Sports Trivia: 50 Fascinating Facts About Your Favorite Games
1. The shortest player in NBA history is Muggsy Bogues who stands at only 5 feet 3 inches tall.
2. Michael Jordan’s nickname “Air” was given to him by a teammate because he jumped so high during practice.
3. Soccer has the most fans worldwide with an estimated 4 billion people considering themselves soccer fans.
4. The first Olympic games were held in Greece in 776 BC and featured just one event – a foot race.
5. The fastest pitch ever thrown in Major League Baseball was clocked at 105 mph by Aroldis Chapman.
People Trivia: 10 Incredible Stories of Athletes Who Overcame Adversity
1. Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete diagnosed with bone cancer at age 18, ran a marathon every day for 143 days straight using prosthetic legs before passing away from his illness.
2. Wilma Rudolph, known as the “Black Gazelle,” overcame polio as a child to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at the same Olympics.
3. Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War due to religious beliefs and was stripped of his boxing title and license. He later won back the championship after being reinstated.
4. Martina Navratilova defected from Czechoslovakia at age 18 to pursue her tennis career in America and went on to become one of the greatest players of all time.
5. Derek Redmond tore his hamstring mid-race while competing in the semi-finals of the 400m dash at the Barcelona Olympics but finished the race with help from his father.
Places Trivia: 10 Unusual Locations That Hosted Sporting Events
1. The highest altitude sporting event took place at the Mount Everest Base Camp where a cricket match was played between Nepal and India.
2. The lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea shoreline, hosted a swimming competition in Israel.
3. The largest stadium in the world, Rungrado May Day Stadium in North Korea, can seat up to 150,000 spectators.
4. The smallest country in the world, Vatican City, has its own football club that plays exhibition matches against other teams around Europe.
5. The oldest continuously operating sports venue in the world is the Colosseum in Rome which opened in AD 80 and hosted gladiator battles and other events.
Sports Records: The Most Impressive Feats in the History of Athletics
1. Usain Bolt holds the record for the fastest human ever timed at 27.8 miles per hour.
2. Serena Williams holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles among female athletes with 23 wins.
3. The longest basketball shot ever made was by Steve Nash who hit a shot from half court during a game in 2007.
4. The most goals scored in a single hockey game was 14 by Joe Malone in 1920.
5. The heaviest weight lifted in Olympic weightlifting was 588 pounds by Hossein Rezazadeh of Iran in 2004.
Famous Firsts: The Pioneers and Trailblazers of Sports
1. Althea Gibson became the first African American to play at Wimbledon in 1951 and went on to win the tournament twice.
2. Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
3. Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes tennis match in 1973.
4. Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967 despite attempts to stop her from participating.
5. Abebe Bikila became the first Ethiopian athlete to win a gold medal in the Olympics when he won the marathon in 1960.
Quiz Time! Test Your Knowledge With Our Fun Sports Trivia Quiz
1. What NFL quarterback holds the record for the most Super Bowl appearances? Tom Brady (6)
2. Which MLB pitcher holds the record for the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game? Roger Clemens (20)
3. What NBA player holds the record for the most points scored in a single game? Kobe Bryant (81)
4. Which NHL goalie holds the record for the most shutouts in a season? Martin Brodeur (12)
5. What golfer holds the record for the fewest strokes needed to complete a round of golf? Jim Furyk (58