With an obscure name like Mangold, the information is quite scarce as to its origin (see my post regarding its origin here). I still never expected to stumble upon the odd sport of Mangold Hurling…yes there’s a sport that involves hurling Mangolds!
I have been fascinated with the Mangold name since childhood. I’ve heard stories of it being a Jewish swap of Goldman to Mangold. I heard it was two names combined to mean worker with gold, but the most believable and compelling is referenced HERE.
Mangold Hurling Association Website
Where on earth the sport of Mangold Hurling comes into “play” I’ll never know but if you’re interested in its history you can visit the official Mangold Hurling Page HERE.
On this website you can even find the following…
Mangold is Mangelwurzel
According to Wikipedia Mangold is the English name for the Mangelwurzel. The mangelwurzel has a history in England of being used for sport (mangold hurling), for celebration (mangold lanterns at punkie night in Somerset), for animal fodder and for the brewing of a potent alcoholic beverage.
A mangelwurzel hurling championship was revived in the north Wiltshire village of Sherston on October 7, 2006. Teams of three hurled mangelwurzels in turn, aiming to be the closest to a large leafless mangelwurzel known as ‘the Norman’.
It is also the source of the name for the English folk/pop/comedy musical group The Wurzels.
Most city-dwellers in England have only the vaguest idea of what a mangelwurzel is, and tend to associate the vegetable with the stereotypical country bumpkin character in comedy. The word is even used as a double-entendre, for example by the character Rambling Syd Rumpo (Kenneth Williams). As usual, some entertainers from country towns embrace the stereotype, as above.
The first encounter with the mangelwurzel for many children may well be through the book Muddle Earth (2003) by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, in which the mangelwurzel is the staple diet of the trolls. It also appears in George Orwell‘s Animal Farm, in the fourth stanza of the ballad “Beasts of England.”
The mangelwurzel was mentioned prominently in the book Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins.
It also makes frequent appearances as a sheep’s treat in the sheep detective novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann.
Mangelwurzel is given as a genus of a scarecrow in the children’s programme Worzel Gummidge.
In Closing
You can’t make this stuff up folks…I wonder if in their wildest imaginations if the originators of this sport would have thought that today’s definition of “hurling” could be the same as vomitting? I also wonder if they ever thought that someone’s last name would ever actually be “Mangold?” So combining the two and making a sport out of it just leads to the disgusting imagery I’m not prepared to entertain!
In Closing
So, if you ever plan on hurling a Mangold…there are rules pal and you better follow them to the tee! I’d hate to have to refer you to the Mangold Hurling Association for failure to hurl in the proper manner!
Rodger's Rants, Writings, and Rambles 
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.
Hi. Glad you enjoyed the website. The MHA would like to point out that your photograph shows the technique for placing the Norman, not the correct hurling technique which can be found on the website.