A boomerang is an Australian Aboriginal wooden implement used for various purposes. It comes in many shapes and sizes depending on its geographic/tribal origins and intended function. The most recognisable type is the returning boomerang which, when thrown correctly, travels in a curved path and returns to its point of origin. Other types of boomerang are of the non-returning sort, and indeed, some are not thrown at all but are used in hand-to-hand combat by Aboriginal people. Boomerangs can be variously used as hunting weapons, percussive musical instruments, battle clubs, fire-starters, decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational playthings. The smallest boomerang may be less than 10 cm from tip-to-tip, and the largest over 2 metres in length. Tribal boomerangs may be incised and/or painted with designs meaningful to its maker. Most boomerangs seen today are of the tourist or competition sort, and are almost invariably of the returning type.

'To boomerang' has entered the English language, meaning akin to 'backfire' as in: 'this plan could very well boomerang on us'. This term has also been used to signify young adults who temporarily return home to live with their parents after several years away in a job or college, often for financial reasons.

History

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Boomerang-like devices, including hunting sticks, have been used all over the world for hunting, religious and recreational activities. Their origin is still not fully clear. Research has shown that ancient tribes in Europe used special throwing axes. Also, in ancient Egypt a special type of stick was exclusively used by the pharaohs for hunting birds. However, the world famous "country of the boomerang" is Australia, where the Australian Aborigines have used both boomerangs and hunting sticks for thousands of years. The name of the boomerang comes from the Indigenous Australian Turuwal tribe of Aborigines who lived south of Sydney, Australia.

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NYT > Sports

Red Sox 3, Angels 2: Red Sox Defeat Angels and Advance to Face Rays
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:37:57 -0000
Boston ousted Los Angeles in four games and will play the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League championship.
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Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:52:20 -0000
The Tampa Bay Rays will play for a spot in the World Series after finishing off the Chicago White Sox.
Baseball Playoff Analysis: Reunited, on Opposite Sides
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:50:39 -0000
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L.A. Times - Sports

Red Sox send Angels home again
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
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Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:54:00 -0700
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Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:35:00 -0700
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ESPN.com

Nelson: Lester at ease pitching in big games
Amy K. Nelson Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:24:43 -0700
Big games don't seem to bother Jon Lester, who heads to the mound Monday as the Red Sox try once more to close out the Angels in their best-of-five ALDS, writes Amy K. Nelson.
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ESPN.com news services Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:18:05 -0700
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ESPN.com news services Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:48:03 -0700
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AP Top-Sports Headlines At 11:44 p....

Red Sox beat Angels 3-2, move on to ALCS and Rays
By JIMMY GOLEN Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:52:45 -0000
BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox brushed aside the 100-win Angels in four games, dismissing their best-in-baseball regular season as last month's news....
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By RICK GANO Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:32:44 -0000
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Vikings lead Saints 20-10 at halftime
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:26:21 -0000
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Reuters: Sports News

Upton blasts help Rays advance to ALCS
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:18:44 -0400
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Tampa Bay Rays roared into the American League Championship Series with a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday, sealing their division series by a 3-1 margin with a win highlighted by two B.J. Upton homers.
Phillies beat Brewers to make NLCS
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:06:01 -0400
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Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:28:08 -0400
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SI.com

Upton regains his power stroke to lead Rays to ALCS
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:46:27 -0400
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Kansas City Star: Sports

Question of the week
Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:24:00 -0500
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October 2006. Boomerang throwing with colleagues during the lunch break. A bit too windy for our skill level, but we forgot to bring our kites.. All boomerangs that we throw here are home made from 6mm plywood (5 ply, the simple stuff). The orange one with the white dots is a Gel Sunshine. We also throw an Atlas, a Skippy, a Mix and a few others that remain hidden in blurry pixels.