Why do we say that someone well conditioned has been “whipped into shape”?

During the ancient Olympics, athletes were expected to go into training ten months before the start of the games. The last month was spent at the site, where — regardless of the weather or bodily injuries, while on a strictly limited diet, and without shoes, shorts, or the right to complain — whenever they faltered, they were whipped by their trainers. These Olympians were literally whipped into shape.

Why is a small sporting facility called a “gymnasium” while a larger one is a “stadium”?

The word gymnasium is from the Greek word gymnos, which means “nude.” Thus, gymnasium literally means “a school for naked exercise.” The first Olympic event for the nude male athletes, or gymnasts, was a foot race known as a stade, which was a Greek unit of measurement for the distance of the race (which was six hundred feet), and that is why the facility was called a stadium.

Why do we use the word checkmate to end a game of chess?

The game of chess, played by two players, each trying to capture the other’s king with a sixteen-piece army of horses, foot soldiers, chariots, and elephants, surfaced in India in around 500 B.C. The game was adopted first by the Persians and then by the Arabs, who introduced it to Europe during their conquest of Spain. The Persian word for king is shah. Checkmate is from the Arabic Shah mat, which literally means “the king is dead.”

Why is Canada’s national sport called “lacrosse”?

Lacrosse, “the little brother of war,” was considered good training for Native American warriors. Teams consisting of hundreds of players often involved entire villages in brutal contests that could last as long as three days. To the French explorers who were the first Europeans to see the game, the stick resembled a bishop’s ceremonial staff, called a “crozier,” surmounted by a cross, or la crosse — and the sport had a new name.

Why are legal issues, basketball games, and tennis tournaments all settled on a “court”?

Like courtesy, the word court evolved from the Latin words cum, meaning “together,” and hortus, the derivative of horticulture — so a court was an enclosed garden where young boys of noble birth learned proper social conduct. In both the judicial and sporting sense a court is a specified area within which you are expected to practise courtesy while respecting authority.

Why is an obstacle-filled horse race called a “steeplechase”?

In early England, the church was the centre of a town’s existence and was usually the largest and most prominent structure. For travellers on horseback, the first sign of their destination was the lofty church steeple rising above the trees. To the tired traveller, the sight was exhilarating and inspired the horsemen to quicken their paces, very often racing to see who could arrive at the steeple first. From this, a horse race became known as a “steeplechase.”

Why is a horse race sometimes called a “derby”?

In England it’s properly called a “darby,” but everywhere else, including here, it’s known as a “derby.” In 1780, the twelfth Earl of Derby was having dinner with his friend Sir Charles Bunbury when they decided to sponsor a horse race for three-year-olds in Surrey, England. They tossed a coin to decide after which of them the race would be named and Derby won — otherwise the most exciting two minutes in sports would be the Kentucky Bunbury.

What does a football player’s number tell you about his position?

American football introduced numbers in 1915 and names in 1961, but in 1967, numbers began indicating a player’s position and eligibility. Quarterbacks and kickers wear 1 to 19, running and defensive backs 20 to 49, centres and linebackers 50 to 59, guards 60 to 69, tackles 70 to79, and finally ends and defensive linemen wear between 60 and 89.

What does carte blanche have to do with the name of the San Diego Chargers?

The naming of the San Diego football team had nothing to do with a military or an electrical charge. The team was named by the original owner, Barron Hilton, who called them the Chargers after a credit card. Hilton also owned the Carte Blanche credit card. Although to us carte blanche might be “white card,” to the French it means “blank sheet,” to be used like a blank cheque ... preferably to include a ticket to watch the San Diego Chargers.

Why was the Cleveland football team named the Browns?

Football franchises move around, and it was the Rams who represented Cleveland before moving to L.A. and then to St. Louis. In 1946, when the city was given a franchise in the AAFC, they held a contest to name the new team, and the winner was the Brown Bombers, after the great champion Joe Louis. However, the name was colour sensitive for the time, and so they compromised by naming the team the Browns after coach Paul Brown.

