SPORTS

5 Sentences We Didn’t Expect to Read About Andy Murray

Mental_floss co-founder Mangesh Hattikudur is at the US Open today. Between matches, he'll be serving up some tennis history and random knowledge.

11 Stats That Don't Show Up in the Box Score

These unofficial stats may not be as illuminating, but they're certainly more fun.

How Martina Navratilova Became the Smartest Player in the Game

5 Stats That Might Mean Less Than You Think

We're living in the golden age of statistics for sports geeks.

How Math and Lasers Can Make You a Better Golfer

A few years ago, number crunchers and stat geeks infiltrated the MLB front offices and changed the way America’s pastime is played. Now they’re doing it to Scotland’s.

Why Are Soccer Balls Made of Hexagons?

It wasn’t until 1855, when Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber, that soccer balls started taking shape. Literally.

10 Obscure Rules from the World of Sports

Good sportsmen (and women) play by the rules. Even the rules you've never heard of.

Watch Every Episode of Home Run Derby (1960)

11 Stars of Big Time Wrestling

Cyndi Lauper and Lou Albano gave professional wrestling a huge promotional boost in the 1980s, but some of us remember the golden days when wrestling was gritty showmanship without the million-dollar production budgets. See how many of these stars of yest

6 Unconventional Uses for the Tennis Ball

The golden years of tennis balls can be filled with purpose.

Why Do Athletes Slap Each Others’ Butts?

Unfortunately, the first athlete to playfully slap a teammate on the butt didn’t record his reasoning for history, but it’s become common practice among professionals and amateurs alike, and many have their own take on it.

10 Lost or Forgotten Sports Trophies

Sport's most storied trophy, the Stanley Cup, has seen its fair share of abuse—but even so, it's well ahead of these other major league trophies.

11 Weird Minor League Baseball Team Names

Minor League baseball has been an American staple for over a century. Among the roughly 245 Minor League teams scattered across the nation, some have acquired some rather unusual names. Here are 11 of the oddest.

The Longest Baseball Game Ever Played

Major League Baseball’s opening day, March 31, is approaching fast—but it’s the oft-overlooked minor leagues which witnessed one of the most improbable and historical games of all time. In a game which began on April 18, 1981, the Rochester Red Wings were

15 Historical Brother vs. Brother Matchups

For as long as there have been brothers, brothers have been battling each other. In honor of the Harbowl, here's our incomplete guide to sibling rivalries.

The Best Baseball Players Ever, According to Richard Nixon

11 Fun Facts About Hockey Pucks

A College Football Rivalry Immortalized by Map Bunnies

For some folks, this coming weekend is all about the leftovers and department store sales. For others, it’s unlimited time to sit back and watch one college football game after another. And a lot of people take their college ball very seriously. One long-

9 of the Biggest Trades in Baseball History—And How They Worked Out

The Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins pulled off a blockbuster deal on Tuesday night that sends Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and others to Toronto in exchange for several young players and touted prospects. Analysts were quick to point out th

Running The NYC Marathon: Bad Idea Or Worst Idea?

Shortly after this was posted, there was an UPDATE, 5:26 PM: The NYC Marathon has been canceled.

10 Former Professional Athletes Currently Serving Time

Photo Courtesy CheckOutMyCards Former Yankees' standout pitcher Brien Taylor is widely accepted as one of the biggest disappointments in Major League Baseball history. Now, he's known as one of the game's most notorious criminals. Next week, the former n

Jim Thorpe: The Man, The Myth, the Small Pennsylvania Town

If I say the name Jim Thorpe, most of you will probably think of the Native American baseball player/football player/Olympian. Some of you, though, will think of the Carbon County, Pennsylvania borough known as “Switzerland of America” and the “Gateway to

Why the NFL Can't Play on Friday and Saturday (and Other Times Congress Interfered with Football)

This season, the NFL added a weekly Thursday night game, which puts professional football on TV three nights a week. Later on, after the bulk of the college football season is over, Saturday will also be in the mix—but for now, the league has to stay away

The Non-Football Jobs of 12 Coaching Legends

Most coaches spend their entire lives coaching in some capacity, but a few of the all-time greats have gotten some interesting paychecks outside of football. Take a look at some other jobs coaches have

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