Sports have always been a big part of our history. We humans love to compete, and our sports show just how much we enjoy it. But did you know that some unbelievable sports that were once really popular have been forgotten over time? Let’s Learn a few of them!
Some sports are like timeless classics – they stay popular no matter what. But others, well, they kind of just slip through the cracks of history. Remembering these unbelievable sports is like digging up buried treasure – you never know what you’ll find!
Here are some of the wildest sports that time has forgotten:
The Arts: Picture this – art, literature, and poetry as Olympic events! Yup, between 1912 and 1948, the Olympics had competitions for these things. But they stopped because the artists were pros, not amateurs like the athletes.
Slamball: It’s like basketball but with trampolines and foam. Sounds like fun, right? It was a hit in 2002, but then it just vanished.
Distance Plunging: Imagine diving into the water and trying not to move for as long as you can. That was Distance Plunging. It was in the Olympics in 1904, but it didn’t last long.
Jeu de Paume: This was like squash but without rackets. Players used their hands. It was popular in 17th-century France and even made it to the Olympics in 1908.
Pitz: Ancient Mesoamericans played this ball game, which was a mix of soccer, basketball, and dodgeball. Losers got decapitated – yikes!
Roque: This 19th-century billiards-like game was played on a large board with hoops and pins. Once a staple of saloons and social clubs in the United States, roque faded from popularity after World War II.
Ski Ballet: Skiers dancing with their skis – that’s Ski Ballet for you. It was a thing in the Winter Olympics until 2000.
Cornish Hurling: Not to be confused with Irish Hurling, this was like soccer but with a heavy silver ball. People still play it today, kind of, as a tradition.
Skin Pulling: Vikings played this crazy game where losers got dragged into a fire pit. Not exactly a friendly match!
Naumachia: Ancient Romans filled up coliseums with water and had sailors fight each other in real naval battles. It was like a mix of theater and war. Crazy, right?
Lawn Bowls: This lawn game, similar to bocce ball, was hugely popular in Britain during the Victorian era. It remains a niche sport today, but still enjoys a dedicated following in the Commonwealth countries.
Pall Mall: A precursor to croquet, Pall Mall was a favorite pastime of European nobility in the 16th and 17th centuries. Played with a mallet and wooden ball, the objective was to navigate a course with hoops and arches.
Pelota Basque: This handball game, originating in the Basque region of Spain, was once a major sport that rivaled soccer in popularity. Played with a wicker basket strapped to the hand, professional leagues existed in the early 20th century, but their popularity has since dwindled.
Equestrian Long Jump: This was a mix of horse racing and long jumping. It featured in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, but it failed to catch on and eventually faded away.
Quintain: Back in medieval times, knights used to play this game to show off their skills. They had to hit a target on a pole while riding a horse. It was all about accuracy and bravery.
Episkyros: This ancient Greek game was a bit like a mix of Kabaddi and Rugby. Two teams would try to push each other back over a line to win.
Eel Pulling: This one was more for entertainment than anything else. People in the Netherlands would either tug on a live eel like a tug-of-war or jump into a canal to catch one hanging from a line.
Fox Tossing: Back then, players in Europe would sling foxes into the air for fun, considering it a game, although it sounds terrible now.
So there you go – time has swallowed up some of the most insane and unbelievable sports. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll make a comeback!
