Wooden Spoon Time is Nearly Here
(Last Updated: Dec 05, 2023) It is mid-September and whether you are a follower of Aussie rules, rugby league, rugby union, soccer (as we call it) or any of the myriad sporting codes that we sports-mad Australians get excited about, then the finals are upon us. There will be winners and losers and also-rans but the latter we do not care about, valiant though their efforts may have been, because in true sporting style only first and last are celebrated – the winners with trophies, accolades and glory, the last-of-all losers, smiling ruefully, with the wooden spoon award. And Australian Woodwork has the wooden spoon for you and your team should they choke – commiserations, but that’s how it goes. Our wooden spoon (part of our range of hardwood utensils) is a thing of beauty, hand-made from native hardwood and an everlasting reminder for the team to try harder!
A Bit of History
The wooden spoon award originated at Cambridge University in the 1800s and was awarded to the student who achieved the lowest exam marks but still managed to get a third-class degree. The idea spread to sporting awards probably through the many Cambridge graduates playing rugby union and from there to other sporting codes. The tradition has been taken up with special enthusiasm in both Australia and New Zealand where the club that is last on the league table at the end of the season is given the wooden spoon award.
Why do we Love the Wooden Spoon Award?
First and foremost we are a nation of stirrers, it’s a national pastime and giving a wooden spoon to the losers is a quality bit of stirring. It is said we have an inherent disregard for pomp and ceremony and the wooden spoon adds the right touch of levity to the seriousness of award nights - anything to stop the basking-in-the-glory, back-slapping euphoria of the winners - and there may be touches of feeling for the underdog and a mistrust of tall poppies in the mix, an interesting subject for speculation. If however, you are not interested in delving into the nation’s sub-conscious motivations and just want a wooden spoon then go straight to our online store and order, no navel-gazing necessary. And by the way, good luck!
Customise with your own words and year of competition. Most key-cutting and shoe repair kiosks can do this for you!
