A brass ring is a small grabbable ring that a dispenser presents to a carousel

Carousel

A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...

 rider during the course of a ride. Usually there are a large number of iron

Iron

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...

 rings and one brass

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...

 one, or just a few. It takes some dexterity to grab a ring from the dispenser as the carousel rotates. The iron rings can be tossed at a target as an amusement. Typically, getting the brass ring gets the rider some sort of prize when presented to the operator. The prize often is a free repeat ride. The phrase to grab the brass ring is derived from this device. In Medevial Times, knights would aim for brass rings while in jousting tournaments, with those accomplishing the goal receiving a gold medal.

Background

Brass ring devices were developed during the heyday of the carousel in the U.S.--about 1880 to 1921. At one time, the riders on the outside row of horses were often given a little challenge, perhaps as a way to draw interest or build excitement, more often as an enticement to sit on the outside row of horses which frequently did not move up and down and were therefore less enticing by themselves. Most rings were iron, but one or two per ride were made of brass; if a rider managed to grab a brass ring, it could be redeemed for a free ride.
References to a literal brass ring go back into the 1890s.

Once the ride started moving, a metal arm was swung out for riders to try to grasp the ring from. As the wooden horses or other creatures circled around the center where the machinery and organ were housed, rings were fed to one end of a wooden arm that was suspended above the riders, who hoped that the timing of their horse's rise would coincide with their approach to the ring, which they would try to grab.

On some rides this held a single brass ring, which was difficult to grab since the outside edge of the carousel is always the fastest moving. Whoever managed to retrieve the brass ring, if anyone, could redeem it for a free ride. Another system had a dispenser of rings, most of which were steel and had no value, but one per ride was the brass one that won the prize. In this system, there was a target to throw the ring into (for example the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Founded in 1907, it is California's oldest surviving amusement park and one of the few seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States.- Overview :...

 Looff Carousel

Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster

Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster On The Beach Boardwalk is a National Historic Landmark composed of two parts, a Looff carousel and the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, on the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, California.-Looff Carousel:...

 uses a clown target as the image shows, and Knoebels

Knoebels

Knoebels Amusement Resort is a family-owned and -operated amusement park, picnic grove and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, the park has more than 57 rides, free admission, two wooden roller coasters, a 1913 carousel and a haunted house dark ride that was featured on the...

 Grand Carousel uses a Lion), discouraging retention as a souvenir.

Cultural references

The brass ring as a term also means striving for the highest prize, or living life to the fullest. It is not clear when the phrase came into wide use but has been found in dictionaries as far back as the late 19th century.

The term has been used as the title of at least two books.

Brass ring carousels today

Although there are a lot of carousel

Carousel

A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...

s extant, only a handful of carousels still have brass rings. The following pre 1960 vintage carousels in North America have operating brass ring dispensers/targets:

