SPORTOPEDIA

illustrated by MARK LONG

written by ADAM SKINNER WATER TARGET SPORTS SWIMMING 56 GOLF 76

DIVING 58 SHOOTING 78 CONTENTS SURFING 60 DARTS 79 CANOEING 62 ARCHERY 80

WATER 63 TENPIN 81

BALL SPORTS RACKET SPORTS SAILING 64 SNOOKER 82 65 8 TENNIS 32 ROWING

BASEBALL 10 TABLE TENNIS 34 COMBAT SPORTS

FIELD 12 SQUASH 35 MOTOR SPORTS BOXING 86

BASKETBALL 14 BADMINTON 36 FORMULA 1 68 WRESTLING 88

AMERICAN FOOTBALL 16 RALLY DRIVING 70 UFC 89 RUGBY 18 ATHLETICS MOTORCYCLE RACING 71 SUMO WRESTLING 90 20 SPRINTING 40 MOTOCROSS 72 91

NETBALL 22 LONG-DISTANCE RUNNING POWERBOAT RACING FENCING 92 42 73 23 THE JUMPS 44 TAEKWONDO 93

LACROSSE 24 THROWING 46 KARATE 94

ICE HOCKEY 26 JUDO 95 28 GYMNASTICS FLOOR EXERCISES 50 SPORTING EVENTS

RHYTHMIC 51 THE 98

ARTISTIC 52 THE PARALYMPIC GAMES 102 THE WINTER OLYMPICS 104

INDEX 108 umans have been taking part in for as long as they have H walked the planet. Whether competing individually or as part of a team, people have always had a desire to test themselves against one another. And with hundreds of sports now on offer, there is something for everyone. Each is unique, demanding a wide range of different skills – some might require speed and power, others intelligence and mental strength. But there is one trait that links them all: anybody can take part. Sport rarely discriminates; it does not care who you are, where you come from or what you have. In fact, some of the most recognisable sports stars have come from the poorest parts of the world. Pelé – the greatest footballer who ever lived – was born into extreme poverty in Brazil but lifted the World Cup as a 17-year-old, while Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is the fastest man on earth and has won eight Olympic gold medals despite growing up without easy access to drinking water. Even disabilities have not stopped people achieving sporting greatness. It is the level playing field, where natural talent alone is not enough. Athletes spend years trying to reach the top, honing their craft through dedication and hard work. But it is not just about winning or being the best. Sport promotes physical well-being, teamwork and discipline. It has provided us with some of history’s most memorable moments – from opposing soldiers laying down their weapons to play a game of football on Christmas Day during World War I, to American swimmer Michael Phelps winning a record 23rd Olympic gold medal in 2014 at the age of 31. This book is a celebration of sport and a reminder that you can take part in any of them. Ultimately, it is about playing. Just look out of your window on any given day. Your local park will be full of people doing just that and there is nothing to stop you joining the fun. Who knows, maybe you will lift the World Cup or win an Olympic gold medal one day! B A LL SPORTS 8 9 BALL NET FACTS OF THE MATTER POSITIONS Made of leather; 70 centimetres in Captures the ball when a goal FOOTBALL circumference. The first footballs were is scored. There were no nets in Every four years at the World Cup, international It requires skill, strength and fitness but can GOALKEEPER ootball is the world’s made from inflated pig bladders! football until 1891. teams battle for the world’s biggest prize. Brazil ROLE: To stop the opposition from scoring using be played by anyone with a ball and a bit of is the most successful nation, with five world most popular sport! any part of their bodies, including their hands F titles. space. That is why it is loved by millions! Known as ‘the beautiful game’, it is played SKILLS: Agility, quick reflexes, safe hands Games at the top level might be played in by more than 200 million people in over DEFENDERS Brazilian legend Pelé was just 17 years and 249 days mega stadiums and feature some of the best- old when Brazil won the World Cup in 1958 – the 200 countries. To stop the opposition from scoring ROLE: youngest ever player to do so. paid athletes in the world. But many of them People have playing football since around SKILLS: Strong, good at heading, fast grew up playing football on the street or in England’s top division, the Premier League, is 2 BC but the modern game was created MIDFIELDERS parks on Sunday mornings. The basic aim of the the world’s most watched league. It formed in 1992 in England when the Football Association ROLE: All-, skilled in defence and attack and has more than 4.7 billion fans today. game is to score more goals than the opposing SKILLS: Passing, tackling, shooting, setting up formed in 1863. They laid down the basic rules team. Players kick – or ‘head’ – the ball around goals by ‘feeding the forwards’ Teams often pay huge fees to buy players from their and founded the English Football League, a rivals. In 2017, French giants Paris Saint-Germain a grass pitch and try to score by putting it in FORWARDS competition which is still going strong today. paid £198 million to buy Neymar from Spanish the opposing net. Goooooooaaaaallll! ROLE: Mainly responsible for scoring goals side Barcelona – the highest transfer fee any team SKILLS: Finishing, positioning, heading, strength has ever paid.

