Tag: Sport

Resources by Conor HeffernanAug 12, 202010:50 pm

Informal acts of weightlifting in Ireland

That stone had lain in that place as long as the oldest traditions in the village could remember. And from time immemorial it had been the custom of the young men of the village to test their strength by lifting it …[i]

Liam O’Flaherty, 1937.

Simply titled, ‘The Stone’, Liam O’Flaherty’s short Irish story from 1937 centres on an unnamed elderly man wandering the outskirts of his coastal village. Struggling to accept his mortality and loss of vitality, the protagonist stumbles across the village’s ‘challenge stone’. Readers are told that ‘from the time of the most remote ancestors of the people’ men from the village challenged one another to lift the stone to the chest and prove their strength. Far from a meaningless act of bravado or spontaneous play, the stone served as an important social signifier. Accordingly, O’Flaherty’s protagonist claimed that

Resources by Conor HeffernanJul 29, 20201:49 pm

Guest Post:The Early History of 4 Famous Sporting Countries

There are a lot of countries renowned for their zealous sports fandoms; however, this hasn’t always been the case. In order to get where they are now, various sports had to evolve and fight for their status in society. This involved the formation of early organizations, governing bodies and teams. So, here are several things you should know about the early history of four famous sporting countries.

Resources by Conor HeffernanJul 21, 20203:56 pm

Guest Post: The History of Sport in New Zealand

New Zealanders are well-known for being active, outdoorsy and healthy people, so it’s not a surprise that sport has been something that unites the population and makes them proud of their identity and their country. Small countries like New Zealand treat sporting success as something very significant since it can help put them on an international stage. While the beginnings of sports were in NZ were slow, the late 1800s brought a lot of good for the nation, and New Zealanders are still going strong in many sporting events. Here’s a little introduction to Kiwi sporting history and their success today.

Resources by Conor HeffernanJun 3, 20209:29 pm

‘Speed and Power Exercises for Wrestlers’, a Soviet Documentary from the 1980s

Admittedly a little bit longer than the normal videos I post here, the following film is too interesting to pass up on. Produced in the late 1980s in the final years of the Soviet Union, […]

Resources by Conor HeffernanApr 22, 20209:03 pm

Dan Levin, ‘Here She Is, Miss, Well, What?, Sports Illustrated, 17 March (1980), 64-75

We always knew women could never build muscles, at least not, uh, real women. Muscles belonged on men, and women didn’t want any. They didn’t need them, either, not for typing 70 words a minute, not for staying at home all day baking cakes for honeybun. But we also always knew women could never run marathons, and now we have Grete Waitz breathing down Bill Rodgers’ neck. Even more unexpectedly, we have Laura Combes’ sensational double biceps pose.

Training by Conor HeffernanApr 20, 20209:03 pm

The Iron Sheik’s Persian Club Challenge

Wrestling has always held a special place in my heart. Thanks to my grandparent’s old VHS collection, I grew up with the WWF and later the WCW firmly moulding my impressionable mind. Like countless others […]

Resources by Conor HeffernanMar 30, 202010:36 pm

Guest Post: The History of Sports Uniforms

Sports uniforms have come a long way since they first appeared. Originally, the idea was to have all the players in the same team dressed the same in order for their teammates to see them better and not mistake them for an opponent. However, very soon after they were introduced, sports uniforms started representing the team’s spirit and values, as well as striking fear into the hearts of opponents. Nowadays, they are designed to provide maximum comfort to players wearing them, while at the same time designers are trying to make them as appealing as possible, so that millions, or even billions of fans around the world would also buy the uniform of their favorite club. So, let’s take a look at how these uniforms have changed when it comes to the most popular sports around the world.

Resources by Conor HeffernanMar 24, 20203:00 pm

Guest Post: The History of Golf

Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash

Golf is one of the oldest sports in the world. Since the time of Caesar to modern golf stars like Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, this game went through a lot of changes, but it endured all of them. While you can appreciate this game without knowing anything about it, having a few historical information in your sleeve will definitely help you develop true admiration.

Resources by Conor HeffernanMar 2, 20201:58 am

Guest Post: The History of Sports Medicine

Sports medicine, as you probably know, is the branch of medicine dealing with injuries and illnesses resulting from participation in sports and athletic activities. Very few people have never had their knee, leg, back, shoulder or hand injured as a consequence of playing sports. Luckily, today we can enjoy the benefits of many breakthroughs and rapid developments in this field. However, we should acknowledge that it has taken a long time to reach the present heights.

Resources by Conor HeffernanJan 31, 202012:25 am

Guest Post: The History of Running Shoes

In order to be able to truly understand all the changes and breakouts the modern running shoe industry is trying to promote, we should really look back to the very beginning. So much change has been made to this piece of footwear over the years.

From spiky to rubber soles, over brand rivalry and ingenious inventions, these pieces of footwear really have an interesting history. That said, let’s explore some interesting historical facts regarding running shoes and see how we got to the place we are today.