Park	Location	Name	Manufacturer	Date
Elmira, NY Elmira, New York Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...	Eldridge Park Eldridge Park Eldridge Park, located in Elmira, New York, was a famous amusement park around the turn of the 20th century. Covering roughly , it was dedicated to the memory of a local physician and was in common usage late into the 20th century....	Eldridge Park Carousel	Unknown
San Diego, CA San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...	Balboa Park	Balboa Park Carousel	Herschell-Spillman The Allan Herschell Company The Allan Herschell Company was a company that specialized in the creation of amusement rides, particularly carousels and roller coasters. The company manufactured portable machines which could be used by traveling carnival operators...  menagerie	1910
Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...	Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Founded in 1907, it is California's oldest surviving amusement park and one of the few seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States.- Overview :...	Looff Carousel Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster On The Beach Boardwalk is a National Historic Landmark composed of two parts, a Looff carousel and the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, on the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, California.-Looff Carousel:...	Looff Charles I. D. Looff Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...	1911
Auburndale, FL Auburndale, Florida Auburndale is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,032 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 12,381...	International Market World	Lakeside Carousel	Mangels-Looff Charles I. D. Looff Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built... /S&G/Carmel	1909
Angola, IN Angola, Indiana Angola is a city in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana, United States. The population was 8,612 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Steuben County . Angola was founded by Thomas Gale and Cornelius Gilmore. Angola is home to Trine University...	Fun Spot Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo was a smaller family amusement park located in Angola, Indiana, USA. Although it was small in comparison to parks in neighboring states, such as Cedar Point and Michigan's Adventure, it remained one of the largest parks in the region...		Allan Herschell The Allan Herschell Company The Allan Herschell Company was a company that specialized in the creation of amusement rides, particularly carousels and roller coasters. The company manufactured portable machines which could be used by traveling carnival operators...	1929
Logansport, IN Logansport, Indiana Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...	Riverside Park Riverside Amusement Park (Indianapolis) For other parks with the same name, see Riverside Amusement Park Not to be confused with Riverside Park , which is also known as "Riverside City Park"...		Dentzel	c.1902
Oak Bluffs, MA Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts Oak Bluffs is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,713 at the 2000 census and was estimated at 3,735 as of 2008...	Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....	Flying Horses Flying Horses Carousel The Flying Horses Carousel is the oldest operating platform carousel in America. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark.-History:This carousel, one of two similar carousels built by the Charles W. Dare Company, was built in 1876. It was moved by New York attorney F. O. Gordon from Coney...	Dare Dare -Arts and entertainment:* Dan Dare, a classic British science fiction comics hero* Dare , a 1965 novel by Philip José Farmer* Dare, a 2007 novel by BET host Abiola Abrams* Dare , a 2009 film- Music :...	1876
Ocean City, NJ Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...	Gillian's Wonderland Pier		PTC Philadelphia Toboggan Company The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...  #75	1926
Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...	Coney Island Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....	B & B Carousel	Mangels-Carmel Charles I. D. Looff Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...
Greenport, NY Greenport, Suffolk County, New York Greenport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on the north fork of Long Island. The population was 2,048 at the 2000 census....	Mitchell Park	Northrop-Grumman Carousel	Herschell-Spillman The Allan Herschell Company The Allan Herschell Company was a company that specialized in the creation of amusement rides, particularly carousels and roller coasters. The company manufactured portable machines which could be used by traveling carnival operators...	1920
Easton, PA Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....	Bushkill Park		Allan Herschell The Allan Herschell Company The Allan Herschell Company was a company that specialized in the creation of amusement rides, particularly carousels and roller coasters. The company manufactured portable machines which could be used by traveling carnival operators...	1920
Elysburg, PA Elysburg, Pennsylvania Elysburg is a census-designated place in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,067 at the 2000 census. The area's biggest attraction is Knoebels Amusement Park, which has two wooden roller coasters.-Demographics:...	Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort Knoebels Knoebels Amusement Resort is a family-owned and -operated amusement park, picnic grove and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, the park has more than 57 rides, free admission, two wooden roller coasters, a 1913 carousel and a haunted house dark ride that was featured on the...	Grand Carousel	Kremers Carousel Works-Carmel	1913
Pen Argyl, PA Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania Pen Argyl is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, north of Easton, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt.-Population:In 1900, 2,784 people lived in Pen Argyl, and in 1910, 3,967 people lived here...	Weona Park		Dentzel	c.1900
East Providence, RI East Providence, Rhode Island East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.-Geography:East Providence is located at ....	Carousel Park	Crescent Park Carousel	Looff Charles I. D. Looff Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...	1895
Watch Hill, RI	Watch Hill Park	The Flying Horse Carousel The Flying Horse Carousel The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill within the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, United States is one of two in the state designated as National Historic Landmarks, along with the Crescent Park Looff Carousel in East Providence ....	Dare	c.1884
Spokane, WA Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...	Riverfront Park Riverfront Park (Spokane) Riverfront Park is a public park in downtown Spokane, Washington. The 100 acre park is located along the Spokane River, not far up from the Spokane Falls. It was created for Expo '74, a World's Fair event. The defining feature of the park is the Pavilion, which is marked by a metal frame and wire...	Riverfront Park Carousel Riverfront Park Carousel The Riverfront Park Carousel, also known as the Looff Carousel and the Natatorium Park Carousel is a carousel in Spokane, Washington originally built in 1909 by Charles I. D. Looff. The carousel was a gift for Looff's daughter Emma Vogel and her husband Louis Vogel, who owned Natatorium Park in...	Looff Charles I. D. Looff Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheels, and built...	1909
Roseneath, ON (Canada)	Roseneath Fairgrounds		Parker/Herschell Spillman The Allan Herschell Company The Allan Herschell Company was a company that specialized in the creation of amusement rides, particularly carousels and roller coasters. The company manufactured portable machines which could be used by traveling carnival operators...	1906
Helena, MT Helena, Montana Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...  (USA)	Great Northern Town Center	Great Northern Carousel	Todd Goings/Goings	2001

External links

• Knoebels Carousel:
  • From Poremsky.net
  • From Amusement-parks.com
• Flying Horses: from cape cod online