Clearing a barrier without spilling a drop of beer, British hurdler Percy Hodge delighted crowds with his balancing act during the 1920s. The impulse to turn life into fun and games is the wellspring of sport. Photograph by UPI, Corbis-Bettmann Humanity's penchant for play has been expressed in sports and games in every society and in every age. Their discoveries reveal an international phenomenon with roots extending far into antiquity. Boxing, for instance, spread throughout Africa's Nile Valley more than 6,000 years ago.
Many modern sports are outgrowths of daily tasks.
Pole vaulting was used in the Netherlands and in England as a means of crossing boggy terrain.