Whether we know it or not, sports have taken up a huge portion of our lives, even if we don’t play them. We could be sitting on our couches at home surfing through channels on our TV and come across an abundant amount of sports stations. We could be practicing everyday for a half-time show that is performed at every single football game, even if we say we don’t enjoy sports. We could support our family when they make a home run, a touchdown, a goal or a basket. Or we could simply spend time rooting for our favorite teams, hoping they’ll have an amazing season.

But sports as we know them today have not always been the same. Every day, new rules, methods or strategies are being added, creating new knowledge for us to take in; however, in contrast, do we really know the history of sports or how, why or when they came to be? 

Simple activities such as running, kicking and hitting created a vast range of ideas that  generated a spark for these physical events. It is believed that the first sport ever played was wrestling, based on the fact that it is mentioned in the Bible.

Certain sports that exist today were played centuries ago but were named differently or had original rules that were later changed as time progressed. Some of those sports include soccer, golf, boxing and surfing. Other sports were formulated in the past two centuries, such as baseball, basketball, football and volleyball.

One of the world’s most popular sports is soccer (football), with over 240 million people playing it all over the world. Soccer is said to have existed over 2,000 years ago and to have originated in various countries, but it was the English that stimulated the first ground rules, such as ‘no touching the ball’ or ‘no pushing and tripping other opponents,’ which are still rules to this day. Other major markings include the red and yellow penalty cards that were implemented in the 19th century and the 20th century which are still used today.

Basketball, created by Dr. James Naismith, originated in Springfield, Massachusetts. Trying to get away from outdoor sports, Dr. Naismith thought that basketball could be a formal indoor sport. Originally, the first basketball games were played with soccer balls, baskets and nine opponents on each side. Back then, 13 rules existed, but now, only ten exist.

Another beloved sport is baseball, invented by Abner Doubleday in 1839. Although he is said to have invented baseball, earlier forms of the game had already been documented. Many rules were first assimilated, but now about 71 rules exist that are broken up into different sections.

Aside from the progression of time and the development of new minds, there are other factors that altered the originality of sports. Many contributing factors are due to the media and the growth of their platforms, what sport gains the most money and the safety of the games being played.

The media has always been a great factor in why numerous regulations change, especially now since our generation revolves around technology. Today, a large portion of the public has created social medias and watches television. This is a straight gateway for athletes and teams to have a decision in what fans think or feel about them.

Some popular platforms include Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, and some sports shows include SportsCenter, Sports Night and SportsNation. These platforms can also persuade fans to buy merchandise, tickets and even clothing and shoes relating to their favorite players or teams. 

Instead of focusing on the gains and the recognition, another important component is the safety of sports, and how it has influenced how sports are played today. Sometimes rules are changed because they don’t work or they’re not safe for the players. Additionally, the attire that the players obtain when in the game help keep players safe, and they must have the proper protection on, such as helmets, mouth guards and the right footwear.

Sports have come a long way since the beginning and changes are being made with every day that passes, and they will only continue to change in the future. Aside from all the alterations, it doesn’t change the fact that sports will always be a popular pastime for people around the world.