Sports

Sports not only tell the story of achievement and competition but of power, politics and progress. Explore when sports made history, from the ancient Olympics to the Kentucky Derby, Jackie Robinson, Negro League Baseball, the Super Bowl and more.

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Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images.

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On October 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali, a.k.a. "The Greatest," beat George Foreman to reclaim the world heavyweight boxing title in a fight held in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

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

In a pressure-packed 1961 season, Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, outdueling his more famous New York Yankees teammate, Mickey Mantle.

The six-time MLB All-Star wasn't just a pioneering athlete. His efforts launched a cascade of civil rights advances.

The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games: Fast Facts

Historian Yohuru Williams dives into the history of the Olympic Games.

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Before Jerseys, Caps and Knickerbockers Were Soccer's Uniform

Discover how colored caps and knickerbockers gave way to today’s traditional numbered jerseys and shorts.

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Soccer Cleats Started as Royal Footwear

King Henry VIII of England wore the first pair of soccer boots, but the footwear didn’t take off until several centuries later.

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How Stadiums Became Soccer's Biggest Business

Although arenas have existed since ancient Greece and Rome, soccer stadiums were not yet a thing when the sport became popular in the 1880s.

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Goal Posts Have a Surprisingly Practical History

In ancient China, the goal was a hole in a net. In ancient Rome, it was the gates of a fort. Discover how the soccer goal has evolved over the centuries in this brief history of goalposts.

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The Evolution of the Soccer Ball

Find out more about how we make soccer balls, from the early days using inflated pig bladders to today’s vulcanized rubber balls.

Cards of Hall of Famers Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle have sold for millions.

Here's how a prayer became part of the playbook.

March Madness is the name for the NCAA Tournament, held annually to determine national champion in Division I college basketball.

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The Baseball Players Who Accidentally Invented the High Five

The high five is synonymous with American culture. But who actually did it first? There are lots of theories, but one of the earliest known instances was a spontaneous action done between two LA Dodger baseball players.

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America’s favorite pastime sparked a passion that still thrives today.

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The Meltdown at the 1998 World Cup

The 1998 World Cup in France saw some of the game’s biggest stars make unforgettable mistakes. Take a closer look at how David Beckham, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane unraveled on football’s biggest stage.

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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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The use of military ski troops fueled the popularity of biathlon and mountaineering as competitive sports.

There's plenty of Olympic glory to celebrate, but U.S. athletes and organizers have also made some disappointing high-profile stumbles.

The introduction of shared housing for competing athletes transformed the modern Games.

In 1988, a team of athletes from sun-soaked Jamaica became an unlikely sensation by competing in the very winter sport of bobsledding.

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