30 Fascinating Facts About Sports, People and Places
Sports Trivia: Fun Facts About Your Favorite Games
1. The Super Bowl is the most watched television event in America every year with an average of over 108 million viewers tuning in.
2. Basketball was invented by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith in December 1945 to provide an indoor game for his students during winter months.
3. Soccer has been played since ancient times but the modern rules were established in England in 1863.
4. Golf originated from a Scottish game called “chole” which means “to strike or hit.”
People You Didn’t Know Were Athletes
5. Actor Tom Hanks played college football as a linebacker at California State University, Sacramento before transferring to study drama.
6. Actress Geena Davis won a gold medal in archery at the 1999 Pan American Games and represented the United States at the Olympics trials in 2000.
7. Singer Justin Timberlake was a talented golfer who competed on the junior circuit until he decided to pursue music instead.
The Most Unusual Sporting Events Around the World
8. In Sweden, there is a sport called “bandy,” which combines elements of soccer and ice hockey and is played on a field covered in snow.
9. In Australia, people can participate in the annual “Melbourne Cup” horse race where they try to catch a live piglet that is released into the crowd.
10. In Spain, there is a festival called “La Tomatina” where participants throw tomatoes at each other for fun.
Records That May Never Be Broken
11. Michael Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic medals ever won (23) and the most golds won in one Olympics (8).
12. Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record for the most goals scored (894), assists made (1,963), and points earned (2,857).
Places Where Famous Athletes Were Born and Raised
13. Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive, grew up in Jamaica and started running competitively when he was just 12 years old.
14. Serena Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, learned how to play tennis on public courts in Compton, California.
Little-Known Stories of Legendary Sports Figures
15. Babe Ruth once pitched a baseball game while suffering from the flu and ended up hitting two home runs despite being unable to stand upright.
16. Muhammad Ali refused to fight in Vietnam because of his religious beliefs and was stripped of his heavyweight title as a result.
Quirky Traditions in Sports Around the Globe
17. In Japan, sumo wrestlers must wear traditional garb and perform rituals before entering the ring.
18. In cricket, it is considered bad luck to mention the name of the opposing team captain before a match.
Incredible Comebacks in Sports History
19. In 1993, the Buffalo Bills trailed the Houston Oilers by 35 points in the third quarter but managed to come back and win the game in overtime.
20. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox became the first team in Major League Baseball history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit and go on to win the championship.
Surprising Connections Between Different Sports
21. Both basketball and volleyball were invented by Canadians – Dr. James Naismith created basketball in 1891 while William Morgan came up with volleyball in 1916.
22. Rugby and American football share many similarities including the use of an oval ball and the goal of scoring touchdowns.