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} Rugby was invented, by William Webb Ellis, at Rugby School, England in
} 1823, which gave the game it's name.
}
} Eventually people got bored playing a game called "Ellis" and changed
} the name to "Rugby".
}
} The oval shape of ball is distinctive for the game, and follows a
} series of experiments in the 19th and 20th centuries, with ball shapes.
}
} Some of the experiments are documented in the Oracle's archives.
}
} Game: Football (called 'Soccer' in some colonies)
} Ball shape: Round
} Where: China
} Date: 500BC
} A major international sport, with some reputation for spectator
} violence.
}
} Game: Rugby
} Ball shape: Oval
} Where: Rugby, England
} Date: 1823
} A major international game, played by renowned intellectuals, who make
} jokes about 'playing with odd shaped balls'.
}
} Game: Bognor football
} Ball shape: Cube
} Where: Bognor, England
} Date: 1855
} In an attempt to create their own famous game, the residents of Bognor,
} created 'Bognor football', which was a complete failure, not only would
} the ball not roll, but the goat frequently wandered off to find
} something more interesting to do.
}
} Game: Awfvedrgyi
} Ball shape: Round, made of bronze with sharp (3 inch) metal spikes.
} Where: South America
} Date: 1244
} A ritual game invented a tribe of native Incas in order to test the
} strength of a youth before he can be admitted into adult life, The test
} was so effective, that very few youths survived, which led to the
} extinction of the tribe.
}
} Game: Javelin
} Ball shape: Spear
} Where: Ancient Greece
} Date: 152 AD
} Before this game was a popular Olympic throwing event, it used to be a
} competitive team sport, opposing teams of five athletes (usually
} slaves) would stand 20 yards apart and throw spears at each other, if
} you caught one you were allowed to throw it back (provided you hadn't
} been killed in the process of catching it).
}
} The participants, who knew their life expectancy was not terribly good,
} decided that it was better to hurl the spears as far as possible into
} the audience, and it is from this that the modern sport evolved.
}
} A similarly popular (with the participants) game, which involved
} catching a discus between the teeth, also evolved into an Olympic
} event.
}
} Game: Sticking the boot in.
} Ball shape: -
} Where: Football matches in Europe
} Date: Modern day.
} This charming native sport has superceded football spectatorship in a
} number of modern day European cities, the objective is to ignore the
} football game going on and kick supporters of the opposing team, or if
} none are available, supporters of your own team.
}
} Game: American football
} Ball shape: Oval
} Where: America
} Date: Modern day.
} This game is a cheap and tacky rip-off of Rugby, where the weak and
} feeble participants, need to protect themselves with all sorts of
} padding. This contrasts with Rugby, where the loss of an ear or a
} broken neck are all considered to be part of the game.
}
} Game: Cricket
} Ball shape: Small, round and very hard.
} Where: Everywhere in the civilised world.
} Date: 1527 to modern day.
} This is a very dull game, whose only interesting aspect, is the
} meaningless babble, spouted by commentators. The levels of boredom at a
} cricket match have been sufficient to cause brain ceasure.
}
} You owe the Oracle, a ticket to the next test series at Lord's.
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