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Shoe tossing, the act of using shoes asprojectiles or improvisedweapons, is part of a number offolksports and practices. Today, shoe tossing refers to throwing a pair ofshoes whose laces are tied together onto raised wires such as telephone wires and power lines, as well astrees, orfences.Urban legend tells that hanging shoes denote the location of a gang murder.

For the most part, shoe tossing is purely recreational, often done as a prank. Dangling shoes may also symbolize local culture or traditions, including insults.

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Shoe dangling, or shoe flinging, is the practice of throwing shoes whoseshoelaces have been tied together so that they hang from overheadwires such aspower lines ortelephone cables. Once the laces are tied, the pair is thrown at the wires as a sort ofbolas.

Shoe flinging occurs throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, in rural and in urban areas. Usually, the shoes aresneakers; other times, they areleather shoes andboots.^[1] Many cultural variations exist; differences abound between socioeconomic areas and age groups.

Several theories have been put forth to explain the phenomenon. One posits that it's a form of bullying: a bully steals a pair of shoes and tosses them where they are unlikely to be retrieved.^[1] Another views shoe tossing as apractical joke played ondrunks, who wake up to find their shoes missing. More ominously,^[2] a 2003 newsletter from formerLos Angeles, California mayor James Hahn cited fears of many L.A. residents that "these shoes indicate sites at which drugs are sold or worse yet, gang turf," and that city and utility employees had launched a program to remove the shoes.^[3] A 2015 study of shoe-tossing data in Chicago found that the rumor and relationship between dangling shoes and drug dealing wascorrelational, not causal.^[4]

In some cultures, shoes are flung as part of arite of passage, for example, to commemorate the end of aschool year, or a forthcomingmarriage. Some theories suggest the custom originated with members of themilitary, who are said to have thrown military boots, often painted orange or some other conspicuous color, at overhead wires as a part of a rite of passage after completingbasic training or when leaving the service.^[2] In the 1997filmWag the Dog, shoe tossing is an allegedly spontaneous tribute to Sgt. William Schumann, played byWoody Harrelson, who has purportedly been shot down behind enemy lines inAlbania.

Ashoe tree, not to be confused with theshoe-preservation device of the same name, is atree (or, occasionally, a powerline pole or other wooden object) that has been festooned with old shoes.^[6] Shoe trees are generally located alongside major local thoroughfares, and they may have a theme (such ashigh-heeled shoes). At least 76 such shoe trees have been documented in the United States.^[7]

Boot throwing, or wellie wanging, has been a competitive sport inNew Zealand and Britain for many years.Wellington boots are heavy rubber boots worn by most farm workers and many other outdoor workers. A competition to see who can throw a boot, or "wellie," the farthest is a feature of many agricultural-field-day competitions in rural communities. The town ofTaihape in the centralNorth Island is closely identified with this sport; the town claims to be the "Gumboot Throwing Capital of the World." It holds an annual competition (Gumboot Day) in the main street; the winner takes home the Golden Gumboot trophy.^[8] See alsoWellie wanging inYorkshire, England.

Since 2003, the sport has been practiced competitively inEastern Europe. The 2004 World Championship was won by Germany, which then hosted the 2005 Competition atDöbeln. Teams were also expected fromAustralia andRussia. Boot throwing has been a popular sport inFinland since 1976, when the inaugural Finnish Championships took place.

The Scottish Championships were held inOban in July 2009, where shoe-throwing pioneers RD Miller & David Gaffney created an impromptu event on the waterfront. This inspired such shoe-throwing legends as Phil Reid (who always favored lighter trainers) to pick up the baton -- or the sneaker in this case -- and take it to a wider audience. A watered-down version of the competition is still held every July around Oban.

Shoe tossing in place of throwing rice at awedding has been used in several cultures.^[9][10]

In manyArab cultures, throwing a shoe at someone is considered extremely insulting. It is also considered rude to display thesole of one's foot to someone. In 2008, Iraqi journalistMuntadar al-Zaidi was arrested for throwing two shoes atUnited States PresidentGeorge W. Bush, in protest against the American military invasion and subsequent occupation, while the president was visitingBaghdad. Al-Zaidi shouted in Arabic: "This is from the widows, the orphans and those killed in Iraq!"^[11] President Bush ducked and was not struck by the shoes.^[12] Shoe throwing as an insult is not limited to the Arab world; other notable incidents have involved othercelebrities and world leaders, includingSteve McCarthy,David Beckham,Lily Allen, andWen Jiabao.^[13]

• Abandoned footwear
• Gumboot Day
• Panty tree
• Wellie wanging

• Bootthrowers' House
• Close-Up: New York's hanging sneakers –BBC News report looking at the phenomenon

• American folklore
• Children's games
• Urban legends
• Uses of shoes
• Vandalism

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