Vanished Athletic Pursuits: Competitions That Gradually Slipped Into Oblivion
Hear me out, pal, as we delve into the timeworn, yet thrilling sports that once gripped folks, only to be swept under history's rug! Back in the day, these games lit up communities, shaping societies and stoking fierce competition. But as the winds of change blew in, many of these pastimes faded from memory, leaving behind dusty old records filled with tales of rip-roaring contests that'd give today's marquee events a run for their money.
Some sports vanished due to shifting cultures or advances in technology, giving birth to modern alternatives. Others were silenced by war, colonization, or restrictive governments. Yet some small, passionate crews continue to revive these lost sports, keeping their legacies alive - be it Marn Grook, an Australian rough-and-tumble, or Calcio Storico, the medieval chaos of Italy. These sports are more than just old-timey games, though. They're stories of how people once played, battled, and connected.
Buzkashi: Afghanistan's Raucous Rodeo
Known as "goat pulling," this Central Asian game is the pride of Afghanistan. Players gallop their horses and fight tooth-and-nail to snatch aheadless goat carcass and carry it into a scoring zone. Despite its fading popularity, the sheer balls-to-the-wall energy of Buzkashi continues to captivate dedicated players and spectators, with its demanding horsemanship and raw physicality never failing to impress.
French Courtly Prelude: Jeu de Paume
Long before the modern tennis whizz-bang, Jeu de Paume emerged in medieval France. Evolving from players using their bare hands to adopting gloves and paddles, this badminton-like game set the stage for real tennis, which eventually became lawn tennis, tidying up Jeu de Paume's untamed reputation. Nowadays, only exclusive clubs nurture its legacy, preserving its legacy like a fine vintage wine.
Bloodsport of the Mayans: Pitz
Don't get me wrong, Pitz was more than just a game. All hail the spirits! This ancient Mesoamerican sport was a sacred ritual central to Mayan society. Intricately bound up with the cosmos, players swatted a rubber ball around with their hips, elbows, and knees, aiming to get it through stone circles holey over-yonder. And if your team won? If your captain won? Oh, brace yourself! Sacrifices to the gods may have been in order. Few modern interpretations remain, offering tantalizing glimpses of this bloodthirsty, spiritual game.
Knattleikr: Norse Warriors Unleashed
This Viking game of strength combined elements of hockey, rugby, and wrestling, allowing players to mash each other around with sticks and bodies. Needless to say, this barbaric contest ensured ferocity and moral flexibleness were well-exercised. As the age of the Vikings drew to a close, knattleikr took a dive, replaced by stiffer medieval sports. The raw spirit of competition still lives on, though, as a testament to the resilient warrior culture of the time.
Baseball's Basque Cuzzie: Basque Pelota
Once all the rage in Spain, Latin America, and beyond, Basque Pelota involves using curved wicker baskets to hurl a ball against walls at breakneck speed. Its fast-paced variant, Jai Alai, is still around, but mainstream attention has overshadowed the traditional game. Yet, secret little clubs continue to keep the ole Basque spirit alive, celebrating this fascinating chapter in the annals of competitive ball games.
England's Rowdy Precursor: Mob Football
Before the polite, rule-governed football we know today, England suffered through Mob Football - a wild, lawless brawl where entire villages battled for a ball, leading to frequent injuries, property damage, and over-tired referees. Eventually, things got to be too much, and authorities banned the game. Mob Football faded but laid the groundwork for the orderly, cheek-by-jowl ball games we know and love today.
The Chinese Warrior's Game: Cuju
Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more! Long before soccer's grand spiel, the Chinese played the ancient game of Cuju. Tough as nails soldiers and perfumed, spectacled noblemen alike squared off, aiming to kick a leather ball through a goal without using their hands. The legacy of this game lives on in the modern game of football, so don your barometer hats and give it a thought.
Underwater Hockey Sizzle: Octopush
Imagine hockey underwater! Makes you shiver, eh? That's what Octopush is like. invented in the '50s and played in small, devoted communities, this underwater sport lets you use a stick to push a puck around the deep blue sea. It's mostly an aquatic secret society thing nowadays, with big brother hockey being all the rage, but die-hard enthusiasts keep hold of its watery wonders.
Bizarre British Pub Game: Dwile Flonking
Originating in an England far gone by, this peculiar pub game involves players chucking a beer-soaked cloth at their unlucky opponents while sashaying around in a circle. Its exact origins are as hard to pin down as a greased pig at a county fair, but it was a popular party activity in taverns. Nowadays, you can occasionally catch it at heritage events, though it remains more of an novelty than a regularly played game.
The South Asian Bat-and-Stick Lover's Delight: Gilli-Danda
Remember the crazy-ass stick-and-ball games you played as a kid? Gilli-Danda is like that, but older and with a dash more dignity. Poplar to millions, it's like a mix of cricket, baseball, and whack-a-mole, featuring a smaller stick and a larger stick used to whack a smaller stick into the air. Nowadays, not much beyond rural areas keep this game alive, cherished for bringing a fond smile to memories of simpler times.
Ulama: Keeping Mesoamerican Ballgames Alive
There are some regions in Mexico where Ulama is still played, a game descended from the ancient ball games of the Aztecs and Maya. No hands! The game's simple rules - keeping a heavy rubber ball in play without using hands - remind us of its older cousin Pitz. Efforts are underway to preserve this cultural heritage sport, creating opportunities for young bloods to learn and appreciate the game.
Fighting Under the Roman Sun: Harpastum
Now, this is a hoot! Harpastum was a Roman game where you bash each other around with a ball, a mix of rugby and soccer. Lances weren't involved... this time. Although it thrived during the height of the Roman Empire, as the sun set on the empire, so did Harpastum. Only fleeting historical records remain, offering tantalizing glimpses of this brawl-fest. Perhaps some modern sports maintain its spirit unbeknownst to us.
While many of these ancient sports have slipped from our collective memory, their influence still lingers in the games we play today. These relics tell stories of past societies, each a chapter in the ever-evolving narrative of competitive play. Perhaps, with growing interest in alternative and traditional sports, some of these games might yet find their essence revived, reminding us of the fluidity and adaptability of athletic competition.
Some international events feature traditional sports like Buzkashi, a Central Asian game akin to goat pulling in Afghanistan, where players compete to carry an headless goat carcass into a scoring zone. In the past, grandeur games like French Courtly Prelude: Jeu de Paume, had shaped medieval France, evolving from bare-handed game to badminton-like game, setting the stage for real tennis. Another ancient sport is the Mayan's Bloodsport of Pitz, an intricate spiritual game in which players hit a rubber ball around with their hips, elbows, and knees, playing it in stone circles. Similar to Pitz, Knattleikr, a game combining elements of hockey, rugby, and wrestling originated from the Norse warriors. These games, like England's Rowdy Precursor: Mob Football, served as the precursors to modern sports. Even though some of these sports have faded from memory, they still have an impact on today's athletic competitions, telling the story of how people once played and connected.
