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Sports - Stories

Sports and recreation are an integral part of human history, from the ancient Olympics to the Kentucky Derby, Jackie Robinson, Negro League Baseball, the Super Bowl and more.

Dick, Kerr International Ladies soccer team.

The WWI-Era Women’s Soccer Team Who Could Beat the Men

During World War I, the Dick, Kerr Ladies soccer team drew huge crowds —until they were banned from stadiums.

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How Althea Gibson Faced Racial Barriers—Even as a Tennis Champion

How Althea Gibson Faced Racial Barriers—Even as a Tennis Champion

Between 1956 and 1958, Gibson became the first Black player to win the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals. But none of it came easy.

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Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

5 Extraordinary Ancient Stadiums That Influenced Future Arenas

Ancient Greek and Roman stadiums were built to impress—and their designs are seen in many college football stadiums today.

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Group shot of the 1919 White Sox. They would after this year be known as the "Black Sox Scandal" team, due to the allegation that eight members of the team accepted bribes to lose the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

7 of Baseball’s Biggest Scandals

From illegal betting to performance-enhancing drugs to outright cheating, see how MLB players, owners and coaches have found themselves in hot water.

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Basketball, football and baseball are the three most popular sports in the United States.

The Origins of 7 Popular Sports

Their backstories may surprise you.

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Combat between gladiators in ancient Rome. The vanquished appeals to the spectators for mercy. From Ward and Lock's Illustrated History of the World, published c. 1882.

5 Famous Ancient Roman Gladiators

Who were the most renowned Roman gladiators? From slave rebel Spartacus to debauched emperor Commodus, they varied widely.

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Moses Fleetwood Walker, Six Decades Before Jackie Robinson, This Man Integrated Major League Baseball

6 Decades Before Jackie Robinson, This Man Broke Baseball’s Color Barrier

Moses Fleetwood Walker played for a Major League Baseball team in the 1880s.

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Who Invented Hockey?

Who Invented Hockey?

Its true origins are murky. But Canada, beginning in the 19th century, gets credit for modernizing—and popularizing—the game we know today.

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Ancient Greek Sports. Three nude athletes are depicted competing in a foot-race on an ancient Greek amphora. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

7 Sports of Ancient Greece

Ancient Greek athletes competed in individual sports that placed physical prowess on display.

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Who Invented Golf?

Who Invented Golf?

The rules of the game were formally written down in 1744, but people had already been playing for centuries.

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How the Dangerous Sport of Chariot Racing Captivated Ancient Rome

Chariot Racing: Ancient Rome’s Most Popular, Most Dangerous Sport

Chariot racing in ancient Rome showcased local teams, speed, violence and star athletes.

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Did Women Fight as Gladiators in Ancient Rome?

Did Women Fight as Gladiators in Ancient Rome?

Roman audiences craved novelty. Females battling each other with weapons fit the bill.

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