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30 Weird Facts From the Weird World of Sports

We can’t be the only ones hoping tug-of-war makes a comeback at the 2024 Olympics, right?

30 Weird Facts From the Weird World of Sports

August 31, 2023

Okay, so we couldn’t find any kind of factual backing as to why Philly fans seem to riot over literally everything, but we were able to dig up all kinds of other sports facts that will blow your mind. In fact, we knocked it out of the park if we do say so ourselves…

30

You give your opponent a do-over if your hat falls off TENNIS CRACKED.co 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. — The Guardian

29

The Olympics

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Tug of War was too controversial for the Olympics. In 1908 the U.S. team accused the Liverpool Police team of wearing extra-heavy boots. The Liverpudlians offered a shoe- less rematch, but America declined. — Top End Sports

28

Women used to compete in their own competition: The Herean games. In ancient Greece, a separate festival in honor of Hera (the wife of Zeus) included foot races for unmarried girls. CRACKED.COM — Penn Museum

27

Pick-Sixes

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

26

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Silver medal painting, 1924 At Olympics from 1912 to 1948 medals were given for various Visual Arts including sports-themed paintings, prints, watercolors, engravings and oils. — Irish Central and Smithsonian

25

The United States has hosted the Summer Olympics more times than any other country. Ags ANGELES MEMORIAL LOLYSEOM St. Louis in 1904, Los Angeles in 1932 & 1984, and Atlanta in 1996. Los Angeles is slated to host again in 2028. CRACKED.COM — Ball State University

24

CANCELLED GRACKED.COM OLYMPIC EVENTS 250 50 STINCA 15 23 a XXIII OLYMPICS INDIA HRA Weightlifting may be eliminated from future Olympics, due to ongoing allegations of doping, vote-rigging and corruption. — Chicago Tribune

23

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. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

22

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Solo Synchronized Swimming was in the 1984 and 1992 Olym- pics. It sounds like an oxymoron, but competitors synchronized their swimming to music. — Time.com

21

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. — ESPN

20

Writing While You Run

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS BONUS EVENT! Modern Olympics founder Baron Coubertin wanted an Olympic event combining a 14km race and a written essay, to show prowess in mind and body. It never took place. — Mental Floss

19

Soccer

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

18

From 1924-1992, the Winter and the Summer Olympics took place in the same year. Today they're on separate cycles and alternate every two years. L Previous Comite Kanager Fairon LeProvidest a Convite Lotterna GRACKED.COM — Chicago Tribune

17

The own-goal incentive SOCCER JOIN 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. — 5 Dumb Ways People Have Won at Sports

16

The Olympics

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Until 1948 the Olympics included a competition for music inspired by sport Entries were submitted on paper, not performed, making it very hard for judges. — Valley Advocate

15

As of 2016, a gold medal is worth about $564 its weight in gold and silver. While some medals have sold at auction for as much as 1.47 million. CRACKED.COM — ABC News

14

In 1936, a tie resulted something called the Friendship Medal' BERLIN 1936 During the 1936 Berlin Games, two Japanese pole-vaulters tied for second place. They cut the silver and bronze medals in half and fused the two different halves together, leaving them both with a half-silver and half-bronze medal. CRACKED.COM — The Olympics

13

The Biggest Losing Streak in NBA History

Biggest Losing Streak NBA CRACKED.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. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

12

The Olympics

The first Olympic Games took place in 8 B.C. in Olympia, Greece. And then every four years before it was banned in the 4th century A.D for being a pagan festival. The first modern Olympics took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896. CRACKED.COM — History.com

11

Biggest Ass-Kicking NHL CRACKED.COM In 1944, the Red Wings absolutely demoralized the New York Rangers, 15-0. Over half of those goals came in the final third of the game. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

10

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS The 1920 Olympics included Equestrian Vaulting The horses didn't jump. Competitors jumped onto, off of and over one or more horses. — Top End Sports

9

Most Ass-Kickings NFL CRACKED.COM In 2002, Houston's David Carr got sacked a record 76 times. He led the league in sacks in the '04 and '05 seasons, but never managed to break is '02 record. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

8

You can try for an uncontested field goal after a fair catch FOOTBALL 53 CRACKED.COM Even if you're not the biggest NFL fan, you probably recognize a fair catch: a guy catching a punt waves his hand as if to say TRUCE!! The deal is: no ONE can touch him, but he can't take off running. A lesser known part of that deal is that, on the next play, his team can try to kick a field goal, and the defense can't do sh about it. The last successful attempt was in 1976. — Buccaneers

7

Longest Suspension NHL GRACKED.COM Professional concussion deliverer Billy Coutu was suspended for life when he tried to beat the sh*t out of the exact wrong person: the referee. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

6

The NHL

Any jerk at the game could become the goalie HOCKEY CRACKED.COM Every NHL team has a spare goalie waiting in the wings, though they're rarely called upon. Rarer still, if they blow through two goalies in one game, they can sign any ol' schmoe for a one-game contract. In 2020, zamboni driver David Ayres got to play a game for the Carolina Hurricanes. He won! — NHL

5

Free Throws

Most Fruitless Freethrow Shooting St.Louis OMBERS CRACKED.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. — 15 Embarrassing Sports Records No One Wants To Break

4

The clumsy forward pass loophole FOOTBALL 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. — 5 Dumb Ways People Have Won at Sports

3

London Olympics

The 2012 London Games were the first Olympics that had female athletes from all participating countries. Qatar, Brunei, and Saudia Arabia were the last countries to allow female athletes to compete. CRACKED.COM — New York Times

2

Congrats?

CANCELLED GRACKED OLYMPIC EVENTS Live Pigeon Shooting was an event in 1900. Nearly 300 birds were killed in total. The winner shot 22. — Top End Sports

1

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. — NBC Sports

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