THE PITCH More than 700 MILLION PEOPLE – more than GOAL twice the population of America – tuned in to half way watch a televised Premier League match between Made of metal; the crossbar is 2.44 metres line Manchester United and Liverpool in 2015. GOAL high, with posts 7.32 metres apart. Football teams used to keep track of the score by The firstinternational match ever was played centre making a nick in the post each time a goal was in 1872 between Scotland and England. It ended in circle conceded, hence the phrase ‘to score a goal’. a 0-0 draw… but marked the beginning of a hotly- contested rivalry that’s lasted to this day.

GOAL TOUCHLINE Football originated from old English versions of the area game. These could be violent affairs – pitches were If the ball touches an attacker before the size of entire villages and everyone joined in! crossing the line, a goal kick is awarded, but if a defender touches it last, a corner is given. PENALTY AREA Argentinian goalie, Amadeo Carrizo, was Fouls by the defending the first to wear gloves while goalkeeping during centre the 1940s. team in this area result spot in a penalty kick.

PITCH Not all pitches are the same size. A grass pitch must be between 90-120 metres long and 45-90 metres wide. GOAL LINE The whole ball must cross this line for a goal to be » Free-kicks are REFEREE PENALTY SPOT scored. Goal-line technology was recently introduced awarded for fouls or if Penalties are taken here, players the ball The ‘ref’ enforces the rules along to help referees with close calls. RULES 11 metres from the goal. with their hands outside with two (or four) assistants. Teams of 11 players – » the penalty area. A ten outfield players and penalty kick is awarded one goalkeeper – move a for fouls and ball around a pitch with inside the penalty area. their feet or head and try to score goals. » A player is offside and a free-kick called if the » A goal is scored when ball is passed and there the ball crosses the goal are not at least two BOOTS SHINPADS SHIRT BALL GLOVES line, between two posts players between them KIT Football boots have studs All players are required to wear Each team has its own Footballs used to be made exclusively Gloves help the goalkeepers grip and under a crossbar. and the goal. that grip the grass. shinpads for protection. CARDS unique strip featuring with leather, which could become soggy the ball and protect their hands. » Only the goalkeepers Extra-time is played particular colours and heavy. Today’s modern synthetic can touch the ball with » Breaking the rules can lead to a in some competitions if that are worn balls keep their shape – and ‘bounce’ – their hands – and only in scores are level after 90 yellow card, while serious fouls their own penalty area. season after much better. minutes. If neither team result in a red, meaning the player is in the lead after extra season. Often, » Matches last 90 is sent off. Two yellow cards equal minutes, divided into two time, there is a penalty they carry the a red. Colombian player Gerardo 45-minute halves. Teams shootout. label of their Bedoya holds the record for the switch sides at half-time. sponsor. most red cards ever received: 46! 10 11 FACTS OF THE MATTER

