Summer Thread - Little Known Sports Facts

**Wesley** · 06-19-2009, 03:26 PM

Thought it was time to see who can come up with little known sports facts after this one floated across my desk:

Factoid: Hockey had Cups before Helmets
The first testicular hockey cupguard was used and worn in a hockey game back in 1874, while the first hockey helmet was not properly utilized until 1928 by Craig MacTavish, although his buddy tried to wear a disapproved helmet in 1927. It then took another fifty years before new league hockey players were mandated by the NHL to wear the helmet in 1979. It then took almost another 20 years before the last helmetless player retired.

It thus took the NHL over 100 years after the use of the first cup to mandate protective helmets for the new league hockey players.

This was a rather long time to realize that the protection of the brain was also important. Of course, back in those 1874 days, a good stick to the groin gained an immediate advantage on the ice.

Hockey helmet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Glimpse at History » First testicular cup used in 1874!

Factoid: Did you know that there are 25 variations of hockey?
Hockey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Does anyone else out there have more little known sports facts?

**clone2011** · 06-19-2009, 03:43 PM

A ball hit off the ladder on the Green Monster will result in the only Ground Rule Triple in MLB.

The only days without a professional sporting event in America (of the Big 4-hockey, baseball, football, and basketball) are the days immediately before and after the MLB All-Star game......fixed

**mplscyclone** · 06-19-2009, 03:44 PM

The only one I think think of off the top of my head, is that when baseball first started, the umpire used to sit in a rocking chair behind homeplate...

**Cydole** · 06-19-2009, 03:44 PM

Colin Cowheard said today that of all the players and managers in MLB right now, only 26 have college degree's.

**clone2011** · 06-19-2009, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Cydole

Colin Cowheard said today that of all the players and managers in MLB right now, only 26 have college degree's.

The CWS announcers were discussing this the other day, when talking about whether or not a player should return (or go) to college vs sign with a pro team. I couldn't remember the number.

**l2alphmacchio** · 06-19-2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by clone2011

The only days without a professional sporting event in America (of the Big 4-hockey, baseball, football, and basketball) are the days immediately before and after the MLB All-Star game.

Fixed it for you

But I know you knew what you were talking about.
Side note, I remember hearing this on SportsCenter over 17 years ago, and for some reason it has always stuck with me.

**clone2011** · 06-19-2009, 03:51 PM

Haha thanks for the fix there

Basketball hoops are placed at 10 feet because that was the height of the balcony that James Naismith first hung his peach baskets from.

If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with more

**BigDISU1** · 06-19-2009, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by clone2011

A ball hit off the ladder on the Green Monster will result in the only Ground Rule Triple in MLB.

The only days without a professional sporting event in America (of the Big 4-hockey, baseball, football, and basketball) are the days immediately before and after the MLB baseball game.

you mean all star game?

EDIT: Opps, somebody caught it...

**cmoneyr** · 06-19-2009, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by clone2011

Haha thanks for the fix there

Basketball hoops are placed at 10 feet because that was the height of the balcony that James Naismith first hung his peach baskets from.

If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with more

Imagine if the balcony was like 22 feet, on second thought I may actually watch that.

**clone2011** · 06-19-2009, 04:08 PM

I was actually thinking about this the other day after Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup and I started wondering why they don't have a basketball team. Of the big 4 (nba, nhl, nfl, mlb), only 6 cities have 3 of the 4, but oddly enough all have baseball:

LA (no football)
St Louis (no basketball)
Pittsburgh (no basketball)
Houston (no hockey)
Cleveland (no hockey)
Tampa (no basketball)

I think this is correct. A lot of cities have all four sports, I was actually surprised that there were 6 that were only missing one. When I first thought about it all I came up with was Pitt and LA.

**tellmac** · 06-19-2009, 04:14 PM

Seattle?

**clone2011** · 06-19-2009, 04:17 PM

ahhh you're right. i was thinking it was the sonics that moved to oklahoma city, not portland. my bad. as you can see, i dont follow the NBA much.

**trigger1** · 06-19-2009, 04:41 PM

It was Seattle that moved to OKC. Portland still has the Trail Blazers.

**HiltonMagic** · 06-19-2009, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by clone2011

ahhh you're right. i was thinking it was the sonics that moved to oklahoma city, not portland. my bad. as you can see, i dont follow the NBA much.

huh? The sonics did move. Seattle only has 2, MLB & NFL

**clone2011** · 06-19-2009, 04:49 PM

i think i'll just stop posting for today.

can't get anything to type out how i have it in my head....arrrrgh! haha but you got the idea of what i was sayin

let's try it again.

i was thinking seattle moved--so i was right about that. but therefore, seattle doesn't qualify b/c they only have 2, not 3. lots of teams have 2 or less. few have 3 and are just missing the one. i think that's right, and what i was trying to say earlier.