The origin of the term ‘To Fanny’ in Petanque (beat an opponent 13-0) appears to date back to the game’s early days in Lyon, France with various versions of exactly how it first came to be used.

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There is a general storyline that at the end of local game where a team had just lost 13-0 they were required as usual to ‘pay a forfeit’ to compound their humiliation. This most often took the form of buying the winners a round of drinks. Never a bad idea! But on this occasion the waitress serving the drinks felt sorry for the losers and allowed them to kiss her on the cheek.

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Her name was Fanny.

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However, one day the local Mayor was playing for a team that also lost 13-0. But when it came to the forfeit, the Waitress, who really didn’t like the Mayor, stood on a chair, raised her skirt and offered the Mayor her backside to kiss! He accepted the challenge and the tradition was born!

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Nowadays many clubs have a picture, carving or statue of ‘Fanny’ bending over and offering her cheek, which is gleefully put in front of a team or individual losing 13-0 for them to kiss in the appropriate place. The ceremony is usually recorded through a photograph which tends to always find its way onto the Club Noticeboard and/or Web Site!