Obscure Sports!
How many times have you seen an odd sport on TV and wondered how that could possibly be considered a sport? Probably many times right? Sorry to break your bubble but news flash! There are far more weird sports in the world than Dodgeball or Poker . Take a look at these astonishing activities:
Rock Paper Scissors: If you thought that this little game was just a simple way to settle trivial matters like who gets to eat the last scoop of the Rocky Road ice cream, think again. The USA Rock Paper Scissors League (USARPS) has held annual tournaments (since 2006) for any players wishing to show off their battling skills. Still don’t consider it a sport? What if I told you the cash prize for the champion Rock Paper Scissors is $50,000? Alongside being considered a sport nationwide, Rock Paper Scissors has achieved global acclaim and international acknowledgement. An International World Championship was started in 2002 by the World Rock Paper Scissors Society who had created an international set of rules and regulations for this quirky game. There is even a World Series of Rock Paper Scissors that takes place with the World Series of Poker. Talk about rocking fame.
Extreme Ironing: No, this isn’t what your mom has to do for your clothes every weekend because you are too lazy to do your own laundry. This is EXTREME IRONING. Originated in England, extreme ironing is basically what it sounds like… ironing in extreme places, whether it be the mountains, on a river rapid, atop an ancient Redwood tree, underwater, etc. anywhere! It combines the thrill of an extreme sport with the simplicity of a daily chore. The Extreme Ironing Bureau is the ruling body of this semi-official sport. There was a World Championship in 2002 held in Munich and a total of about 80 attended.
Quidditch: Okay, maybe this isn’t a sport. But this popular game that originated from Harry Potter has evolved into a somewhat widely participated activity among some colleges. Occidental College, for example, has their own team. And obviously, this isn’t the same exact game seen in the movies… I mean, come on, people can’t fly on brooms! But termed “Muggle” quidditch, this sport is very similar to the actual game in spirit and excitement. Players run around a field with a broomstick between their legs, and the “Golden Snitch” is actually a runner enclosed in a golden costume. The point of the game is simple: to score points by tossing a ball through the opponents hoop. I don’t know about you, but I’d sure like to see a game of quidditch for myself. After all, don’t we all wish at some point we could live in the world of Harry Potter?
Wife Carrying: Hey tough guys! Think you’re strong enough to carry a 50 pound weight around an 250m obstacle track? Well then how about carrying a woman through it? That’s right. Invented in Finland, wife carrying is a contest to see how fast someone can carry their wife through a course. Certain rules apply, of course, like the weight requirement of the wife and how the carried must wear a helmet. Though major competitions take place in Finland, there is a North American Wife Carrying Championship that takes place every year in Maine. I know you guys are not eligible for this sport, but maybe you can convince your parents to try this weird challenge. It might be time for mom to go on a diet though!
And these are just a handful of the many queer sports celebrated by people all over the world. Learning about them is quite interesting, although I must admit that it makes me wonder what people are thinking when they first invent these sports..
How many times have you seen an odd sport on TV and wondered how that could possibly be considered a sport? Probably many times right? Sorry to break your bubble but news flash! There are far more weird sports in the world than Dodgeball or Poker . Take a look at these astonishing activities:
Rock Paper Scissors: If you thought that this little game was just a simple way to settle trivial matters like who gets to eat the last scoop of the Rocky Road ice cream, think again. The USA Rock Paper Scissors League (USARPS) has held annual tournaments (since 2006) for any players wishing to show off their battling skills. Still don’t consider it a sport? What if I told you the cash prize for the champion Rock Paper Scissors is $50,000? Alongside being considered a sport nationwide, Rock Paper Scissors has achieved global acclaim and international acknowledgement. An International World Championship was started in 2002 by the World Rock Paper Scissors Society who had created an international set of rules and regulations for this quirky game. There is even a World Series of Rock Paper Scissors that takes place with the World Series of Poker. Talk about rocking fame.
Extreme Ironing: No, this isn’t what your mom has to do for your clothes every weekend because you are too lazy to do your own laundry. This is EXTREME IRONING. Originated in England, extreme ironing is basically what it sounds like… ironing in extreme places, whether it be the mountains, on a river rapid, atop an ancient Redwood tree, underwater, etc. anywhere! It combines the thrill of an extreme sport with the simplicity of a daily chore. The Extreme Ironing Bureau is the ruling body of this semi-official sport. There was a World Championship in 2002 held in Munich and a total of about 80 attended.
Quidditch: Okay, maybe this isn’t a sport. But this popular game that originated from Harry Potter has evolved into a somewhat widely participated activity among some colleges. Occidental College, for example, has their own team. And obviously, this isn’t the same exact game seen in the movies… I mean, come on, people can’t fly on brooms! But termed “Muggle” quidditch, this sport is very similar to the actual game in spirit and excitement. Players run around a field with a broomstick between their legs, and the “Golden Snitch” is actually a runner enclosed in a golden costume. The point of the game is simple: to score points by tossing a ball through the opponents hoop. I don’t know about you, but I’d sure like to see a game of quidditch for myself. After all, don’t we all wish at some point we could live in the world of Harry Potter?
Wife Carrying: Hey tough guys! Think you’re strong enough to carry a 50 pound weight around an 250m obstacle track? Well then how about carrying a woman through it? That’s right. Invented in Finland, wife carrying is a contest to see how fast someone can carry their wife through a course. Certain rules apply, of course, like the weight requirement of the wife and how the carried must wear a helmet. Though major competitions take place in Finland, there is a North American Wife Carrying Championship that takes place every year in Maine. I know you guys are not eligible for this sport, but maybe you can convince your parents to try this weird challenge. It might be time for mom to go on a diet though!
And these are just a handful of the many queer sports celebrated by people all over the world. Learning about them is quite interesting, although I must admit that it makes me wonder what people are thinking when they first invent these sports..