FRYEBURG – One of the contestants warmed up at the line by swinging her strong arms around and around, bringing the audience to a pitch of excitement. When she charged the line and released the skillet, it made a high arc and thudded onto the sand, eliciting a communal gasp from the crowd.
But her throw, while impressive, did not move her to the finals of the skillet-throwing contest, the only all-women’s event at the Fryeburg Fair. Instead, a less flashy show by Cathy Ellis, 41, of Lynn, Mass., resulted in the longest toss of the day at 55 feet, 6 inches.
The contest attracted many female contestants, ages 18 to 96 on Monday. The oldest thrower was Mildred Heath, famous for not having missed a fair in 72 years.
While the men may measure the throws and return the skillet and cheer on the throwers, they’re not allowed to participate.
Suzi Fuller of Fryeburg said she first organized the event about 20 years ago for the fair, and since then has been asked to launch it at other fairs in New England.
While the history of the event is hazy, there seemed to be a consensus that it is an outlet for women who might prefer hurling things at their husbands.
Sara Gray, 22, of Parsonsfield, who won her age group, said the fact you can throw a mean frying pan “gives you something to threaten your husband with.”
And one observer, Roger Thibeault of Turner, was overheard making the comment, “A lot of mad girls here.”
Champion Ellis said she did not practice for the contest, but was given some pointers by her friend and past champion, Kathy Peterson, 54. They both play on a softball team in Lynn, Mass., Ellis said.
Ellis actually admitted she once pitched for the team, and wondered if that gave her an unfair advantage. But Peterson’s tip for throwing a long, straight skillet came from her expertise in another sport.
“It’s like a bowling motion,” she advised anyone looking to become a future skillet-throwing expert.
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