BASEBALL The U.S. military designed grenades during World present-day rules were invented there. War II to be the same size and weight as a baseball. ‘ merica’s pastime’, OUTFIELD The sport was so popular, they believed any young America’s (MLB) is also the Outfielders stand here. A is one of the oldest American would be able to throw it properly. A Their main job is to catch biggest competition in the world and its influence professional sports. ‘fly’ balls hit into the air, One of baseball’s earliest recorded games involved has spread to countless other regions, most Its roots can be traced back to 18th-century and to throw the ball to members of the Prince of Wales’ (later to notably Central and South America, and East Asia. become King Edward VII) family, at an indoor match England, where it probably evolved from older the players on base. Baseball is played by two teams of nine, who played in London back in 1748. bat-and-ball games such as cricket, rounders and take turns to ‘bat’ (hit a ball) and ‘field’ (defend stoolball. But the USA is responsible for the way References to early baseball were made in Jane the field). They try to score runs by hitting the ball Austen’s 1798 novel Northanger Abbey. The main the sport is played and organised today. American character, Catherine Morland preferred ‘cricket, base and then running around four bases without being baseball teams were some of the first in any ball, riding on horseback and running about’– not caught or fielded out. Swing like you mean It! very ladylike for an Austen heroine! sport to start paying their players and the game’s The rules of modern-day baseball were set down by PITCHER the Knickerbocker Club of New York – one of DIAMOND FIRST BASEMAN the first-ever organised baseball teams. For example, The pitcher throws a pitch overarm from a raised mound to the home plate The name for the field where Ideally tall and left-handed until 1872, pitchers used to pitch underarm. 18.4m away. Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller is credited with throwing the game is played. ‘Father of so they can easily throw the HOME a record fastball at 173.6 km/h back in 1946! Baseball’ Approximately 70 are used per game. ball in-field, the first baseman was the first to draw this Just think how many that adds up to in a season! RUN! fields the area near first base. diamond shape back in 1845. A home run is the best shot in baseball. The final game of America’s Major League Baseball It happens when the batter blasts the ball is the World Series. The New York Yankees have so far – usually over the outfield wall – they BALL won it a record 27 times. are able to run around all four bases. Just 23 centimetres in diameter, African American players were banned from playing in the stitching on a baseball can Each runner ‘on base’ also advances the Major League for the first half of the 20th century. measure up to 1.5 kilometres long! to the home plate, so some home That led to ‘Negro leagues’ being formed, where some runs can result in a whopping four of the world’s best players could be found. runs being scored for the Hot dogs are the most popular food eaten by baseball batting side. fans. In fact, America’s Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimated 21,357,316 hot dogs were eaten in the BAT SECOND 2014 Major League season! League bats are BASE made from wood, whereas college bats are metal.

