sport history By Miss G 472 472bc The Olympic games are extended to five days, the first and last of which are taken up with religious ceremonies 500 500bc The Isthmian games at Corinth are by now a regular event, as are the Pythian games and the Nemean games 500 500bc Hockey, like polo, is a team game in the Persian empire 550 550bc Polo originates in the Persian empire, probably as part of the training of the imperial cavalry 550 550 Chess is first played at about this time, in India, before spreading west to Persia Jul 11, 704 704bc Wrestling is included in the Olympic games, followed by a terrifying form of all-in wrestling from 652 BC Jul 11, 735 735 Japanese tradition gives this as the year in which the game of I-go, known in the west as go, is introduced from China Jul 11, 776 776bc The traditional date for the first athletic contest at Olympia Jul 11, 1250 1250 The Palio, in which horses race round the Campo in Siena, is held from this time Jul 11, 1299 1299 Southampton boasts the earliest known bowling green, mentioned in a document of this year Jul 11, 1425 1425 Packs of tarot playing cards are among the most popular products of Europe's first printing presses Jul 11, 1850 1850bc Wrestlers are painted on the walls of an Egyptian tomb, performing most of the holds and falls still in use today Jul 11, 1923 23bc Sukune, according to tradition, wins the first sumo wrestling contest and becomes patron saint of the sport Jul 11, 1950 50bc Gladiators have metal studs on their boxing gloves, and a public bout is expected to go on until the loser dies Jul 11, 1980 80 The Colosseum is inaugurated by the emperor Titus with games lasting 100 days, in which some 9000 large animals are killed Mar 2, 2022 688bc Boxing is included in the Olympic games, with each bout going on until one fighter gives up Mar 2, 2022 393 The ancient games at Olympia, with an unbroken tradition of more than 1000 years, are brought to an abrupt end by the emperor Theodosius Mar 2, 2022 900 Playing cards are in use in T'ang dynasty China. Jul 11, 2500 2500bc The ruling family of Ur plays a board game which appears to be the same as modern backgammon Jul 11, 3000 3000bc The world's earliest known board game, senet, is played in Egypt