What is the origin of the mascot?

A mascot brings good luck, and the name comes from masco, Latin for “witch.” Primitive peoples believed that every tribe descended from a separate species of animal, which they recognized as their ancestors from what they hoped were their own characteristics of bravery and ferocity. It’s the same reason most sporting teams name themselves after something they respect, hoping to attain the qualities of the Tigers, Indians, or even Mighty Ducks.

Why is there a seventh-inning stretch during a baseball game?

While attending a baseball game in 1910, American President William Howard Taft stood up to stretch his legs between the top and bottom of the seventh inning. The crowd stood out of respect because they thought the president was leaving, then as he sat back down so did the crowd, and a tradition was born. The stretch became popular with vendors because it was a last chance to sell off their hot dogs and French fries before fans started drifting home.

Why is the warm-up area for baseball pitchers called a “bullpen”?

As early as 1809, the term bullpen referred to a stockade for holding criminals. In the 1870s, a roped-off area in the outfield for standing room was nicknamed the bullpen by the Cincinnati Enquirer. When relief pitchers were introduced into the game they took over that area to warm up, and in a stroke of brilliance the Bull Durham Tobacco Company erected a sign overhead to confirm it as the bullpen.

Why do the New York Yankees wear pinstripe baseball uniforms?

In 1925, thirty-year-old Babe Ruth was suffering from an intestinal disorder, and his weight ballooned to over 260 pounds. This embarrassed Yankees owner Jacob Rupert so much that he ordered the team to wear pinstripe uniforms in order to make the Bambino look thinner. Limited to 98 games that season because of surgery and suspensions, Babe Ruth still managed to hit .290 with 25 home runs.

What are the seven different ways a baseball batter can reach first base?

In baseball, a batter can reach first base with a hit, or by being walked with four balls. He also goes to first if he is struck by a pitch or if the catcher interferes with his at bat. If the catcher drops the ball on strike three or the pitcher throws the ball out of the playing area the batter moves to first. Finally, the seventh way a batter can get on base is if the baseball becomes stuck in the umpire’s mask or equipment.

What does the sign “No Pepper” mean at a baseball park?

The sign “No Pepper” is seen in many baseball dugouts and refers to a game played to warm up the players. During pepper, one player bunts grounders and hits line drives to a group of infielders standing about twenty feet away. The fielders play the ball then throw it back to the batter as quickly as possible, and he then attempts to hit those return throws. Pepper is banned when spectators are in the park for fear of injury.

What number has been retired by every Major League Baseball team and why?

In 1997, fifty years after he broke the colour barrier, every Major League Baseball team retired Jackie Robinson’s number 42. Active players who had the number before 1997 were allowed to wear it until their retirement, but no other player will be able to wear the number again.

Who is featured on the world’s most valuable baseball card?

The most valuable baseball card in history was issued in 1909 and features Honus Wagner. One in mint condition sold for $110,000 in 1988. The reason it became so valuable is its scarcity — it was issued by the Sweet Caporal Cigarette Company, but Wagner, an eight-time National League batting champion, had it discontinued because he didn’t want to promote smoking among children.

How many coloured flags are used in auto racing, and what do they mean?

Seven flags are used as signals to drivers in car races: a green flag starts the race; a yellow flag means “don’t pass”; a red flag means “stop for an emergency”; a black flag signals a rule infraction; a white flag indicates that the leaders are starting the last lap; a blue flag with a diagonal stripe tells slower cars to move aside; and finally the checkered flag means the race is over.

Why are basketball players called “cagers”?

When Canadian James Naismith introduced basketball, the game was played with a soccer ball and the baskets were peach buckets nailed to the balcony at each end of the gym. The early games were rough and crude before Naismith introduced his thirteen rules in 1892 — so rough that the Trenton basketball team, playing in the first YMCA League, built a fence around the court to keep the ball in play. This fence was like a cage, and so the players were called cagers.