America created its history and developed a bootstraps attitude toward making their fortune. Sports are no exception to the rule. Here are four sports that American ingenuity has given birth to.
American Football
A young sport on the world stage, American football has strong ties to the sports of rugby and mob football. Harvard and Yale in particular and other distinguished universities played a sport that was a mix of both games. The initial result was violent enough to be banned in some places.
The first identifiable American football game was held between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. The collegiate football game was a watershed moment as it began to standardize rules for the sport that would become football. Further standardization occurred when Harvard, Columbia, and Yale began a group that formalized football rules.
Modern football teams now have 22 players, 11 on each team, fighting for four 15 quarters with 12-minute half-time intervals and three time-outs. Players are circulated among a field of 45 per team and endeavor to bring the ball closer to the opponents’ “end zone.”
Cornhole
This is a delight for pros and amateurs. Homemade and official cornhole bags are thrown to the opposing team’s boards. These two boards are placed on either side of an eight feet wide, 40 feet long, 12 feet high court. Players pitch cornhole bags to the opponent’s boards within 15 seconds of the last thrown bag without overstepping their lanes. The side that scores 21 points first wins the game.
The birthplace of cornhole is often attributed to Cincinnati, Ohio. Earlier forms of the game used kernels to fill up their bags. Kentucky is also a strong contender for being the pioneer of the sport. Other stories attribute the game to Native Americans who used corn kernels and dried animal bladders for their version.
Beach Volleyball
Hawaii is the mecca of beachgoers and has been the site of genesis for many beach-based sports. Beach volleyball is no exception. The sport was said to have originated at Waikiki Beach in 1915, although some historians believe that it began in Santa Monica, California 25 years after indoor volleyball had been created in Massachusetts.
The Great Depression led to the popularization of beach volleyball, among other sports. From a fun family activity, it evolved into a competitive sport bundled with all sorts of entertainment. This version of volleyball was recognized by the International Volleyball Federation in 1986.
Like indoor volleyball, beach volleyball still follows the principal rule of two teams, two sides of the court, and one ball. Each team endeavors to hit the ball onto the opponent’s side of the net. A team wins a set by reaching 21 points first, and the game by winning two sets.
Inner Tube Water Polo
The team sport replaces horses with inner tubes and grassy fields with cool pool water. Casual players may find this version of water polo more enjoyable as players must remain in their inner tube during play. Inner tube water polo was invented in 1969 precisely for these reasons. Nevertheless, players must still exert considerable effort to make it from one end of the pool to the other to toss the ball to the opposing team’s goal.
Nearly every state has leagues or teams for these sports. Sports equipment stores in brick-and-mortar establishments have equipment for them, too. Anything unavailable can be sourced through trusted online dealers.