What is Sport?

[Clive Coles]

Well Mrs H

and he's actually got a personality

that surely should be a requisite for SPOTY.

But I still am going for Amy. It may only be a tin tray but you need guts to be a gold medalist. And by that I don't mean ... a beer gut !

[mykind]

A simple definition separates sports from not-sports. Sports you train for, the rest you just practice. Where AWK gets darts needing physical ability from I've no idea - throw a tungsten dart six feet hardly seems like a real gutsy challenge. Any activity where the laws of physics make you better at it if you are about ten stone overweight can hardly claim any sporting credentials.

[Gnitworp]

If you wanted to play darts you could do it in the kids' bedroom or down the pub (you could also watch it there if desperate). I have never understood why there is a big TV following - there must be lots of people who will watch almost anything with an unpredictable outcome.

I think most of them (me included) like watching people doing something supremely well. Something that is supremely difficult to do supremely well.

[mharky]

A simple definition separates sports from not-sports. Sports you train for, the rest you just practice. Where AWK gets darts needing physical ability from I've no idea - throw a tungsten dart six feet hardly seems like a real gutsy challenge. Any activity where the laws of physics make you better at it if you are about ten stone overweight can hardly claim any sporting credentials.

It's not simply a matter of throwing a dart six feet, or 7'9" and 3/4s as it actually is, it is a matter of doing so with accuracy.

A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. It is governed by a set of rules or customs. In sports, the key factors are the physical capabilities and skills of the competitor when determining the outcome (winning or losing).

[frog]

I don't see why something requiring accuracy makes it a sport. Mathematics and brain surgery require accuracy.
I do think a sport should require some sort of physical exertion. To me darts is less of a competitive sport than chess, and that's not a sport either, but relies less on chance and requires more dedication to be good at it.
What's wrong with something just being a hobby or competitive game? Do darts players really consider themselves sportsmen?

[sketchweppers]

What about fishing and sheep dog trialling?

[Meat Market]

Being one of the only chess playing orienteers its funny to note that exactly the same debate has been raging in the scottish chess equivalent of this forum.

http://scotchess.s4.bizhat.com/scotchess-forum-2.html

It may shock you to note that the guy saying chess isnt a sport has been taking quite a beating! I dont think it is a sport but im not going to debate it with some funding crazed chess players who reckon that if we get it made as a sport then we can get all sorts of funding...

[rebbid]

I suppose they are hoping for a cheque mate?

[denzil53]

Any activity where the laws of physics make you better at it if you are about ten stone overweight can hardly claim any sporting credentials.

Don't forget the athletics throws, though. As Ron Pickering used to say, you can't throw a cannonball out of a canoe!

[mharky]

I don't see why something requiring accuracy makes it a sport. Mathematics and brain surgery require accuracy.

Perhaps you should read my entire post...

Wikipedia wrote:
A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. It is governed by a set of rules or customs. In sports, the key factors are the physical capabilities and skills of the competitor when determining the outcome (winning or losing).

Brain surgery requires physical accuracy, but it is not competitive, there are no winners or losers. Maths does not require physical accuracy, you do not have to move a muscle to do maths. However, there certainly is competitive maths, which is known as a mind sport, like chess.

[AndyC]

Any activity where the laws of physics make you better at it if you are about ten stone overweight can hardly claim any sporting credentials.

Don't forget the athletics throws, though. As Ron Pickering used to say, you can't throw a cannonball out of a canoe!

Can I also point out the huge "Super Heavyweight" weightlifters - that is a very basic competition/sport in essence -who can lift the most over their head was probably done outside the mouth of the cave with rocks.

[andypat]

What's wrong with something just being a hobby or competitive game? Do darts players really consider themselves sportsmen?

I dont know - youd have to ask one. I played darts a bit in a league a few years ago and would put it in the same class as pool and snooker - ie a game rather than a sport. Is playing a computer game a "sport"?

Didnt watch SPOTY the other night, but my wife switched it on to see who won - her comment just as they were announcing the winner -

"Theres a guy at the back who doesnt look much like a sportsman, whos that?"

This forced me away from the computer long enough to confirm it was indeed, Mr "the Power" Taylor, who'd just apparently come 2nd!

[EddieH]

Wikipedia wrote:
A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. It is governed by a set of rules or customs. In sports, the key factors are the physical capabilities and skills of the competitor when determining the outcome (winning or losing).

Well that rules out ice skating, gymnastics, ski jumping, synchronised swimming plus loads of others, unless you define the judges scores as final cast in stone and therefore objective.

[AlanB]

I seem to remember a quote (can't remember from whom) saying that what we now consider to be field-sports (hunting, fishing, etc) are the only true sports; all others are games.

Obviously words change their meanings over time...

Hemingway made a similar quote but used bullfighting, mountain climbing and motor racing!

[SJC]

Pistol shooting is an Olympic sport, yet darts requires more physical exertion.
How far does Phil Taylor have to walk to retrieve his darts in a typical match ?