When Were Sports Made?
A look at the history of sports and how they’ve evolved over time.
Checkout this video:
The Early Days
It is widely believed that sports were created in England. This is most likely due to the fact that the country has such a long and rich history of competitive sports. The earliest recorded competitive sports event took place in England in 1174, between the towns of Hereford and Chester.
Ancient Greece
The ancient Greeks were passionate about sport and did much to shapes today’s modern sports. They believed that physical activity was essential for a healthy mind and body, and they had great respect for sporting champions. The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia in 776 BC, and they quickly became a hugely popular event. Although only men could compete at the Ancient Olympics, there were other events, such as the Heraia, which were open to women.
Rome
In Rome, physical training was an essential part of a young man’s education. Hunting, athletics and military tactics were all part of the curriculum. The Roman Empire was very strict about who could participate in sports. Only free men who were not slaves were allowed to compete.
There were different types of events that took place in the Colosseum and other arenas. Chariot races, boxing, and even horse and elephant races were all popular forms of entertainment. The most popular event by far was Gladiator fighting. These competitions often ended in death, but the crowds loved it.
Violent sports like these eventually fell out of favor and more organized sporting events began to take their place. In 393 AD, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned all pagan festivals, including sporting events. This ban lasted for over 1000 years and had a profound effect on the development of sports.
The Middle Ages
The first recorded instance of a competitive game took place in China in 4000 BC, Stone Age cultures around Europe playing a game similar to hockey. But it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that sports as we know them began to take shape.
England
The first recorded instance of sports played in England was in 1174 when William Fitzstephen wrote about Londoners playing games on Sunday afternoon. He mentioned football, handball, and bull-baiting (a cruel blood sport in which dogs were used to bite and tear apart a chained bull).
King Edward III banned all sports in 1349 because he believed they were distracting his soldiers from practicing their archery. The ban was lifted in 1363.
During the 15th century, boxing matches, cock fighting, and bear baiting became popular forms of entertainment. legality of these sports was often called into question and they were eventually banned by Parliament in 1835.
Japan
The first recorded sports event in Japan took place in 736 AD during the Nara period. It was a sumo match held to entertain Emperor Shōmu. In early Japanese history, sumo was closely associated with Shinto religious rites and bore little resemblance to the sport we know today. bouts were often fought to the death, and winning was seen as a way to please the gods.
Over time, sumo underwent several changes, emerging as a distinctly Japanese form of wrestling by the 14th century. During the Edo period (1603-1868), sumo’s popularity exploded, Due in part to its appeal as a spectator sport, it became closely associated with gambling and betting. Sumo matches were held on a regular basis in Tokyo’s pleasure districts, and wrestlers became superstars in their own right.
Today, sumo is still deeply embedded in Japanese culture, and its popularity has spread around the world. Every May, crowds of fans flock to Tokyo to watch the grand champions compete in the annual tournament.
The Modern Era
Sports have been around since the beginning of human civilization. In the ancient world, sports were used as a way to train soldiers and as a form of entertainment for the masses. In the medieval era, sports were used as a way to settle disputes between lords and knights. In the modern era, sports are used as a way to promote physical fitness and as a form of entertainment.
America
In America, the first modern organized sport was baseball. Abner Doubleday is credited with baseball’s invention in 1839, although many people believe that credit should go to Alexander Cartwright. Baseball’s first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was founded in 1869. Professionalism spread and the National League was formed in 1876. The World Series has been played annually since 1903.
Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith. The first professional basketball league, the National Basketball League, was founded in 1898. The NBA was formed in 1949 when the NBL merged with the Basketball Association of America.
Ice hockey evolved from a stick-and-ball game played by British immigrants in Canada. The first organized hockey league, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada, was founded in 1886. Professionalism began to take hold in the early 1900s and the NHL was formed in 1917
Europe
The origins of many modern sports can be traced back to Europe, including basketball, volleyball, American football, baseball, rugby, cricket, and hockey. For example, the first ever game of basketball was played in 1891 by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts – but the game itself was invented in Europe. Naismith was a Canadian physical education teacher who had studied at a YMCA training school in Montreal, which is where he was first introduced to a sport called ‘Duck on a Rock’. This game involved players trying to score points by tossing stones at a duck sitting on top of a large rock.
