History Extra podcast Sport's strangest tales
11 snips
Nov 25, 2024 
In this engaging discussion, James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski, both QI researchers and co-hosts of No Such Thing as a Fish, delve into the quirky history of sports. They explore the evolution of ancient games into modern sports, revealing the surprising links between sports and warfare. Cheating and doping scandals take center stage, showcasing bizarre incidents and their psychological underpinnings. The conversation also highlights pioneering women in sports, particularly the first woman to cycle around the globe, and the evolving relationship between fans and their beloved games.
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Pre-human Sport
- Humans likely played sports before even becoming humans, as animals also exhibit play.
- Evidence of sport exists in 15,000-year-old cave paintings and ancient civilizations.
Mesoamerican Ball Game
- The Mesoamerican ball game, the oldest known team sport, combined elements of lacrosse, football, and basketball.
- It was potentially violent and linked to human sacrifice, possibly as a proxy for war.
Early Football
- The word "football" predates codified rules and may refer to ball size or other characteristics.
- Medieval football was highly variable and often banned for distracting from archery practice.
