被歷史遺忘的10種有趣的運動(下)

Shying

5.扔公雞

Cock-shying, also known as "cock throwing," was a blood sport practiced throughout most of England up until the 18th century. If you're looking at the name and thinking this was a cruel game wherein people threw a rooster as far as they could relax, it's not that.

"扔公雞"的另一種英文寫法爲cock throwing，是一項兇殘的運動，英國大部分地區直到18世紀都十分流行。你看到這個名字也許會自動腦補人們殘忍地把公雞像鉛球一樣扔得老遠的畫面。放心，事實沒那麼簡單。

Actually, people threw things at the rooster until they killed it. Specifically, they threw weighted sticks called "coksteles." Lacking a cokstele, regular cudgels would do. This tradition was associated for centuries with Shrove Tuesday (aka Pancake Day, the last day before Lent). However, cock-shying was frequently practiced at pubs just for the fun of it—and for the chance of winning a rooster. The bird would be taken outside and tied to a post with a few feet of freedom so it could evade incoming sticks. Players would throw their coksteles at the rooster, and spectators would bet on the outcome. If a player hit the rooster without killing it, he was allowed to try to grab the dazed bird before it recovered. If he succeeded, he could take it home. As with eel pulling, there was an attempt to ban cock-shying that also went poorly. In 1660, on the day before Shrove Tuesday, the practice was banned in Bristol. The next day, a riot broke out. The rioters threw dogs and cats at the mayor's house in protest.

這項運動實際上是向公雞扔東西直到它被砸死。人們朝公雞扔一種叫"公雞棒"的特製加重棍子。如果沒有"公雞棒"，其它棍棒也可以拿來使用。該傳統與幾個世紀以來的懺悔日，又叫"薄餅日"，即大齋節的前一天有關。然而"扔公雞"常常成爲酒吧的樂子——這也是贏得公雞的好機會。大家會走到室外把公雞拴在柱子上，拴公雞的繩子有幾尺長，讓公雞能夠躲避迎面扔來的棍子。參賽者負責向公雞扔棒子，觀衆則可下注。如果參賽者把公雞砸暈，只要他能在公雞醒來之前將其抓住，就能把公雞帶回家。與"拉鰻魚"一樣，政府曾試圖禁止扔公雞運動，但成效甚微。1660年，布裏斯托爾政府在懺悔日前一天明令禁止該運動項目，第二天就發生了暴亂行爲。暴亂者向市長家裏扔貓貓狗狗以示抗議。

lball

4.老式板球

Unlike most other entries on this list, stoolball is a sport that is still occasionally played in small areas of southeast England. Its origins trace back to the 14th century in Sussex. Some historians see it as an ancestor of both cricket and baseball while others point out that stoolball was the first bat-and-ball game played in North America in Plymouth, 1621.

不同於本文中的其他運動，老式板球至今仍會偶爾出現在英國東南部的一些小地區。該運動起源於14世紀的蘇賽克斯，部分歷史學家將其當作板球和棒球的"祖先"，另一部分則認爲，老式板球是1962年在北美的普利茅斯興起的第一項擊球運動。

The modern game of stoolball is only a best-guess version of the ancient game. There is no definitive historical evidence of how it was played in the past. Also, being a folk game that was open to both men and women, it is likely that the rules were changed from region to region. Players hit a ball using a bat and then run between stools to score. The bat is a wooden paddle with a short handle and an oval shape, and the stools play the role of wickets in cricket. There was a time when stoolball was popular enough to make its way into Shakespeare's The Two Noble Kinsmen. In 1927, there were over 1,000 stoolball clubs around the world. In his account of his experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II, Pat Reid described a game called stoolball being played by the prisoners at Colditz. However, the name was purely coincidental and had nothing to do with the historical sport.

現代版的老式板球規則只是對古時候該運動的猜測，至於過去到底怎麼玩，我們並沒有得到確鑿的歷史證據。作爲一項民間運動，參賽者的性別不受限制，而且各個地區也可能會有不同的規則。運動員用球拍擊球，然後在凳子之間奔跑以得分。球拍的形狀爲橢圓形的木板外加一個短手柄，凳子則充當球門。曾經有一段時間該運動很受歡迎，連莎士比亞都將其納入了自己的作品《兩位貴族親戚》。1927年，全球的老式板球俱樂部數量超過了一千。帕特·瑞德回憶起他二戰期間作爲囚犯的經歷時說，科爾迪茨城堡戰俘營的囚犯們都玩一種叫"老式板球"的遊戲。然而，這個名字只是一種巧合，與本文討論的該運動無關。

kyros

3.古希臘蹴鞠

Episkyros was a simple ball game played by the ancient Greeks. However, it was not intended for serious athletes. The Greeks considered athletic pursuits among the most worthwhile and held all sportsmen in high regard. Episkyros was a game meant for everybody else. Old people, women, and children were all free to enjoy this game.

古希臘蹴鞠是古希臘時期的一項簡易球類運動。然而該運動並不是專爲職業運動員設計的。古希臘人視體育爲終身事業並對所有運動員持有至高無上的敬意。古希臘蹴鞠卻是爲公民設計的運動，老人、婦女和孩子們都能樂在其中。

Two teams of equal members stood opposite each other, and a line—the skuros—was drawn between. Two more lines were drawn behind each team. One team then threw the ball over the other and tried to advance as their opponents recovered. The second team grabbed the ball and threw it back, trying to make up any lost ground and push the other players back. The winners were the first team to completely push the other side over the line that was originally behind them. Basically, a few agile players would attempt to catch the ball while the rest of the team worked together to push the opponents back, so it was similar to modern rugby or American football. Episkyros was particularly popular in Sparta, where it was expected for children and women to take part in athletic displays. It later inspired a more physical Roman game called harpastum.

