Sports are a beloved pastime for millions of people around the world. Whether you’re a fan of basketball, soccer, baseball or any other sport, there’s always something new to learn about your favorite athletes and teams. Here are 20 sports trivia facts that will blow your mind:
1. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team because he was too short. He went on to become one of the greatest players in NBA history.
2. Usain Bolt holds the record for the fastest human ever timed at 27.8 mph. He is also known as “Lightning Bolt” due to his incredible speed.
3. The longest tennis match in history lasted over 11 hours with John Isner defeating Nicolas Mahut by a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68.
4. In 1958, the Boston Celtics won their eighth consecutive NBA championship, which remains an unmatched feat in professional sports.
5. The first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece in 776 BC and featured only male athletes competing in nude.
6. The highest point total scored in a single NBA game was 100 points by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.
7. Soccer player Pelé is considered by many to be the greatest athlete of all time, having won three World Cups with Brazil and scoring over 1,000 goals during his career.
8. Golf legend Jack Nicklaus holds the record for most major championships won with 18.
9. The first Super Bowl was played in 1967 between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, with the Packers winning by a score of 35-10.
10. The Indianapolis Colts hold the NFL record for the most passing yards in a season with 5,229 yards in 2010.
Now let’s move onto some unusual records in sports history:
11. The longest shot made in NBA history was by Kobe Bryant who hit a buzzer-beater from half court against the Toronto Raptors in 2007.
12. The fastest pitch ever thrown in Major League Baseball was clocked at 105 miles per hour by Aroldis Chapman in 2010.
13. The heaviest weight lifted in competition was 585 pounds by Eddie Hall in 2017.
14. The largest crowd ever recorded at a sporting event was the 2010 FIFA World Cup final in South Africa with an attendance of over 90,000 fans.
Moving on to interesting stories from the world of sports:
15. During the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals, Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers famously skated across the ice to congratulate goalie Grant Fuhr after a big save.
16. In 1999, the New York Yankees became the first American sports franchise to win four straight championships since the early days of the NBA.
17. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox ended their infamous curse by winning the World Series for the first time in 86 years.
18. In 1989, Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a boxing match.
Funny and weird sports traditions around the globe:
19. In Sweden, it is customary for spectators to throw candy wrappers onto the ice during hockey games.
20. In Japan, sumo wrestlers must wear traditional garb and cannot leave the ring without touching the ground with both feet simultaneously.