On the Origins of Sports: The Early History and Original Rules of Everybody's Favorite Games - Tapa dura

"Fascinating." --Men's Health, Best Beach Reads for Sports Fans "Sports buffs will prize this in-depth look at competitive games, including the history of the baseball glove and iconic trophies." --Real Simple, Gifts for Dads "Origins thrills with fascinating baseball facts." --MLB.com "Not only . . . a deeply informative read, but also one that's awash in trivia and entertaining facts. The book runs the gamut from playground favorites like kickball to mainstream monsters like football." --Athlon Sports & Life "A book this informative has no right to be this much fun. On the Origins of Sports is a winner." --Dan Okrent, founder, Rotisserie Baseball "Belsky and Fine are two of the sports world's greatest sleuths, uncovering the kind of nuggets that will make anyone who reads this delightful book smarter, funnier, and the toast of any conversation." --Chad Millman, editor in chief, ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine "I found this book to be massively fun, educational, and inspiring-- and I don't even like sports." --A. J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically and Drop Dead Healthy

Did you know that James Naismith invented basketball as a way to keep his students indoors during the cold Massachusetts winter? Or that many of the Southerners who began racing stock cars got their early driving experience escaping police while running moonshine? On the Origins of Sports is jam packed with these compelling tidbits of information tailor made for obsessive sports fans, and covers a wide range of sports whether national pastimes like football and cricket or global obsessions such as soccer and basketball. Each sport has its own chapter, which includes the sport's original rules; a short history of the sport in accessible, insightful text; and informative line illustrations. Also included are annotated interstitials that take a deeper look into an element of the sport: for example, the evolution of the baseball glove; sports with war roots; a compendium of sports balls; iconic sports trophies; and more. Aside from facts and figures, rules and history, On the Origins of Sports is a book that sports enthusiasts and history buffs alike will want to display on their coffee tables, showcase on their bookshelves, and treasure for generations.