What Makes a Game a Sport?

Open mic...what makes a game a sport?

by Leonard Kalfayan (Scribe)

3

169 reads

Sports

July 03, 2008

Sports & Society, Open Mic

As the July 4 Hot Dog Eating Championship approaches...the question again arises...when is a game a sport? Or, what makes a game a sport?

I say it is when there is uncommon physical (athletic) ability...or physical conditioning (non-eating)...or muscle tone required to play. 

Also, any game that uses a ball and which must be thrown (or shot), or kicked, or "struck" (club, racket, but not a pool cue) qualifies as a sport...but with certain exceptions.

Skill required? By itself, not enough to qualify as a sport.

So, any way you cut it, Hot Dog Eating IS NOT a sport.

How about Golf? Yes...but barely.

Bowling? No...but almost. 

Pool (Billiards)? No. 

Darts? No.

Poker? Of course not. 

Ping Pong? No. Table Tennis? Yes.

Shuffleboard? Are you kidding?

Badminton? OK...yes.

Video games? What do you think?

Get the idea? Questions? 

 

Sports

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comments (3) write a comment »

  1. reply to comment by Paul
    3 months ago

    Good job acknowledging the difference between basement ping pong and competitive table tennis.

    1. by Andrew
      from 3 months ago

      I'm sorry to say I have no idea what the difference is.

  2. reply to comment by Andrew
    3 months ago

    Good stuff, Leonard. Maybe a definitive list is what America needs.

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