Forgotten Sports That Once Dominated the World
Before soccer and basketball, there were sports so popular they filled stadiums, yet today practically no one remembers them. From games with impossible rules to competitions so dangerous they were banned, the history of sport is full of forgotten disciplines.
We recall those pastimes that once dominated the world, for example, the Chinese "cuju," the French "jeu de paume," or the British "mob football," which seemed more like a fight than a sport.
Some sports could be revived, but others should remain buried forever. Not all of them remind us of one thing: human beings have always been willing to compete.
Mob Football
When football meant chasing a ball.
Sepak Takraw
An ancient sport in South East Asia.
Archery Games
Representation of ancient archery.
Jeu de Paume Racket
The elegant ancestor of modern tennis.
Pushball Competition Featuring Girls
Girls take over the field.
Pushball Competition At Miami
A unique sport of teamwork.
Pushball Match
Between Swedish and Danish students.
Archery Competitors
Participants gathered around the target.
Pushball Game
The unusual early 20th-century sport where players pushed a giant ball across a field.
Rackets Used in Jeu de Paume
With different sizes.
Jeu de Paume Game Balls
The French game that evolved into modern tennis.
Racket of Jeu de Paume
Wooden racket from Jeu de Paume.
Jeu de Paume
Elegant indoor ball game.
Early Experiment With Ice Tennis
Played on frozen surfaces.
Ancient Mob Football Ball
Used In Traditional Village Games.
Representation Of Cuju
The ancient Chinese ball game.
Archery Competition
Archers take aim at the annual national championship.
Archery Competition
Target acquired.
Archery
Precision is an art.
The Cuju Diorama
One of the world's earliest and oldest ball games.
