace!

(that dog at the end? totally the menace part)
Takuan

keep meaning to master the classic sling.
obdan

THAT was friggin’ awesome!
Anonymous

According to this site: http://www.bookofjoe.com/2009/02/rufus-hussey-gives-a-lesson-in-four-parts.html

He passed away in February of 1994, may he rest in peace. He seemed like an awfully nice guy.
joelhousman

I apologize for the double post. I posted as anonymous and then decided to make an account. According to this blog, he passed away in February of 1994. The wiki Nazi’s over at Wikipedia apparently deleted his wiki page in 2008 because he was deemed ‘insignificant’ (grrrrr).
joelhousman

Just found this too. A quote from Rufus in a newspaper a week after his appearance on the Tonight Show.
beneditor

I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a news item as much as this – and I can’t really explain why. Anyone else?
Anonymous

That is so cool. I dunno why. It just is.
Joel Johnson

He seems like a nice guy to spend a few hours with.
deejayqueue

Looking at those Pepsi cans that’s got to be mid-80′s at best. I bet he had some great stories to tell. I’m glad at least he got to tell a few of them on camera for posterity.
el3mo

Slingshots have been making a bit of a comeback. I know a couple of people who are really into it. Some of the newer wrist-rockets even have laser sights on them.
Anonymous

I’m no biologist, but was that some Japanese Beetle whoopie?
The Lizardman

Wow, makes you want to grab a slingshot – which would likely end in major shortcoming induced disappointment for me but I’d still be proud to buy one from him. I wonder if he is still around.
FoetusNail

Agreed.
Alan

Jes lahk shootin’ womp rats back in Beggar’s Canyon!
Blaine

The whole ‘make the weed fall to the right’ was more than I could take.

That was super, super cool.
elk

Totally (mr howdy) spooked by the single frame flicker of a dog at the very end. Please don’t do that. Please.
rAMPANTiDIOCY

Lizardman:

mark refers to him as “the late,” so, presumably he’s dead.
Takuan

sumbitch, thet good ole boy, he got the moving zen
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=izspplufh6M