Bingo gets local twist at virtual homecoming

A 500-year-old game gets a fresh local twist today as part of Eastern New Mexico University's virtual homecoming that began Monday and continues through the weekend.

Reach for the digital device of your choice and get ready for … I am beyond excited … tonight's premiere of … brace yourself … “Bingo with the Chancellor.”

Because why not? What else about this year has been traditional?

You can bet your B-17 that I've already signed up. Rumor has it there is some fine ENMU bookstore swag on the line, and I'm all about swag, especially the kind that comes from bookstores.

Better yet, our very own Patrice Caldwell, interim chancellor at ENMU, will be calling the numbers for this virtual game of chance starting at 7 p.m. today.

She was born for this opportunity.

I had two surprises when I sat down to write this.

First: My dusty Encyclopedia Britannica has a surprisingly lengthy entry on bingo.

Secondly, this game that most of us have played at least once in our lives has been around in one form or another for a half a century, with credit to the Italians for coming up with it in 1530.

The game's many names and variations over time have, according to Britannica, included lotto, keno, kino, po-keno, tombola, house, housy-housy (which might be my favorite), beano (a close second), lucky, radio, and fortune.

The “beano” name came about from use of dried beans as markers. Numerous sources say the tradition of shouting, “Bingo!” with the completion of a card may have originated from a mispronunciation of “Beano!” by an enthusiastic winner back in 1929 in the United States.

You will need neither beans nor bings (if bings were ever a thing) to mark your card for this online version. After you sign up, you will be sent a link to retrieve your online “card,” and you will play onscreen.

As the always-entertaining Patrice Caldwell dramatically announces the numbers (because I can pretty much guarantee this), you mark your card electronically.

Want to play along? Oh, come on. You know you do.

The link to join the Homecoming zoom game (as well as a complete list of the reminder of this week's online events, activities, and prize giveaways) may be found at http://www.enmu.edu/about/alumni/events/homecoming or on the ENMU Alumni Association Facebook page.

Rey Coss, coordinator of Campus Life at ENMU, says there is no cut-off time to register for tonight's bingo bonanza.

“You can sign up to the minute it starts,” he said, “or even log in late and catch the next round.”

Last but not least, kudos to the folks at Eastern for pulling together a varied slate of online activities to celebrate with their alumni this week. As we have all learned this year, a virtual gathering outshines no gathering at all.

If you decide to hold a virtual tail-gate party ahead of Bingo, don't forget to “e-vite” me.

Betty Williamson worries there may be no way to cheat at online bingo, but she is determined to try. Reach her at:

pepnm@hotmail.com