A Ghost Story and Sam the Sandown Clown
“Are you a Ghost?” asked Fey to which Sam responded, “Well not really, but I am in an odd sort of way.”
For our newest escape experience we wanted to find a really unique story to explore, something folks were unlikely to have any previous knowledge regarding. I first heard the story of Sam the Sandown Clown on The Astonishing Legends Podcast in 2020 and found the story so odd and intriguing that it has been on the back of my mind ever since. The story has the potential to be both scary, sad, sweet, and comical all at once depending on how you interpret the events. As such, we wanted to try and recreate all of that with this adventure. Depending on what the players do in the game will determine what motive Sam will have and influence the game’s finale.
The story first appeared in The BUFORA Journal, Vol 6, No. 5 in January 1978 and was written by Norman Oliver in response to a a strange encounter reported by two children that were exploring the Sandown Golf Course in May of 1973. The children claim to have a met a very strange entity that introduced himself as “All Colours Sam” and invited them into his home which he had “just built today.”
The BUFORA Journal described Sam as “nearly seven feet tall and had no neck — for his head appeared to be wedged straight onto his shoulders. He wore a yellow, pointed hat, which interlocked with the red collar of a green tunic. A round, black knob was affixed to the top of his hat and ‘wooden’ antennae were attached either side. The face had triangular markings for eyes, a brown square of a nose and motionless yellow lips. Other round markings were on his paper-white cheeks and a fringe of red hair fell onto his forehead. ‘Wooden slats’ protruded from his sleeves and from below his white trousers.”
Most sane people would not follow Sam into his shack on the Sandown Golf course but these children were living in a pre-Stephen King’s “It” world so they went right in. Though the article says the children spent over 30 minutes inside Sam’s house, very few details were shared about what occurred inside. This is where we saw an opporunity to tell a story. Our guests are transported to the moment after the children enter Sam’s house and are sent to rescue the children. What happens next is up to our players.
For more information on this strange story also check out:
The BUFORA Jounrnal Article (starts on page 10)
The Astonishing Legends Podcast: Sam the Sandown Clown Episode
The Cryptonaut Podcast: Sam the Sandown Ghost Clown Episode (Not PG)