球員數量相同的兩支隊伍相對而站，球場中間有一根分界線，兩隊背後的球場邊界分別也有一根分界線。爲避免球落入對方手中，隊員一般以高空傳球的方式進攻，對手此時會盡力搶球並往回扔，努力贏回失去的陣地並逼退進攻的隊伍。把對手完全趕出其身後分界線的一方獲勝。其實很少會有機敏的隊員在自己隊伍齊心協力把對手往外推的同時還試圖接球，所以這項運動有點像現代橄欖球和美式足球。古希臘蹴鞠在斯巴達非常受歡迎，那裏的孩子和婦女都很喜歡運動。羅馬興起的一項更爲激烈的運動"哈帕斯托姆"便由此而來。

Tossing

2.拋狐狸

Back during the 17th and 18th centuries, when Europe's aristocracy wasn't busy hunting foxes, they were flinging them into the air in a game known simply as "fox tossing." It was typically reserved for the upper classes and was usually performed at big events because fox tossing required a lot of preparation, a large enclosed area, and dozens if not hundreds of animals.

說到"拋狐狸"，就少不了十七、十八世紀的歐洲貴族。那時他們還沒有沉浸在打狐狸上，而是更樂意把狐狸拋向空中，後來還演變成爲一項體育運動。舉辦拋狐狸大賽要準備的東西相當費力，如廣闊的封閉場地和大量的動物，所以這項比賽只流行於上層社會。

The game was played in pairs. Each member of a team would hold the end of a sling lying on the ground. Foxes would be let loose in the enclosure. When one ran over the sling, both players pulled hard in order to throw the fox into the air. The winner was the team that achieved the greatest height. The reported record for this practice was 7.5 meters. Don't let the name fool you. Foxes were not the only unwilling participants in this game. Other critters were happily used when foxes were not available. In fact, at a famous fox tossing event held in Dresden, almost 700 foxes were used along with over 500 hares, 34 badgers, 34 wild boars, 21 wild cats, and three wolves. The sport was often dangerous for all involved because the scared animals would attack the players.

比賽通常兩人一組，放一條繃帶在地上，每人抓住一頭。準備好後就把狐狸放入比賽場地到，只要狐狸經過某條繃帶上方，該組隊員就會全力拉緊繃帶將狐狸拋向空中。誰拋的狐狸最高誰就贏得比賽。該項賽事最高記錄爲7.5米。不要被該運動的名字所迷惑，狐狸可不是唯一倒黴的動物。狐狸不夠用時，其他的動物也要遭殃。德累斯頓曾舉辦過一場著名的"拋狐狸"大賽，一共享了700只狐狸，500只野兔，34只野豬，34只獾，21只野貓還有3只狼。該賽事還具備一定的危險性，受到驚嚇的動物通常會攻擊參賽選手，就連兔子急了也會咬人呢。

e Flonking

1.甩啤酒布

Like stoolball, dwile flonking is still practiced in remote areas of the English countryside. The origins of dwile flonking are a bit murky. Flonking enthusiasts proudly claim this practice dates back to medieval times, originating during the Suffolk harvests 400 years ago, but that seems very unlikely. Others claim it is a far more recent invention of the 1960s and a matter of town pride.

和古代板球一樣，甩啤酒布比賽至今仍可在邊遠的英國小鄉村裏出現。該比賽的起源還頗有爭議。熱衷於該比賽的人說它源於四百年前中世紀薩福克的昌盛時期，但這說法有點不靠譜。另外有人說它始於近期的二十世紀六十年代，而且它的發明還是自己村的驕傲。

Its future is looking just as murky. This traditional pub sport has been banned in several areas for violating health and safety regulations. As you would expect with any pub game, dwile flonking involves drinking, a lot of drinking. It also involves two teams trying to fling a beer-soaked cloth, or "dwile," at each other's heads. After a sugar beet is tossed to see who goes first, one player holds a pole with the dwile on it, or "driveller," while the other team dances in a circle around him, which they call "girting." He must hit one of the players with the dwile. If he misses, the player is called a "swodger." While the opposing team forms a straight line, he must then down a pot of beer before the dwile gets passed from player to player down the line. There's also a point system, but most participants are too drunk by the end of the game to care who won.

甩啤酒布比賽的前途也是撲朔迷離，因爲這項傳統的酒吧競技因爲違反健康安全管理條例而被很多地區禁止。酒吧競技怎麼能少得了酒呢，甩啤酒布比賽的用酒量更是不在話下。該比賽通常分爲兩隊，隊員互相往對方的頭上甩被啤酒浸溼的衣物或是抹布。先拋一根甜菜，看尖部指向哪方，則該方率先出戰。一名隊員拿着啤酒布的一端，對手圍着他轉圈跳舞。該隊員必須要把啤酒布甩到任意一個對手的腦袋上。如果失敗了，則會被人叫做swodger，同時對手們會站成一條直線並將啤酒布由頭傳到尾，在此過程中敗者必須喝完一大罐啤酒。雖然該比賽也有一套計分規則，但大家到了最後往往都喝高了，誰還要關心比賽的輸贏。

翻譯:彼得潘、小飛俠 來源:前十網