45+ Interesting Facts about Sports that You Never Would’ve Known

Facts about sports: From the ancient Olympic Games, first held in 776 BCE, to modern-day global spectacles like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, sports have been an integral part of human history. Far from being mere physical activities, sports weave a complex story of skill, strategy, and fierce competition. Did you know that basketball, now played by over 450 million people globally, was invented with a simple peach basket as the hoop? Or that cricket’s longest match lasted a staggering 12 days? This blog takes us through the fascinating world of sports, uncovering little-known facts about sports and exploring the passion that drives athletes and fans alike. 

Interesting Facts about Sports and Games

1. With over 8000+ sports played worldwide, only 33 were played at the 2021 Olympics.
2. It was illegal to be a boxer in the USA before 1896.
3. In an average MLB game, there are a total of 18 minutes of action.
4. Lebron James, the all-star basketball player has surpassed the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time point leader in NBA history.
5. In 1457, England banned golf because it was seen as a diversion from the serious practice of archery.
6. The referees of the NFL receive Super Bowl rings as well, along with the players.
7. The golf ball has an average of 336 dimples.
8. It is not the Stanley Cup that is its true name. The Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup is its official name.

Also read: Leander Paes: Biography, Contribution and Titles

Crazy Facts about Sports in the Olympics

9. In most shooting sports, alcohol is regarded as a performance-enhancing drug because it relaxes the body and improves shooting accuracy.
10.  Winners in the Olympics were not always given a golden medal; instead, they were awarded a silver medal along with an olive branch.
11.  Originally, a basketball bladder was used to play volleyball in its early stages.
12. Basketball jump balls were played at the centre court after each made basket until 1936.
13. Football and golf were banned in Scotland 3 times in 1457, 1471, and 1491.
14. In Major League Baseball, every ball is used and dirty. To help pitchers gain a better grip, mud is applied to each baseball.
15. Poona was the initial name of badminton.
16.  During a tennis match, your opponent may declare it a “hindrance” and force you to redo the stroke if your hat falls off.
17. Between 1900 and 1920, tug of war was an Olympic event.
18. There are exactly 108 stitches on a baseball.
19. A chef won the first-ever Olympic Games.
20. Alan Shepard, an astronaut from Apollo 14, played golf for the first time on the moon in 1971.

Also Read: PT Usha: Education, Records, Awards & More

Unique Facts about Sports History

21. Before being made available as a toy in the US in 1929, the well-known yo-yo toy was first used as a weapon in the Philippines in the sixteenth century.
22. One of the world’s five continents is represented by one of the Olympic Rings’ colours.
23.  The first-ever puck used in a hockey game was frozen cow poop!
24. The gold medals of the Olympics have some amount of gold in them, mostly they are made of silver.
25. Mouth guards are an optional accessory in the NFL and NHL.
26.  Soccer was illegal in Mississippi until 1991.
27.  With a history spanning back to 1877, Labatt Park in London, Ontario, is the oldest baseball field still in continuous operation worldwide.
28. In the original rules of basketball, dribbling wasn’t allowed.
29. With more than 4 billion fans worldwide, soccer, or football, is the most popular sport!
30. Turkey is the name for three consecutive strikes in bowling.

Also read: 15 Fun Facts About Cricket- Let’s Gear Up for the IPL 

Fun Facts about Sports Players

31. During a test series exhibition match between India and Pakistan, when Pakistan fell short of fielders, it was Sachin Tendulkar, who was just 13 years old, went to field for Pakistan.
32. PT Usha, who was a great Indian athlete, started her career with a scholarship of Rs 250.
33. During the 1992–1993 Hindu–Muslim riots, Sunil Gavaskar protected a family from a mob.
34. In front of the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, there is a wall with 10,000 bricks that is named after Rahul Dravid.
35. Out of respect, Prakash Padukone deliberately gave up a point against his idol.
36. Vishwanathan Anand is the first sportsperson to ever win a Padma Vibushan.
37.   In an event he did not want to compete in, Pakistani Prime Minister Milkha Singh was awarded the title of “Flying Sikh.”
38. Mary Kom’s family found out about her boxing interest through a newspaper
39. Sushil Kumar’s father used to be a DTC bus driver.
40. Do you know who the Indian David Beckham is? it is none other than Vijender Singh.
41. Leander Paes is the oldest player to win a Grand Slam.
42. Baichung Bhutia was the first Asian-born player to score in the English league
43.  Mountaineer Bachendri Palis was not only the first woman to climb Mount Everest, but she also crossed the Ganga from Haridwar to Calcutta on a raft.
44.  Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s family missed his Olympic moment due to a cable strike.
45. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player to score 100 points in a single NBA game
46. James Naismith invented basketball in Canada.
47. Michael Jordan is known to wear the 23-number jersey in every Chicago Bulls game but in one match he wore the number 12 jersey because it was stolen from the locker room.
48. Wilfred Benitez became the youngest boxing world champion in history when he won the super lightweight title at the age of 17.
49. Jesse Owens set five world records in just 45 minutes in 1935.
50. With an NBA record of 1327 games played without fouling out, James Crawford holds the record for most such games.

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