Hurling at the 1904 Summer Olympics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Men's hurlingat the Games of the III Olympiad
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| Dates | July 20 | ||||||
| Competitors | 30 from 1 nation from 2 nations | ||||||
| Medalists | |||||||
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United States
Hurling is an exciting and fast-paced sport from Ireland. It's played with a stick called a hurley and a small ball called a sliotar. In 1904, hurling was part of the Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis, USA. It was a "demonstration sport," which means it wasn't an official medal event.
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What is Hurling?
Hurling is one of the oldest field games in the world. It's a team sport played on a large grass field. Players use a hurley to hit the sliotar. The goal is to score by hitting the sliotar into a net or over a crossbar. It's a bit like a mix of hockey, lacrosse, and baseball. Players wear helmets for safety because the game can be very quick and physical.
Hurling at the 1904 Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics were held in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. These games were special because they were the first Olympics held in North America. Many sports were featured, and some were "demonstration sports." These are sports that are shown off but don't count for official Olympic medals. Hurling was one of these demonstration sports.
The hurling event took place on July 20, 1904. Only two teams competed, and both were from the United States. This was because hurling was not widely played outside of Ireland and Irish communities at the time. The teams were:
- Fenian GAA Club
- Innisfáils GAA Club
The Competition
The two American teams played against each other in a single match. The Fenian GAA Club won the game. Even though it was a demonstration event, the teams still competed fiercely.
Here's how the results would have looked if it were an official event:
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's hurling | .svg){kind=small} United States (Fenian GAA Club) |
United States (Innisfáils GAA Club) |
None awarded |
Why a Demonstration Sport?
Demonstration sports are often included in the Olympics for a few reasons:
- To promote a sport: It gives a chance for a sport that isn't well-known globally to be seen by many people.
- To test popularity: It helps organizers see if a sport might be popular enough to become an official Olympic sport later.
- Local interest: Sometimes, a sport is popular in the host country, so they include it to celebrate local traditions.
Hurling has not been an official Olympic sport since 1904. However, it remains a very popular and important sport in Ireland.
See also
