Kids game from 1966

[BootinUp]

“Who will place the straw that breaks the camel’s back? The loser… that’s who!”

Published by Schaper in 1966, The Last Straw transformed the popular idiom “the straw that broke the camel’s back” into a strategy game for children.

GAMEPLAY

The molded-plastic camel in The Last Straw was split into two halves connected by a rubber band. Once assembled, wheels were attached to its feet and a pair of bright yellow baskets were placed on its back via connected yoke.

The first player chose a straw and placed it in one of the baskets. The second player chose another straw and placed it in a basket, and so on, in regular rotation. When the number of wooden straws in the baskets reached a critical weight, the camel collapsed, causing its two humps to touch under pressure and eliminating the player from the game. The camel was then reset, and gameplay started anew until there was one player left standing.

The object of the game was to be the last player standing after all others had “broken the camel’s back.”

IN THE BOX

A complete game included the two halves of the camel, the connected cargo baskets, two sets of connected wheels, and a quantity of wooden straws of different thicknesses and colours. Instructions were printed on the inside of the box cover.

SCHAPER COLLECTIBLES

Founded in 1949 by William Herbert Schaper of Robbinsdale, Minnesota, Schaper remains popular with collectors who fondly remember classic toys and games such as Don’t Spill the Beans (1967), Put and Take (1956), Bango! Bango! (1963), Ants in the Pants (1969), Moon Blast Off (1970), U-Drive-It (1974), Super Jocks (1976), Don’t Break the Ice (1969), and others. Schaper closed shop in 1987, but some of its games live on thanks to Hasbro, which acquired the rights to publish a selection of Schaper games from Tyco (a division of Mattel at that time).


https://toytales.ca/the-last-straw-from-schaper-1966/

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1. Wow! I haven't thought about this game since ... 1967!

[BootinUp]

2. lol.

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3. I actually did have this game. Thanks for the memory!

[area51]

4. I also had it. n/t