Buzz
International Pillow Fight Day is on April 2 this year. While this celebrated event is all about whacking your friends and family with your favorite fluffy weapon, don't forget to be cautious: Pillow fights can sometimes escalate into serious situations. Still not convinced? Here are a few times pillow fights took a turn for the worse, ripped straight from the headlines.
1. "Fights Delayed"
In 1896, a highly anticipated carnival prizefight between pugilists Fitzsimmons and Maher was delayed after "Maher arrived this morning with a badly swollen eye," reported The New York Times [PDF]. Maher claimed the swelling came from dirt during his training, but Fitzsimmons' camp argued it was caused by a pillow fight Maher had engaged in under "Vassar College rules" with his trainer. Either way, Maher insisted he couldn't compete until the following Monday.
2. "[Boy] Falls Out of Window During Pillow Fight, Recovers, and Requests Ice Cream"
In 1921, the New York Tribune reported that 4-year-old Charles Hunton fell from a building after a pillow fight with his brother, Arthur. Though Charles lost consciousness, a medical checkup revealed no broken bones or internal harm. When asked about his condition, the boy casually replied that he was “fine” and then told his mother, "get me some ice cream."
3. "Rich Boy Injured in a Pillow Fight"
In a headline from 1905, The New York Times shared the positive news that William Ziegler, Jr., heir to the vast "Ziegler estate," was recovering well after a pillow-related altercation with his school friends—thank goodness!
4. "Injured During Pillow Fight"
According to the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, in 1948, a teenage boy was injured during a pillow fight. Don Hewitt suffered a deep gash on his forehead after being hit by a light shade, which is clearly a breach of proper pillow fight conduct.
5. "The Parliamentary Pillow Brawl"
The Gippsland Mercury reported on a chaotic scene in the Australian House of Representatives in 1914. Frustrated with opposition delays, the majority party suggested an overnight session. Members of the majority were provided with blankets and pillows for comfort, but the opposition was left without. It didn’t take long for both sides to prove that their skills in sharing linens were as poor as their ability to reach agreements.
According to the North Western Courier, the two sides quickly began squabbling over the pillows and blankets. A wire report described the scene as "a battle royal, reminiscent of childhood days ... soon nearly every member of the house was rolling on the floor, wrestling, hitting, and clawing."
6. "Pillow Fight Leads to Fluffy Legal Drama"
A pillow fight with 50 participants ended in a court appearance in Vermont in 2009. The Burlington Free Press reported that the Facebook-organized event lasted only about two minutes before a policeman passed by and arrested one of the fighters. The participant was issued a citation for disorderly conduct, despite there being no injuries or property damage.
7. "Featherweights: Detroit Police Interrupt Pillow Fight"
Leave it to the authorities to spoil yet another good pillow fight. In 2009, a public pillow fight planned at Campus Martius Park in Detroit was shut down before it even began. The Associated Press reported that police showed up and sent the would-be participants home. Detroit police spokesperson James Tate explained that the concern wasn’t the fight itself but rather the potential mess that would follow.
8. "Man Convicted for Pillow Fight Assault"
In 1956, The Baltimore Sun reported that 37-year-old Thomas Ruby was convicted of assault with a pillow. The charges were pressed by his brother, John Ruby, who claimed he was struck with a pillow and strangled at 2:30 a.m. Thomas was also said to have racked up 50 to 60 other charges for similar offenses.
This article was originally published in 2015 and has since been updated for 2022.
