Funny and Interesting Sports Facts

If you love sports, you probably enjoy learning about interesting facts. Here are a few of them!

 

The term “hands down” originated in horse racing. It refers to a jockey who wins a race without whipping the horse or drawing back on the reins.

 

A funny sports fact is that Olympic Gold Medals are not gold! They are made mostly of silver (over 90%), with some copper.

1. The first televised football match was broadcasted in 1937.

 

The world of sports and television are very much inextricably linked. Football has become one of the most popular sports to be broadcasted on television, and it has been able to attract audiences that it could never have imagined when it was first introduced onto screens.

When the first televised football match was broadcasted back in 1937, it was a relatively small affair. The game between Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers took place at Alexandra Palace, and it was filmed by three state-of-the-art cameras. Two of these cameras remained near the goals and one was perched up in the stands, so it was possible to see the action from the perspective of the fans in the stands.

As the game was being televised, there was a lot of rain and dark clouds in the air, which made it a little difficult to see the action. Nevertheless, it was an important step in the history of sports and television broadcasting, and it paved the way for many more games to be screened live in the future.

After the BBC aired the first-ever international football match in 1938, they started showing more and more matches on television. Eventually, they filmed every match they could, including FA Cup finals and England-Scotland internationals.

In 1960, the Football League began allowing television companies to show live games. This was a big step for the sport and meant that more and more people were able to watch the game from home.

It was also the year that saw the introduction of 360-degree coverage, which allowed viewers to be able to watch matches from various camera angles and access information about the team they were watching. This revolutionised the way that football was filmed, and it is still being used today by the likes of Sky Sports and Match of the Day.

2. The first female to reach the top of Mount Everest was Junko Tabei.

 

Junko Tabei was a mountaineer, writer and environmentalist who climbed the world’s tallest mountains and broke gender barriers. She died in 2016 but her life and achievements are celebrated across the world.

Tabei was born in 1939 into a family of poverty in Fukushima, Japan. She had an awakening at the age of 10 when she joined a school trip to hike up a volcano. She fell in love with the sport and it became a passion for her.

She studied English Literature at Showa Women’s University and kept climbing after graduation. Her passion for climbing eventually led her to found Japan’s first all-women climbing club, Joshi-Tohan (which translates to “Joshi and Tohan”) in 1969.

After the group climbed Annapurna III in Nepal in 1970, it was time to tackle Everest. They set out with 15 mountaineers and six Sherpa porters. But at 9,000 feet, an avalanche buried them, and they had to wait another two days for rescue.

Despite the adversity, Tabei’s commitment to her passion proved strong and she continued to climb after she returned home. She devoted her later years to helping the environment by focusing on clean-ups and mountaineering trips that helped keep Everest clean.

She is known as one of the greatest climbers of all time, and she’s also the first woman to conquer the Seven Summits — the highest mountains on each of the continents. Before her death, she climbed Kilimanjaro, Denali, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Carstenz Pyramid and Vinson, among other peaks.

3. The oldest continuous trophy sport is America’s Cup.

 

The oldest continuous trophy sport is America’s Cup, an international yachting competition. This competition has attracted the best sailors and yacht designers since it was first held in 1851.

This is because the Cup provides a highly focused pursuit of excellence that has contributed to the development of the most elegant hull lines, the most efficient construction, the best sails and the most skilled sailing techniques. It has also encouraged a more aggressive style of racing, which produces a thrilling and exciting spectacle.

When the first race was held in 1851, a syndicate of businessmen from New York won the race on a yacht named America. They were awarded the trophy, which has come to be known as the “Auld Mug”.

Today, America’s Cup is a prestigious and lucrative prize that has been won by the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland. It is the oldest and most distinguished trophy in sports and the most prestigious award for a race.

It was initially crafted in 1848 by Robert Garrard of London. It is made of high-quality sterling silver. It has travelled the world and is never touched by bare human hands, only by security agents wearing museum-quality white cotton gloves.

America’s Cup has been defended for a total of 125 years and is the most successful racing trophy in history. In that time the United States has won it on twenty-four occasions.

4. The first player to be traded for himself was Harry Chiti.

 

Born on November 16th, 1932 in Kincaid, Illinois to Harry and Clara Chiti, the six foot two Italian American catchers was heavily recruited by several major league teams. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1950 at 17 years of age but was not given a chance to make an impact until 1952 when he served in the military for two years.

He was assigned to their minor league affiliate in Des Moines and Springfield before earning a September call-up to the Windy City. He finished the season with a.355 batting average, appearing in 99 games at Class A and 12 more with the Cubs’ AAA team.

While he was never a great hitter, Harry Chiti managed to play for parts of 10 seasons in the majors and hit 11 home runs during his time with the Chicago Cubs. He also tallied 42 hits in 125 at-bats and drove in 18 runs.

After serving in the military, he returned to baseball and was assigned to the Cleveland Indians’ minor league affiliate in 1962. He spent the next two years in the minors, logging only seven games each year.

The Indians traded him to the New York Mets for a player to be named later, but his Mets career was short-lived. After a 6-9 record, the Mets sold him back to Cleveland for a player to be named, becoming the first player to be traded for himself in MLB history.

He went on to spend the remainder of his professional baseball career in the minors before retiring. He is one of only four players in MLB history to be traded for himself, along with John McDonald, Dickie Noles and Brad Gulden.

5. The Buffalo Bills appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls

 

The Buffalo Bills have had a long and successful career in the NFL, winning two league championships and appearing in a record four consecutive Super Bowls. However, each of these appearances was hampered by losses.

During the early 1990s, the Bills enjoyed a dynasty that saw them win AFC East titles and reach the Super Bowl for three straight years. But the Bills’ 0-4 record in Super Bowls was devastating.

In 1991, the Bills lost a thrilling 19-20 contest against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV. The game featured multiple lead changes and a gutsy team from each side that was ready to give it their all.

This season, the Bills have a chance to win their first Super Bowl since 1994. They are 13-3 and have quarterback Josh Allen, who has been the offence's focal point this year.

They also have a strong defence, led by linebacker Micah Hyde. They have also been bolstered by the addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

The Bills have had an excellent start to the season, and they are the heavy favourites to win the AFC this season. However, they have had a few turnovers this season, which may cause them to lose some games.

The Bills won consecutive AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965 before joining the NFL in 1970. They appeared in a record four consecutive Super Bowls between 1990 and 1993, but they lost each time. This was one of the greatest accomplishments in sports history, but it was marred by the losses.