Greasy pole

[ATOB2]

Where does the expression the 'greasy pole' come from?

[JakBilsudski]

This expression is very offensive to my Country. We Poles are a very clean people. Jakob Bilsudsky Secretary Anglo-Polish Friendship Society

[wjreid]

In many countries a favourite plaything, prior to computers and personal stereos, was the greasy pole. It is a straight pole, wooden or metal, up to 4 meters long, positioned vertically or supported horizontally, and smeared with grease. The object was to shin up the vertical pole or to saddle along the horizontal one as far as you could go, all the time opposed by the slippiness of the grease. It became a bye-word for a difficult task.

[Twangalot]

Wow, this is old!