The history of "Pogs" began in the 19th century, when the milk cap was patented as a way to seal milk bottles. The caps also became used in a childhood game, named after a Hawaiin beverage company which made a juice drink of Passion fruit, Orange, and Guava. The game slowly faded out as time passed, and it seemed that nothing was to come of it. Then, in 1991, a Hawaiin school teacher named Blossom Galbiso used the caps to teach some of her in class lessons. The kids also were taught the game of Pogs, and, according to some, this began the craze of the early 1990's.
Toy companies found the success of Pogs to be a great blessing; they could be easily printed and marketed, and they were incredibly popular. The craze slowly wore off as many realized just how ridiculous the trend (as well as the game) was (myself included). Today, pogs are a joke, gone the way of the pet rock. Just remember the famous Simpsons line: "Alf's back! In Pog form!" (two dead trends don't make a right!)
The Types of Pogs
- Pogs (official Pog brand) - These were probably the "to haves" of the Pog world. Being the official brand, it was quite the statement to have them, as if it somehow placed you in the elite tier of pogging. These were usually had metallic, reflective surfaces and featured the Pog mascot, a little hairy fellow who always smiled like an idiot.
- Slammers - Not referring to one particular brand, a slammer is a larger, plastic or heavy metal pog, used to strike a larger pile of pogs and knock them over. Usually, the heavy slammers are considered "cheap" (i.e., they give the user an unfair advantage). See below for more information.
- Poison pogs - A pog which features largely black and dark colors, usually shiny and metallic, as well. Pictorially, the poison pog usually features some variation on a skull or eight ball motif. One variation of pogs counts poison pogs as special, resulting in some sort of "event" when they are flipped.
- Pog tubes - A brightly colored, black, or clear plastic tube, with a diameter slightly larger than that of the pogs and slammers, with a cap which would close tightly, holding your pogs inside. The tall variety is used for the larger pog collection, with a smaller variety used for a player's various slammers. Also, a middle-length tube could be purchased for the less serious player. Most players had a slammer tube and a pog tube which they carried with them triumphantly.
- Brand name pogs and advertisements, ad infinitum.
The Game of Pogs
The game of pogs is for two players, each with slammers and pogs. At the beginning of a round, each player agrees on a certain number of pogs to contribute to the stack (usually 5-8 or so). The two smaller player stacks are then intermingled, face down.
Players now, turn by turn, slam their slammers into the top of the pile (usually done by wrapping one's index finger around the edge of the slammer and spinning the slammer straight down upon the pile, so that the slammer's edge strikes the stacks top solidly). The point of this is to attempt to knock over the stack and flip as many pogs over as possible, so their faces, not their blank backs, are showing. Every pog which is flipped goes to the slamming player, and those still face down return to the stack, and the next player gets a turn.
This was quite popular at many schools, but was soon banned after administrations realized that the game was a form of gambling. Perhaps this killed the craze, or perhaps the game's absurdity did.
Source: Personal Experience and
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/toys/ty1396.php