The first recorded Olympic Games took place in ancient Greece in 776 BC, featuring only one event—a foot race.
The longest cricket match in history was played in 1939 and lasted 10 days between England and South Africa.
James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 using a peach basket and a soccer ball in a YMCA gym.
With over 4 billion fans globally, soccer is the most followed sport worldwide.
Australian player Sam Groth recorded a serve at 163.7 mph, the fastest in tennis history.
Astronaut Alan Shepard hit two golf balls on the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971.
To reduce bouncing and improve performance, ice hockey pucks are frozen before each game.
The marathon was inspired by the run of a Greek soldier from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.
Modern F1 cars can reach speeds exceeding 230 mph, making them among the fastest racecars.
Though considered America's pastime, baseball likely evolved from older bat-and-ball games from England.
Polo dates back over 2,000 years and was first played in Persia as a training game for cavalry units.
John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played an 11-hour match at Wimbledon in 2010 over three days.
The Olympic torch was taken aboard the International Space Station in 2013.
American football evolved from rugby and soccer, with key changes implemented in the 19th century.
Disillusioned by racism in the U.S., Ali reportedly threw his 1960 Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River.
Table tennis, or ping pong, became an official Olympic sport in 1988.
Women were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time during the Paris Games in 1900.
The FIFA World Cup attracts over 3.5 billion viewers globally, surpassing even the Olympics in viewership.
Gymnasts often exhibit strength-to-weight ratios higher than many other athletes due to their training.
Wrestling was part of the first ancient Olympic Games and remains an Olympic sport today.
The Brooklyn Excelsiors were among the first teams to wear the modern baseball cap style.
In Japan, sumo wrestling includes ceremonial traditions rooted in Shinto religious rituals.
The original rules of basketball called for nine players on each team and no dribbling.
Each official NFL football is made from cowhide and requires extensive handcrafting.
Ancient ice skates made of animal bones have been found in Finland dating back to 3000 BC.
The inaugural Winter Games were hosted in Chamonix, France, with 16 nations participating.
Cricket has an estimated 2.5 billion fans, mainly in Asia, the UK, and Australia.
During an 18-hole round, golfers walk an average of 4–6 miles depending on the course layout.
The first Super Bowl saw the Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10.
Modern Olympic gold medals are mostly silver with a thin gold coating.
Billiards originated as an outdoor lawn game before transitioning to indoor play in the 15th century.
The National Basketball Association was created from a merger of rival basketball leagues in 1946.
The 1893 fight between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke lasted over seven hours and 110 rounds.
Curling stones are crafted from special granite found only on Ailsa Craig island in Scotland.
Swimmer Michael Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals by a single athlete.
The modern version of tennis was referred to as lawn tennis to distinguish it from earlier indoor versions.
The basketball hoop has been 10 feet high since the sport was invented and remains unchanged.
Judo debuted as an Olympic sport at the Tokyo Games in 1964.
The F1 World Championship features races in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.
Usain Bolt set the world record at 9.58 seconds during the 2009 World Championships.
The National Hockey League was formed in Canada with just four teams initially.
In early prizefighting, boxers often fought bare-knuckled, leading to serious injuries and eventual rule changes.
Unlike football's round ball, rugby uses an oval-shaped ball for unique handling and kicking dynamics.
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang can reportedly seat up to 114,000 spectators.
It is the oldest championship trophy in professional sports still awarded annually.
Although it involves no physical exertion, chess is officially recognized as a sport by the International Olympic Committee.
Beach volleyball was introduced as an Olympic sport during the Atlanta Games.
Aroldis Chapman holds the record for the fastest pitch ever recorded in Major League Baseball.
NASCAR originated from drivers racing while evading law enforcement during Prohibition in the U.S.
Officially adopted in 1924, the motto encourages athletes to push the limits of human achievement.