Most obscure or strange sport witnessed.

[Razzoo]

Without a doubt, for me it was many years ago whilst on hols in Switzerland. The sport was called Hornussen which translates to Hornet in English. A large burly chap (don't think any women were involved) whacks a smallish ball off a strange metal curved tee, his object is to get the ball beyond a group of the opposition players who are gathered some distance away. The people in the field are all holding large wooden boards with handles, and it is with these boards that they must stop the ball. I don't know the scoring rules. The only other thing I remember is the boards were marked with club/town crests and they shouted a lot at each other. Anybody else seen it or anything else a bit different?

 

[Hillian1]

Kabaddi has got to be up there.

I saw a demonstration of it years ago in London, to this day I have not the faintest idea what it was all about.

 

[Razzoo]

Kabaddi has got to be up there.

I saw a demonstration of it years ago in London, to this day I have not the faintest idea what it was all about.

Good call, seem to remember CH4 screening it about 15 years ago on a sunday afternoon

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Good call, seem to remember CH4 screening it about 15 years ago on a sunday afternoon

Essentially a sort of Pakistani version of British Bulldog, only you had to hold your breath and chant "kabbadi kabbadi kabbadi" all the time?

 

[Mackenzie]

I saw aerobic gymnastics for the first time on Saturday at the Gemau Cymru...its a bit odd.

Here is an example...[yt]7xmtVR0v9y4[/yt]

 

[Razzoo]

Essentially a sort of Pakistani version of British Bulldog, only you had to hold your breath and chant "kabbadi kabbadi kabbadi" all the time?

Yeah that was it. (Dunno if it was exclusive to Pakistan.)

 

[crodonilson]

Good call, seem to remember CH4 screening it about 15 years ago on a sunday afternoon

I was sure it was Saturday mornings?? They got huge passionate crowds for it, and players changed hands from clubs to club for millions of rupees.

West Bengal Police were my favourites.

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

I guess 'real tennis' must be suitably obscure.
Played 'fives' before which felt a bit prehistoric.
'Snow polo' is worth a look and seems intrinsically linked to drinking a lot of gluhwein so that's good.

 

[Norman Potting]

Australian Rules football. Saw it being played in a London Park by ozzie expats many years ago. Asked one of the Australian spectators about rules/what was going on - "not a clue, mate" was his response.

 

[Hillian1]

Essentially a sort of Pakistani version of British Bulldog, only you had to hold your breath and chant "kabbadi kabbadi kabbadi" all the time?

That's the kiddy, they had to hold hands too.

Still, they looked like they were all enjoying themselves, which was nice.

 

[Albion_Dave]

Stoolball is pretty obscure to anyong outside the South East.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Eton Fives?

 

[CheeseRolls]

I sat and watched a few innings of Baseball (not in itself that strange). This was being played at Split Rugby club. That Split had a rugby stadium, with around 1,000 seats was news to me, that they also used this to play baseball, just shows that we are not the only sports mad nation, who have a go at everything.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I guess 'real tennis' must be suitably obscure.
Played 'fives' before which felt a bit prehistoric.
'Snow polo' is worth a look and seems intrinsically linked to drinking a lot of gluhwein so that's good.

I once met someone who played real tennis. An ex-public school solicitor, so I'll let you form your own opinions.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Eton Fives?

View attachment 55930

Tsk tsk. They're wearing gloves.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Tsk tsk. They're wearing gloves.

That's the rules of Eton Fives I think. Only reason I've heard of it is because I remember reading Roald Dahl's autobiography & he was saying he used to play it at public school. Also recall there are variations of Fives, and he played the Eton version, which definitely required leather gloves.

 

[Goldstone1976]

That's the rules of Eton Fives I think.

I'll bow to your greater knowledge of obscure public school games

Yeah, you're probably right...

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I'll bow to your greater knowledge of obscure public school games

Yeah, you're probably right...

Haha, I can't remember what the other version is, but Dahl's descriptions of his English public school education were very vivid (including school sanctioned "beating of fags", which isn't- perhaps- what you think it might be ).

Believe he also mentioned racquetball, similar to squash but played by the congenitally posh.

 

[fataddick]

Never realised how obscure 'fives' was until I entered civilised society. It was the main playground sport at my school (NB not Eton) and I thought every school had it.

I've caught the occasional korfball game and can thoroughly recommend it. It's huge in the Netherlands and Belgium, but pretty much unheard of elsewhere. Has been around for 100-odd years and is probably the world's only co-ed team sport (four blokes and four women on each team). 80% of the teams in the English premier league are in either South London or North Kent, and you can catch a game most weekends in Croydon, should you be so inclined. You'll be pretty much the only person in the crowd not related to one of the players.

I really want to catch a slamball game sometime (basketball on trampolines - check it out on YouTube) but there's only six teams that play it and they're all in the States

 

[symyjym]