Topend Sports Logo

Thumb Wrestling

Thumb wrestling, also called pea-knuckle or thumb war, is a game played between two players using thumbs to simulate fighting. There are many claims as to who invented thumb wrestling.

Paul Davidson claims his grandfather invented thumb wrestling, while Julian Koenig claims he invented the game when he was a boy. The goal of the game is to pin the opposing player’s thumb. A short chant  “1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb of war” is usually performed before the game starts. When the game is over, the winner chants “1, 2, 3, 4, I win thumb-o-war.”

The World Thumb Wrestling Association just recently held their first-ever thumb wrestling competition.



Related Pages

send us a comment Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.

Sport Extra

Check out the 800+ sports in the Encyclopedia of Every Sport. Well not every sport, as there is a list of unusual sports, extinct sports and newly created sports. How to get on these lists? See What is a sport? We also have sports winners lists, and about major sports events and a summary of every year.

 → How to Cite