Misc. Mental Musings

Name That Sport

S. G. Lacey

Each set of 5 statements below corresponds to a pair of well-known sports. Information about the run of play and equipment used are listed sequentially from quite vague to more obvious. Another hint can be gleaned in each title, with answers revealed by hovering on the box. How many obscure sporting gear combinations you can get? Good luck.

#1 – A Heavy Lift:

Both sports use 16-pound, round balls.
Each object travels roughly 18 meters in distance over 2 seconds.
Spin rate is very important for one sport, and negligible for the other.
The diameter of one sphere is half the diameter of the other.
One object hits an apex of over 6 meters, the other never leaves the ground.

Answer

Bowling Delivery &

Shot Put Toss

#2 – Common Dealings:

Trajectory for each ball is downward, traveling approximately 60 feet.
Spin rates of 50 revolutions per second are common for both.
Object diameters are not identical, but similar at roughly 2.75 inches.
One ball’s weight is only 1/3rd of the other.
The lighter sphere travels faster, through the help of another piece of equipment.

Answer

Baseball Pitch &

Tennis Serve

#3 – Long Range:

Both sports are based on yards.
Similar apexes are achieved during flight.
Both objects have dimples on their surface.
One item is round, the other definitely isn’t.
The smaller projectile travels 6 times further than the larger.

Answer

Football Field Goal &

Golf Drive

#4 – Stick It Out:

Both objects are identical weight.
Spin rates can range from 0 to quite high rpms.
Smooth, flat playing surfaces are important to both sports.
Diameters are similar, but only the slightly smaller object is a sphere.
While both are propelled by a stick, one object travels nearly 4 times faster than the other.

Answer

Ice Hockey Slap Shot &

Billiard Break

#5 – Net Win:

Both round, inflated balls have similar diameters over 8 inches.
Similar apexes around 15 feet are achieved during typical arcing flight.
Height is important for athletes in both sports.
One ball is nearly 3 times heavier than the other.
Higher speeds and spin rates are more common with the lighter ball, which requires less accuracy.

Answer

Basketball 3-Pointer &

Volleyball Serve

#6 – Good Luck:

Shots occur at the same 12-yard distance.
Accuracy is important in both these activities.
Projectile speed is critical for one sport, and irrelevant for the other.
The odd shaped item is surprisingly only 3 times heavier than the round ball.
One object is thrown, while the other is kicked.

Answer

Soccer Penalty Kick &

Horseshoe Toss

#7 – Unique Delivery:

Both balls are very similar size and density, but made with different materials.
Typical release for each sport uses an overhand motion.
Similar speeds exceeding 100 mph are possible.
Bouncing is common in both cases.
One object is propelled by hand, the other uses additional equipment.

Answer

Lacrosse Shot &

Cricket Pitch

#8 – Target Practice:

Typical shot distances are short, under 3 meters.
Both sports are played with individuals or pairs.
Neither object travels above head high during play.
Up to 3 times higher speeds are achievable in the sport that uses supplemental equipment.
The uniquely-shaped, solid object is 16 times heavier than the round, hollow one.

Answer

Ping Pong Serve &

Dart Toss