The Aztec Ball Game

The Mayans inherited the ball game from the Olmecs. The Olmecs were the first people to cultivate the rubber tree, which hints their name “ people who use rubber.” From the trees extract, the Olmecs produced a ball of hard rubber which came slightly smaller than the size of an average human head, about 8 inches in diameter. The first balls, rules and rituals for the game all began with the Olmecs around 3,000 years ago.

The ball game was a spectator sport . It was an astrological study and political engagement all at once. As the ball bounced off the pla

The Chichan Itza court was the largest in Mesoamerica. There were “box seats” for the two kings of the opposing teams from different cities. The games were used to satisfy political demands and bring about negotiations.

The court, or hachco, was a rectangular piece of cement framed by two parallel walls. The walls were built at a low slope at the bottom so that the ball would bounce upward to keep the ball airborne. The ball was not permitted to touch the ground. So in a way, it was similar to hackey sack. Two opponents or opposing teams faced each other from opposite sides of the court. The ball was bounced off the players and the stone walls, all in a fast-paced action that made the game exciting for the townspeople to watch and bet on. In many courts, a single hoop extended from each of the two walls’ centers, similar to basketball. Points were scored by sending the ball through these stone hoops.

The ball game was a

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