Weird World Of Sports

I don't know how to define weirdness, but I know it when I see it.

Weird Sports are the same way.  While some people may consider it weird that we celebrate sports where the participants strap metal blades to their feet while chasing a rubber disk with a stick, in some places, it is called hockey.  Some may find it odd to walk along a pasture carefully  looking for a small white ball, only to whack that ball as far away as possible once located, but in some places, that is called golf.

So as much as weirdness is in the eye of the beholder, here are a couple indisputably weird sports:  

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Chess Boxing
Finally, Europe has given the masses what they want!  Chess boxing, an aptly named hybrid sport combines the sweet science of physical violence with the noble strategy "Game of Kings."

The concept is simple: 11 three-minute rounds, alternating between chess and boxing, with the victory being awarded to the first competitor to obtain either checkmate, or a knockout.

This game, invented in 1978, has grown a large following in both London and Berlin, with large annual tournaments in each city.

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Sepak Takraw
Wildly popular in Malaysia, and much of Southeast Asia, Sepak Takraw is very similar to volleyball, with one major difference: no hands allowed. 

The game is played with a hand-woven rattan ball that is slightly smaller than a soccer ball. Teams of 3 athletically contort their feet, legs and heads to volley a ball over a 5-foot high net.

Sepak Tekraw's origins date back as early the 15th century, based from an ancient Chinese military training exercise. The sport is wildly popular in Asia, evidenced by an annual massive international tournament held in Bangkok, which features a fierce rivalry between Malaysia and Thailand.

- Kevin Aherne

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