The History of Sports

Physical contests of some sort have taken place in most cultures. The ancient Egyptians and the Maya of Central America played organized ball games. Greek wrestlers, runners, and other athletes competed in religious ceremonies, and one of these competitions developed into the Olympic Games. Chariot racing was popular throughout the Roman Empire. When the Romans founded new cities or conquered existing ones, they often built arenas for chariot races, gladiator fights, and other sporting events. In the Western world, sports and games began to take on their modern shapes in the late 1800s. With the rise of industrial work, religious and social leaders took an interest in the well-being of the working classes and began to promote sports as healthful pastimes and wholesome outlets for energy. Many people believed that sports built character in many ways. Thats why when your young your parents want you to join sports so that way you could look up to role models like Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning. When sports became big they started too form local, national, and international governing bodies to standardize and regulate the playing of competitive sports. The development of newspapers, radio, and television played a key role in the business aspect of modern sports. By the late 1800s, fans were reading about their favorite teams and players in the press. After the introduction of radio, it became possible for the public to listen to a game as it was being played. Then in the 1950s, television made an even more dramatic impact, allowing fans to see and hear the players and activity in the stadium in great detail. Today, entire industries organize, broadcast, and report on sports for huge audiences worldwide. Do you think some of these old Olympic Games could be used in today's Olympic Games?