LAKEVIEW — One thing is certain when playing human foosball: Spinning will definitely not be permitted.
Replay Lincoln Park — the recently revamped Headquarters at 2833 N. Sheffield Ave. — will host a human foosball tournament from 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 21.
Teams of six can register for free by emailing foo@replaylincolnpark.com. Up to 16 teams will compete in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with the winning team netting the $500 prize. The runners-up will get $250.
Contenders can enjoy $20 craft buckets, $3 Rolling Rocks and $3 shots, plus the ability to get food delivered to Replay.
Tabletop soccer, more commonly known as foosball, has a murky early history. While multiple people claimed to invent the game, it was Harold Searles Thornton who filed a patent after testing out a tabletop version using matches laid across a matchbox.
Decades later, the European Table Soccer Union was formed in 1976, and the term "foosball" was trademarked in the United States in the 1960s (players are called "foosers"). The game enjoyed rampant success, which later declined as video games became popular.
In 2002, the International Table Soccer Federation registered the game with the International Olympic Committee, although has yet to become an official Olympic sport. Still, championships regularly offer up to $130,000 in prize money.
The former Headquarters on Sheffield became the city's third Replay at the end of 2016. Operated by LKH Management, which also owns Hydrate, Lark and two Elixir Lounge locations, Replay specializes in free vintage video games just like its predecessor, and also features craft beer and bourbon.
The switch followed the settlement of a lawsuit filed by former partner Brian Galati against co-owner Mark Kwiatkowski.
The partners split assets, and Kwiatkowski took control of Headquarters Lakeview. He then joined with LKH Management as a partner focused on expanding the Replay brand.
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