PRESIDENTIAL THIRD FIRST pitcher’s FIRST PITCHES BASE BASE batter and any runners mound RULES automatically advance In 1910, President William Howard FOUL LINE to the home plate. This is » Both teams bat for called a ‘home run’. Taft become the first president to A foul is called if the nine innings. An inning throw out a ceremonial first pitch – batter hits the ball ends when three players » The pitcher can get the CATCHER on the batting team batter out by throwing a tradition that lasts to this day, straight over this line. One of the toughest jobs in baseball! are out. three strikes. although declined by President THE The player crouches behind home If it’s a tie after nine Trump in 2017. » » A ‘strike’ is when the plate to catch the ball from the HOME PLATE innings, extra innings are batter swings and misses pitcher and direct defensive play. FIELD The batter stands here, ready played until a team wins. or fails to swing at a legal pitch. to hit the on-coming pitch. » The pitcher ‘delivers’ the ball overarm. » A pitch is illegal if it is thrown outside the strike » The batter tries to hit zone. If four illegal balls the ball to ‘get on base’, BASEBALL CAP BATTING HELMET UNIFORM CATCHER’S PITCHER’S are pitched, the batter and then become a runner. This unique style was first worn in Worn to protect the batter’s head. Teams have a MITT GLOVE walks to first base. Runners stop at bases the 1860s. The peak protects the Ear ‘flaps’ were introduced in 1983. ‘home’ kit (often This is much deeper No holes in the » » The batter is out if a KIT and advance when the KIT player’s eyes from the sun. white) and an fielder touches the base than other fielders’ webbing hide the next batter hits the ball. before they can run to it. ‘away’ kit (darker). gloves, almost pitcher’s grip, » A run is scored when a Originally, The batter is also out bucket-like to and the runner reaches home plate. » FIELDING if they hit ball in the air coloured stockings help catch the direction of GLOVE If the batter hits the ball and it is caught by a identified the batter ‘out’. pitch, from the » Has separate fingers and a deep ‘pocket’ over the outfield wall, the catcher. teams. batter. with open webbing on the side for trapped dirt to fall through. 12 13 THE PITCH FACTS OF THE MATTER POSITIONS SHOOTING PENALTY CIRCLE CORNERS Stick and ball games similar to hockey were played GOALKEEPER Players pitch and try to score goals by getting it past the are taken here. in a number of ancient civilisations. Another more he ancient Greeks ROLE: To stop the ball from going in goal! must shoot recent version, played in 19th century Scotland, went goalkeeper. The team with the most goals at were among the first SKILLS: Bravery and quick reflexes within this by the name of ‘’! T HALF WAY the end of the game is the winner. area. to play hockey, back in DEFENDERS LINE Hockey is the third-most watched sport in the Hockey has been an integral part of the 510 BC. ROLE: Split into centre-backs or full-backs, defenders world, after football and cricket. Olympics since 1928, and nowadays, it is thought stop opposition attacks and set up counter-attacks. It was revamped and modernised in Scotland that more than three million people play hockey SKILLS: Positioning and strength Men’s hockey has the fastest swing speed during the 19th century and has developed into of any sport, often reaching speeds of more than across five continents. Jolly hockey sticks indeed! MIDFIELDERS 23 metre 23 metre 160km/h. That is faster than a golfer swings his one of the fastest team sports around, often ROLE: Linking play between defence and attack line line club or baseball player swings his bat. drawing comparisons with football. In fact, it is SKILLS: All-rounders. They often set the tempo. Hockey was spread throughout the British Empire by sometimes called ‘football with sticks’! FORWARDS the British army and is extremely popular in India, Two teams of 11 players use hooked sticks and as a result. ROLE: To score goals! Pakistan Australia to hit, push and ‘dribble’ a hard ball around a GAELIC SKILLS: Wingers are often very fast and good at There are four main positions in hockey, and the crossing to the central attackers, who score BALL ROOTS average player can flick the ball between This plastic ball (which can have a cork An old version of field hockey, called 80–110km/h. core), is small in diameter at 7 centimetres, ‘shinty’, is still played in the Scottish but heavy in weight at 155 grams, making it Left handed? Tough luck! There is no such thing Highlands. The rules are closer to Irish fast-moving on the pitch. as a left-handed hockey stick. Left-handed players , as players are allowed to use the FIELD must simply learn to use a right-handed stick. two sides of their stick, and play the At 90 x 55 metres, players can ball in the air, both of which are find themselves running long The Indian men’s team has won the Olympic gold illegal in field hockey. distances in a game. medal on eight separate occasions – at least four more times than any other nation.

Hockey players are extremely fit, often travelling more than 8 kilometres in a single game.

GOALKEEPER Wears equipment to protect face, legs and chest. And they need it… Hockey balls can travel over 100 km/h! RULES RULES » A penalty stroke is » Matches are 70 minutes awarded for major long, split into two halves infringements inside PENALTY of 35 minutes each. the shooting circle. The attacking player then SPOT LAW » Goals must be scored gets a free shot against Penalty shots are within the shooting the goalkeeper from the RIGHT circle, meaning no long- taken from here. AND ORDER penalty spot. WAY ROUND shots are allowed. The referee is known as the umpire » Most scoring chances

