A Century Ago, Women Played Ice Hockey
Ice hockey came to the U.S. from Canada at the end of the nineteenth century. Women started playing immediately, forming their own clubs.
The Origins of Women’s Soccer
The British Ladies Football Club held their first match at Alexandra Park in Crouch End, London in 1895.
The Dangerous Game of Croquet
Many 19th-century observers were disturbed by the way young people took the co-ed sport of croquet as an opportunity to flirt.
A Mesoamerican Ball Game Returns
An ancient ball game called Ulama is making a comeback in Mexico. What do we know about the earlier iteration of the game?
What Sports Reveal about Society
Sociologists find that sports are inextricably intertwined with the people, countries, and politics surrounding them.
Homophobia in Women’s Sports
Ever since women began to publicly play sports in the late nineteenth century, female athletes have been seen as threats and subjected to suspicion.
Soccer and European Identity
Throughout Europe, soccer matches like the FIFA World Cup have become deeply significant, in part because that continent's identity is so complex.
The Woman Who Crashed the Boston Marathon
In 1966, Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to run the Boston marathon. Gibb had a bigger mission, however: to overcome prejudice against women in sports.
The Math Behind the Perfect Free Throw
The fate of a free throw is set the instant the ball leaves the player’s fingertips.
A Brief History of Skis
Researchers tested various ski designs dating back 4,000 years to understand how human movement on snow has evolved.