The YMCA gave Dr Naismith 2 weeks to invent what would become basketball in 1891 in order to have an indoor “athletic distraction” to keep rowdy youth busy in the cold New England winter months.
sports
In the 1952 Olympics, Luxembourg…
In the 1952 Olympics, Luxembourg won a gold medal which was so unexpected that the band did not know their national anthem and instead had to improvise and played gibberish.
The YMCA sued the Village People…
The YMCA sued the Village People over their “YMCA” song for trademark infringement, but the two sides settled out of court and the YMCA later expressed pride towards the band for their song as a salute their organization.
In 2016 Belgian cyclist Femke Van…
In 2016 Belgian cyclist Femke Van den Driessche was discovered to have a hidden motor in her bicycle, the first proven instance of “Mechanical Doping”.
One of the ‘unwritten rules’ of the…
One of the ‘unwritten rules’ of the Tour de France is when the Tour is passing through where one of the riders grew up, everyone will slow down to let that rider lead the whole Tour through his hometown (also, if the race leader needs to stop to take a pee break, everyone else slows down/stops too).
The first ever Super Bowl halftime….
The first ever Super Bowl halftime show didn’t feature award winning musicians, but rather two men flying around with jet packs. The spectacle was witnessed by 60,000 in attendance and 50 million watching at home.
The only known copy of the first…
The only known copy of the first ever Super Bowl is unavailable for public view. The tape is currently tied up in a legal battle between its owner and the NFL.
Michael Jordan says Kobe Bryant…
Michael Jordan says Kobe Bryant is the only player to ever have approached him in work ethic, waking up at 430 in the morning to practice before his required practice with his team.
North Korea has their own basketball…
North Korea has their own basketball rules: slam dunks are worth three points, field goals in the final three minutes of the game are worth eight points, three-pointers are worth four if the ball doesn’t touch the rim, and a point is deducted for missed free throws.
More than 100 years ago, a French sports…
More than 100 years ago, a French sports journalist suggested the idea of organizing a 6-day cycling race to the editor of a local newspaper to boost sales – because he couldn’t think of any other idea. That race was called Tour de France – it’s now the most prestigious bicycle race in the world.