The Origin Stories of Our Favorite Sports

The world of sports is one that continues to capture the hearts of players and spectators alike. Various sports are now played in countries all over the world. The history of sports dates back to thousands of years and some were encouraged for training and preparation for war. The origins of some sports are vague but there is evidence of civilizations that enjoyed some version of the sports played today. Let’s take a look at the origin of a few sports.\r \r 1. Soccer (Football)\r \r Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world today. Games resembling soccer have been played for centuries and have evolved to what we know today. In 2,500 BC, the ancient Egyptians, during the feast of fertility, played a game where the ball was kicked around. Cuju was played in China from as early as the second and third centuries. The object of the game was to kick a leather ball loaded with hair and feathers through a narrow aperture that was fastened to long bamboo canes. According to FIFA, England saw the emergence of soccer in its modern form in 1863.  \r \r 2. Lacrosse\r \r Lacrosse is an interscholastic, professional, and global sport that evolved over time from stickball, a Native American Indian game performed by tribal warriors for training, recreation, religious purposes and to promote social uniformity. The rules were quite different then, with the field of play being more than half a mile long with hundreds or players at any one time. Over time, more sophisticated implements were developed and used. Lacrosse was named Canada’s national sport in 1859. The first official set of rules for the game was developed by George Beers in 1867.\r \r 3. Baseball \r \r The false story that baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York in 1839 is no longer in the ballpark. Games similar to baseball in the United States began in the 18th century. It is thought that baseball originated from two English games- rounders and cricket. The New York Knickerbocker Baseball Club, founded in 1845 by a group of men in New York, laid the groundwork for contemporary baseball. One of the club’s most influential members, Alexander Joy Cartwright, developed many of the fundamental baseball rules.\r \r 4. Basketball\r \r Basketball, one of America’s most loved sports, was invented by Dr. James Naismith of Canada. Naismith was a physical education teacher at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School. During the winter of 1891, when it was too cold for the boys to play outside, Naismith developed the game. Initially, peach baskets and soccer balls were used. Later, holes were made in the bottom of the buckets so no one had the tiring job of scaling a ladder to retrieve the ball. The game was first played at the Olympics in 1936 in Berlin.  \r \r 5. Tennis\r \r The game of tennis has been around for thousands of years and there is evidence of some form of tennis being played in ancient Greece and ancient Egypt in the twelfth century. It was called jeu de paume by the French which meant “game of the palm,” as it was played with the hands and a ball. The game spread throughout Europe although the rules varied. About the sixteenth century, the word “tenez” which means “receive” was called out by the players and the name tennis was derived from this. Over time, paddles and rackets were used. The first publication of the rules in 1873 marked the beginning of modern tennis. Wimbledon hosted the first tennis competition in 1877.