Strolling through Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s McCollough Branch, you may hear “4 bam,” “5 crack,” “3 dot,” and “west wind” — the sounds of “tile sharks” enjoying what is fast becoming a popular game here.
Four-player Mahjong uses tiles featuring bamboos, characters, or dots to arrange a winning hand matching a certain combination of suits. Standard Oil businessman Joseph Park Babcock noticed people playing it while on a business trip to China in the 1920s and brought the game back with him to the U.S., where it has experienced a resurgence in popularity.
“From what I’ve noticed, Mahjong has become especially popular among women of retirement age, likely because it combines social connection with a refreshing break from digital life,” says McCollough Branch Assistant Manager Tyler Lemar.
“It’s a hands-on, tactile game that’s just competitive enough to be exciting, but still friendly and relaxed. … Because most groups can play several rounds in just a couple of hours, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule: long enough to feel social, short enough to be manageable.”
Nicole Wright says it’s easier to learn Mahjong by jumping in and playing, as she, her mother, Carolyn Krupp, and about 20-30 other people do for two hours each Tuesday morning at the East Side library. “There’s no pressure, and everyone is so patient,” Wright says, “and that’s what makes you want to come back.”
Lemar got the idea for the weekly mingle from her mother, Carla, who recently started playing. The event series began in September. “It’s been so fun to watch strangers sit down at a table and leave with each other’s phone numbers or plans to meet up outside of the library,” Lemar says.