Hockey isn’t a game for left-handers: in field hockey. They are armed with three » The goalkeeper is the in hockey games come only one who can touch from penalty corners. only right-handed hockey sticks are cards to punish rule infringements: the ball with their hands. available – left-handed alternatives are » Unlike almost every GREEN: warns the player Fouls are awarded other , hockey not allowed. And if you’re a leftie and » for various rule players are not allowed tempted to use the stick back to front, YELLOW: temporary suspension from the infringements such as to shield the ball with think again! Players must only use the game for a minimum of five minutes obstruction or dangerous their body. use of the stick. For fouls flat side of their stick, not the STICKS RED: permanent exclusion around the goal area, a » Long corners are rounded back side. short corner – or penalty awarded if the ball hits Made of wood or carbon, hockey sticks from the game. corner – is awarded. a defending player and have a distinctive hooked head which then crosses the end line. players use to hit the ball. 14 SLAM DUNK! 15 To make this crowd-pleasing shot, a an extra five minutes FACTS OF THE MATTER RULES is played if the scores are player jumps high and puts the ball level after this time. straight through the hoop. » Five players from each The original hoop used was a fruit basket! team are on court during or passing a ball around a hard » Teams have just 24 Games would be halted after every point for a janitor play. Each team also has seconds to make a shot game of humble to retrieve the ball from the fruit basket. Eventually court and putting it through a hoop. seven substitutes they after getting the ball. A beginnings, basketball can rotate at any time. If they fail to do so, they people saw sense and removed the bottom! The idea came from a Canadian P.E. teacher lose possession to the HOOP Players ‘dribble’ the BACK- is now played by more than » other team. The hoop stands 3.05m Basketball was once played with a football called James Naismith in 1891. He wanted to ball by bouncing it on BOARD ball, which was not easy to dribble. As a result, 25 million people throughout the court as they run. » Once a team is in the from the ground. Corey invent an indoor sport to keep his students Players use this to did not become a major part of the game attacking half of the court, dribbling ‘Thunder’ Law threw the the United States. from being bored when they could not play » A ‘travelling’ violation they cannot go back over bounce the ball off, until the ball changed in 1950. is called if players run longest-ever successful And many more are fans of one of this fast- the half-way line. with the ball without into the hoop. It was sports outside in bad winter weather. shot at a distance Teams were made up of nine players until 1897 paced, end-to-end team sport. Matches are bouncing it. Points are scored invented to stop » because there were nine players on a baseball team. While many of Naismith’s fundamental every time the ball of 33.5m. BALL spectators from usually thrilling spectacles, with scores regularly » Professional matches goes through the hoop. rules are still in place, over time the game are split into four periods Dimpled for grip, men’s Different plays are worth interfering with shots, The team was reduced to five because teams of running into the hundreds of points. Two teams of 12 minutes each, and are 75–76 centimetres, has become increasingly sophisticated, a different number of as the hoop was players, which used to be of five players try and score points by bouncing points. while the women’s are made up of 10 players (now 11) would come into the quicker and more physically demanding. originally nailed to the smaller. Originally brown, gym when it was raining and it was easier to split viewing balcony! today’s balls are orange. them into two teams of five.

America’s NBA players are among the BEST-PAID sportsmen anywhere on the planet. In 2016, LeBron THE COURT James earned $77.2 million (£61.6 million). A lot of basketball players are extremely tall. The THREE-POINT LINE FRONT COURT tallest-ever professionals are former stars Gheorghe Where Muresan and Manute Bol – who both stood at a towering 2 metres 31 centimetres. basket attacking team attacks (hooP) HALF-WAY The Boston Celtics have won 17 NBA LINE Championships – the most of any team.

The women’s counterpart of the NBA, called the WNBA, was formed in 1997. THE COURT Court sizes can vary, but in free the NBA it is 29 metres long throw free throw Lane THREE POINT ARC LINE and 15 metres wide – twice Baskets scored from outside this line BACK COURT (the paint) the original size! are worth three points. From inside Where defending team defends they are worth two.

CENTRE CIRCLE Game is started REFEREE here with a tip-off The rule-enforcer wears a distinctive kit of black and white stripes and is usually assisted by two umpires.

WHEELY GOOD

Wheelchair basketball is played by athletes FREE THROW with disabilities and is just as ferocious and LINE thrilling as the able-bodied game. Free throws, awarded for This form of basketball places great various infringements, emphasis on the arms, and athletes need are taken from here (4.6 incredible upper-body strength to power up and down the court, as well as impeccable metres from the hoop) and technique when it comes to shooting. are worth one point. Such is its popularity, able-bodied athletes often play the game too.