The origin of knife-throwing stems from throwing wood (picture a boomerang), which was used as a weapon in battle and as a tool for hunting. In North Africa, evidence of throwing wood dates back to approximately 6000 B.C. In Egypt, throwing wood was discovered in the grave of Tut-anch-Amun (approximately 1340 B.C.). After the introduction of iron at about 600 B.C., throwing wood gradually developed into the throwing knife.
In America, the throwing knife gained popularity in the early 1800s with James Bowie, an American soldier whose knife-throwing battles during the Texas Revolution (including his death at the Battle of the Alamo) became legendary. During this time, knife-throwing was popular among many Confederate soldiers as a form of fighting, but it was also used as a form of entertainment when the soldiers were not fighting.
While regulations vary slightly from competition to competition, the sport of knife-throwing generally involves a target measuring 50cm. The target is then partitioned into 5 rings with the following diameters: 10cm, 20cm, 30cm, 40cm, 50cm. Points are earned by striking the bull's-eye (five points) and the outer rings (four, three, two, one) respectively. Generally, the knives are thrown from a distance between 3m and 7m. Many organizations exist around the world to promote the sport of knife-throwing, including the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame Association based in Austin, Texas.
A drawing, which first appeared in 1861, entitled "Camp Life in the Confederate Army" depicts Confederate soldiers throwing knives at a mark on a tree. This appears to be the first evidence of knife throwing for entertainment purposes.
According to the Bernard L. Peterson book "Profiles of African-American Stage Performers and Theatre People," knife-throwing found a home in theater with the help of Monsieur Bushnell, whose variety act included knife-throwing as early as 1890. Other early theater acts included Victor F. Cody and Miss Lillian Cody, whose knife-throwing acts were performed around the country as early as 1902.
In 1938, The Gibsons, a husband and wife act from Germany, appeared in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus show with an act called the Wheel of Death. The Wheel of Death was a circular block of wood upon which an individual was strapped. As the piece of wood turned, the knife thrower threw knives at the individual with the goal of outlining the body.
The play "Pin Cushion," by Clay McLeod Chapman, tells the story of a husband and wife knife-throwing act and includes a monologue delivered by the wife as her husband throws knives around her. The play was performed at The Red Room Theater in New York in May and June 2002. The performance involved a professional knife thrower in Dr. David Adamovich (The Great Throwdini) playing the husband.
"The Pajama Game," by Richard Adler and Jerry Rossalso, involved a knife-throwing act. The play was eventually turned into a movie starring Doris Day
"Annie Get Your Gun," by Herbert and Dorothy Fields, featured a knife-thrower named Tommy Keeler.
Penn & Teller is perhaps the most famous knife-throwing act. The two magicians frequently include knife-throwing displays in their theatrical productions.
Knife-throwing can be extremely dangerous. Most of the knife-throwing done in theater productions is done by professionals. Professional knife throwers take safety very seriously and have strict rules in place to ensure no one is injured.