A World History of Competitive Sports
by John Clark on 01/09/14
Archaeology tells us that human competition has existed since the earliest humans roamed the earth. Often the competition dealt more with war and conquest than with fun and games. However, Man has always enjoyed a good game, and for ages human beings have loved to compete. The predisposition of competition and the insatiable imaginings of the human spirit have led to the evolution of ingenious and beloved sporting games that - throughout history - have kept the masses entertained while satisfying one of Man’s most primitive instincts.
Prehistoric Sport
(4000 BC or earlier) Unbelievably, archaeologists have found cave drawings depicting foot races, swimming, wrestling and archery, some of the earliest competitive sports. A cave drawing from approximately 7000 BC found in Mongolia shows two men wrestling while surrounded by spectators. Even ancient Japanese cave paintings depict what experts believe is an ancient form of Sumo Wrestling.
The Ancient World
(300 BC – 1000 BC) From the early Bronze Age in ancient Mesopotamia (3000 BC), remnants of the Sumerian Civilization--several artifacts depicting wrestling--have been discovered, including a Bronze sculpture of people in elaborate wrestling holds. Experts point out that they clearly depict a certain sophistication and skill in these wrestling moves, as opposed to some guys brawling on a Saturday night. Therefore, they conclude that these are certainly illustrations of competitive games, not a local bar fight.
Ancient Egypt is known for a few things in world history, but did you know it's also a treasure trove of ancient sports? Numerous paintings and carvings on Egyptian Pharaoh Monuments show a variety of competitive sports including weightlifting, swimming, fishing, javelin, wrestling and various other athletics. Egyptian archaeology has also uncovered some of the earliest evidence of ball games.
The Greek Games
(1000 BC – 393 AD) Everyone knows that the Olympic Games originated in Greece. However, before the Olympic Games came about, ancient Greeks practiced something known as "Funeral Games." Greek men would conduct spectator sports to pay homage to nobility and fallen warriors. From these games, the Olympics were created and became the earliest-known regulated sporting event in the world. Greek games featured many foot races, chariot races, wrestling, javelin and discus throwing.
Middle Ages and European Sport
(1000AD – 1700AD) As you might imagine, the development of sports during the Middle Ages produced rough and violent games, often to the death .The infamous rock-throwing competition from the epic film "Braveheart" is not far from the truth with regard to medieval English, Irish and Scottish contests of manhood.
In Europe during this time, the upper classes were keen on patronizing sports, and in their zeal created some of the first-known leagues and organizations for sports such as fencing and jousting. Additionally, modern horse racing found its origins in medieval England. It is from this era that we can trace back early forms of the business end of sports including promotions, ticket sales, sports agents and sports gambling.
The Modern Age
(1700 AD – Present) The modern age of sports has given rise to the popularity of team sports and the dominance of ball games. While individual competitions are still widely found, team sports such as soccer (football), baseball, football (American), basketball and hockey are clearly the most popular and most profitable sports of the modern era. The British Empire in the 1700 – 1800s exported team sports such as cricket, football (soccer), and tennis to its colonies and territories. Colloquial variations were developed and new games were invented.
In today's sporting world, the business of sports has become the main catalyst for its expansion. Team sports naturally lend themselves to big promotions and big profits in the modern era of sports, while a few individual sports such as golf and tennis enjoy the same level of interest.
Do you know any interesting facts about a sport? Tell us below!