From this story in the Washington Post on amusing, misleading and downright silly magazine articles from 2003, we find this:

… Playboy published an article titled “Superstars of Weird Sports,” which featured this helpful tip from James Pratt, three-time World Cow-Chip Throwing champion: “Here’s the secret to a good throw: Lick your fingers between the first and second throw. It’s good luck. A little doo on my tongue don’t bother me none. It’s just grass come around the long way.”

He must be married to the woman who worked at the Huddle House in Alpharetta, GA at 0300 one morning about 17 years ago who liked to lick her fingers between cutting slices of cake…