TJ, the only way I knew the word was from my son's 8th grade class when we built one to throw tennis balls for a class project. I thought it was some French pastry loaf before then. What the cool part was that I almost let my son help with the project.
First time we launched a tennis ball all the way across the street, we both looked at each other with our mouths hung open. It deteriorated rapidly into empty coke cans, rocks, full coke cans, and then fruit from the frig. We kept adding counter weight until we destroyed it. I kept it and still have it 15 years later, because it was one of the best father son experiences we ever had.
My son got an A.
