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Who came up with all of these rules!?!?

29 Unexpected Sports Facts That Took Us Off the Field

September 03, 2023

Even the most ardent fans might not be aware of some of the more truly interesting sports facts and records. Like how about a loophole that made it legal to pass the ball forward in football as long as it looked enough like an accident? Or that any hockey team could be called upon to defend their championship title? Or the longest and most embarrassing losing streaks in a bunch of respective sports?

The answers to all those questions and more below…

21

Sometimes you have to play yourself

The own-goal incentive SOCCER OKD CRACKED.COM A 1994 match in the Caribbean Cup saw a shameful race to score the most own-goals in the last few minutes. Due to the tourney's scoring policy, it was in Grenada's interest to lose, rather than tie, and it was in Barbados' interest to match Grenada's score and take it to overtime. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

20

Sorry lefties, no polo for you

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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

19

Premiere League

Shortest Career PREMIERE LEAGUE FOOTBALL CRACKED.COM Joe Sheerin was called up from Chelsea's bench at the literal last minute. Не was subbed in with less than 60 seconds remaining in their 1997 win over Wimbledon (and never played in another game). — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

18

Octavio Dotel has been everywhere

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. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

17

The NBA

Most Fruitless Freethrow Shooting St-Louis BOMBERS GRACKED.COM Before the NBA, the Basketball Association of America was the premier league for US ballers. At one point in the 1940's, Griff Roux set a record that stands to this day: he took 20 free throws in a single game, and missed every last one. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

16

Barely making a record is still making a record

Most Pick-Sixes NFL CRACKED.COM Jameis Winston led the league in passing yards in 2019, but also just barely squeaked out a league-record 7 interceptions for touchdowns. His 7th came in overtime in the last game of the season. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

15

Home-Run Rules

You HAVE to touch all the bases -- no excuses! BASEBALL CRACKED COM In 2008, a Red Sox runner's Achilles tendon snapped as he was rounding 2nd base during a home run trot. The umps declared that someone had to go play footsie with all the bases, and allowed them to substitute a runner mid-play. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

14

Tennis

You give your opponent a do-over if your hat falls off TENNIS CRACKED.COM If your hat falls off during a match, your opponent has the option to declare it a hindrance and redo the stroke. In 2008, Nathalie Dechy's hat fell off as she was delivering her killing blow, and her opponent was able to call shenanigans and ultimately win the match. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

13

Umps

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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

12

Sorry ambidextrous pitchers...

Ambidextrous pitchers can't sneak-attack BASEBALL CRACKED.COM While the temptation to wind up every pitch with a mystifying martial arts cartwheel must be immense, the sad fact is that ambidextrous pitchers have to literally tell the umpire which hand they're using for every batter. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

11

Who doesn't love an underdog?

Biggest Losing Streak D1 FOOTBALL DUAMI 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. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

10

NFL Coaches

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! — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

9

Imagine holding the record for losing...

Biggest Losing Streak NBA GRAGKED.COM The 76ers racked up 20 straight losses in the 1972 season. Fred Mad Dog Carter was named MVP, but suspected it may have been an insult: I wasn't sure whether it was for me leading us to nine wins or 73 losses. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

8

NBA

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. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

7

Cy Young

Biggest Loser MLB CRACKED.COM He's better known as the namesake of the yearly award for best pitcher, but Cy Young's prolific career also produced a fair amount of duds. In 22 years, he had a league-record 316 losses. — Source: 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

6

NHL

You had to defend your championship HOCKEY 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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

5

Football

The clumsy forward pass loophole FOOTBALL M CRACKED.COM Until 1978, anyone on the field could toss the football forward at any time, provided they made it look like an accident. Then the Holy Roller incident occurred -- John Madden's Oakland Raiders faux-fumbled the ball to each other until they bumbled into the endzone for a last-minute, come-from-behind victory. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

4

Imagine filibustering your own fair call

If you challenge a ruling, you can't leave the court FENCING www.allsta 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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

3

Baseball

You could, at one time, run the bases backward BASEBALL CRACKED.COM 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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

2

Golf

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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

1

Falling off your bike can restart the race

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. — Source: 14 Bizarro Rules From The Weird World Of Pro Sports

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