One of the simplest of sports, dating back to ownership disputes over food and clothing, the history disappears into legend with the Sun and Moon wrestling over light and darkness.
Most cultures have references to competitions of strength that involve pulling in opposite directions which can be found on stone carvings, in ancient texts and legends. Vikings used animal skins stretched across a fire pit, if any more incentive to pull were required. When tall ships were common on the seas a ‘tug ‘o’ war’ was a common way for sailors to show their prowess with heavy rigging.
Dropped from the Olympic Games in 1920, Tug of War still remains a Worldwide sport and many nations have their own governing bodies. Aside from formal competitions ‘pulls’ feature at many fairs and festivals. Spectators are encouraged to cheer on their favorite side. Join in Tug-of-War Day by organizing your own event, or getting involved in another!
Tug-of-war is a competitive sport that takes place around the world and has a long and ancient history. Two teams hold each end of a large rope and attempt to pull the other towards them in order to win. Contests often take place over bodies of water or muddy areas so that the losing team suffers the indignity of falling in, which is preferable to the Viking version of tug-of-war when teams competed over a pit of fire.
The number of people taking part can vary from just a few to a large crowd, with the world record for a single tug-of-war standing at 1,574 participants. It is not surprising that such a popular event has its own annual day; Tug-of-War Day. Cries of ‘heave’ are heard around the world on a day when numerous matches take place, giving a chance to take part or cheer on this timeless team game.
