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31 Fascinating Facts from the World of Sports

By:: Timon DJ Spajic; Cracked Writers

September 23, 2023

31 Fascinating Facts from the World of Sports

There are many random facts about sports that even the most lauded sportscasters don’t know. With hundreds of years worth of history, it can be unfathomable to recall them all. Some seem even too unreal to be true. For instance, did you know that left-handed players are the most dangerous competitors in polo? Or that an Olympic gold medal marathon runner broke a world record on his bare feet? Or that, at one point, a person could win an Olympic gold medal for literature?

Take a look at some of the most fascinating and downright insane facts from the world of sports below…

Click right here to get the best of Cracked sent to your inbox.

31

It's illegal to kneel on a towel GOLF CRACKED.COM In 1987, pro golfer Craig Stadler kneeled on a towel while hitting out of a sand trap. Unbeknownst to him or any PGA reps in attendance-- that constituted the illegal practice of building a stance.. A random TV viewer called in to report the crime against golf, and Stadler was indeed DQd for not reporting his penalty. — GolfDigest

30

Gold medals are not made of gold. They are mostly silver and finished with gold. The last time they were solid gold was in the 1904 Olympic Games. CRACKED.COM — Parade.com

29

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS In the 1908 Olympics, Underwater Swimming was scored in time and distance. The bronze medal winner actually swam longest, but went in circles instead of a straight line. — Sports Reference

28

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Plunge For Distance was in the 1904 Olympics. Athletes ran and dove in the pool, then remained motionless until surfacing. The Gold Medal winner got 62 1/2 feet. Newspapers called it tedious. — KSDK.com and Newstalk870

27

The first official Olympic mascot was Waldi at the 1972 Games in Munich. He was a dachshund, a German dog breed. CRACKED.COM — Olympics.com

26

CANCELLED CRACKED.COM OLYMPIC EVENTS Gold Medal Sculpture In 1912, American Walter Winans became the first and only Olympian in history to win medals for both art and sport: Sculpture and Running Target Shooting — Mental Floss and Artnet.com

25

CANCELLED GRACKED.COM OLYMPIC EVENTS 71 The 1900 Olympics included a Swimming Obstacle Course held in the River Seine. Compet- itors had to swim over a pole, clamber over a row of boats, then swim under another row of boats. — nuotounostiledivita.it

24

You had to defend your championship HOCKEY I is N CRACKED.COM Up until 1914, almost any other team in the leaegue could challenge the current holders of the Stanley Cup, at any point in the season, and force a de facto championship. — 5 Old-Timey Rules Sports Should Bring Back Immediately

23

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Baron Coubertin Founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, won the first Gold Medal for Literature in 1912 with his poem Ode to Sport. He used a pseudonym; no-one knew he won until 1919. — Seeker.com

22

Longest Coach Suspension NFL VL, BOWL CRACKED.COM Saints coach Sean Payton was given a one-year suspension in 2012. And all he did was give his team cash payments for every opposing player they intentionally injured! — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

21

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Croquet was a sport at the 1900 Olympics. France won all the medals, because no one else entered. — Oxford Croquet

20

The Olympic torch has been to space. ArperaT 11T1 3aB. No 306! Per. No 126 OTB.AdjunHi Thrice- in 1996, 2000, and 2013. CRACKED.COM — Space.com

19

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS From 1924-1936 the Olympics gave out medals for Alpinism the best mountain climbing feat over the past four years. The first awards included posthumus Gold Medals for 7 Sherpas who died in an Everest avalanche. — Mental Floss

18

The youngest athlete to ever win a medal was 10 years old. Dimitrios Loundras was the youngest athlete to ever medal in the modern Olympics. He won bronze in gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. CRACKED.COM — The 1896 Olympic Games

17

The official languages of the Olympics are English and French. See They are only ever joined by the language of the host country. CRACKED.COM — Olympic.org

16

Least Job Security MLB CRACKED.COM Octavio Dotel probably spent a lot of time in hotels -- he played for a new team in a new city, every single season of his 13-year career. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

15

In ancient times, the horse owners were declared Olympic champion- not the riders. As a result, the first female Olympic champion was Kyniska, daughter of King Archidamos of Sparta. Her four horses won in the 396BC and 392BC Olympiads. CRACKED.COM — Olympics.com

14

Biggest Ass-Kicking NBA CRACKED.COM In 1991, the Miami Heat were extinguished by a ruthless Cleveland Cays team, 148-80. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

13

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Silver Medal Stadium Design, 1924 600 the - you Architecture was an Olympic event from 1912 to 1948, with Gold Medals awarded for stadium designs and a ski jump hill. — Architectureau.com

12

Five athletes have won medals in both the Winter and the Summer Olympics. While Christa Ludinger- Rothenburger is the only person to have won medals in the same year. Speed Skating in the winter, and cycling in the summer. CRACKED.COM — Time Magazine

11

Longest Time Not Really... Doing Anything NBA CRACKED.COM LA Lakers point guard Derek Fisher once spent 34 minutes without a single point, assist, or even a rebound. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

10

If the ump missed it, the fans made the call BASEBALL CRACKED.COM Until 1911, there was a rule in the MLB that said Should the umpire be unable to see whether a catch has been fairly made or not, he shall be at liberty to appeal to the bystanders. — 5 Old-Timey Rules Sports Should Bring Back Immediately

9

Biggest Ass-kicking NCAA FOOTBALL GA.TECH 63635442222 CUMBERLAND 0 0 CRACKED.COM The cumberland Bulldogs tried to back out of a 1916 game, but Georgia Tech wouldn't take we don't even have a football team anymore for an answer. The Engineers crushed the Bulldogs 222-0. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

8

If you challenge a ruling, you can't leave the court FENCING CRACKED.COM When Shin A-lam contested a controversial call at the 2012 Olympics, she was forced to stand on the piste while the call was reviewed, which took 75 minutes. She was essentialy forced to filibuster for a fair call, and was ultimately dragged off by security. — The Guardian

7

Biggest Ass-Kicking MLB CRACKED.COM In 2007, the Texas Rangers pulled off the most vengeful comeback in MLB history. At one point losing 0-3, the Rangers came back to win 30-3. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

6

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS The 1908 Olympics had three kinds of Motor Boat races Gale-force winds meant only one competitor completed each race. Mechanical propulsion is now banned from Olympic competitions. — Fox News

5

No lefties allowed! POLO CRACKED.COM Riding on horseback adds a unique level of danger to the game of polo. That's why they don't mess around with lefties -- opposing players chasing down a ball from opposite directions would immediately turn into a horse-on-horse joust. — Dallas Burston Polo Club

4

Biggest Losing Streak D1 FOOTBALL 1777 DIAMAS CRACKED.COM The Prairie View A&M Panthers didn't taste victory for nearly a decade. They lost 80 straight games from 1989 to 1998. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

3

Need a restart? Fall off your bike! OLYMPIC CYCLING CRACKED.COM After British cycling wunderkind Philip Hindes got off to a bad start in the 2012 Olympics, he very suspiciously fell off his bike, triggering a restart. That suspicion was later cleared up, when he flat out said I just crashed, I did it on purpose to get a restart. — 5 Dumb Ways People Have Won at Sports

2

In 1960, Abebe Bikila ran the Men's Marathon barefoot- and won. He became the first east African to win an Olympic medal- and broke the world record. CRACKED.COM — The Olympics

1

You could, at one time, run the bases backward BASEBALL CRACKED.co In a 1908 game, a Detroit Tiger successfully stole second base but his goal wasn't to steal the base, it was to distract the catcher, allowing another baserunner to steal home. When it didn't work, he ran back to first base to try it over until he got it right. MLB changed the rules the next day, calling the reverse-steal a travesty of the game. — 5 Dumb Ways People Have Won at Sports

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