# What sporting events will still be remembered 300 years from now? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 6, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252 "2013-01-06T12:33:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/21 "2013-01-06T18:44:21Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Hell, most of America could name one of them, though that’s because he started a slave revolt, not because of his prowess in the arena. Which sort of backs up my point about the Munich Olympics. Spartacus is remembered for his political actions, not for his sports achievements. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/22 "2013-01-06T18:51:02Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The number of 20th century sporting events remembered in three hundred years will exactly equal the number of 300-year-old sporting events we remember today. There was an obscure little archery tournament much longer ago than that but we know the winner’s name. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/23 "2013-01-06T18:57:09Z")
Carl Lewis was seven years old when the 10 second barrier in the 100 meters was broken. That might be remembered if it happened, but it was Jim Hines, not Carl Lewis. I doubt any single moment will be remembered in 300 years, but an event like the first Olympics will be in the history books. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/24 "2013-01-06T19:14:16Z")
I’ll bet the average educated Greek will have heard about Spyridon Lewis at some point in their schooling, based on the seemingly likely, if not certain facts that: -marathons will still be a thing in three-hundred years, and people will still be interested in the “first” winner. -There will still be an olympics in 300 years, and people will still be interested in stories from the first modern one. -its a nice little nationalistic story, and given that there have been people that self-identified as Greek from much further back then 300 years, in 300 years there will still be Greeks that like to hear stories about their forbearers. -its a nice little Olympics story. Local, relatively untrained guy from backwards country takes part in a sport in his homeland and wins. Seems to capture something about the Olympic ideal. So my prediction is that the sole sporting event that will be remembered by the average person in 300 years will be a not particularly impressive Marathon run that most people don’t know about today. And even that will only be remembered by the “average person” amongst Greeks and people interested in the history of the Marathon. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/25 "2013-01-06T19:34:27Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP win, particularly the beat on Phil Ivey. I’m not picking on you, but this may just be the single funniest thing I’ve ever seen on the SDMB. Sporting event? Only in the way that, say, the Scripps Spelling Bee is. Memorable in 300 years? I’d be willing to bet the majority of people on this board didn’t hear about this in 2003. Before this thread, I had never heard of Phil Ivey, and Chris Moneymaker only rang a bell because of his odd name. And, to keep on topic… What about Secretariat’s Belmont? ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/26 "2013-01-06T20:01:35Z")
I think that the Rumble in the Jungle is a very strong possibility for several reasons. (And I’ll ignore that in 300 years, our concept of what we “remember” will have vastly changed) I don’t think boxing will be around in 300 years, but, as with gladiatorial combat, we’ll know generally that it existed. But because the Rumble in the Jungle spawned the “rope-a-dope” strategy, I think that specific part will stick in our lexicon. And involving the greatest and most famous boxer will give it a slightly better chance of sticking around, too. Really, I think the only chance a sporting event has to stick around is to transcend the sport itself and permeate our general culture. Achievements don’t matter. Numbers won’t stick with us. I don’t think most people know what the world record for a mile is or who broke the four minute barrier. We won’t care about Carl Lewis because we don’t even care about him now. But I think there’s a good chance people will know what a rope-a-dope is and associate it with boxing. As good a chance as I can come up with, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/27 "2013-01-06T20:04:09Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I imagine all those you named will be on record in some file. But even now I couldn’t tell you it was Lewis who’d broken the ten second record and I’ll bet a lot of people didn’t know who Bannister was, or what he did. > > If any of those three are still in the public consciousness I’d say that the Modern Olympics were a revival. And still, many couldn’t tell you the exact year. > > Sorry to say, I doubt any sports events will be remembered by anyone unless they had to be looked up for some reason. > > If that’s not what you were looking for I’m sorry.☹ Yep. This. 300 years is a long fucking time. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/28 "2013-01-06T20:21:37Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Which sort of backs up my point about the Munich Olympics. Spartacus is remembered for his political actions, not for his sports achievements. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/29 "2013-01-06T20:34:52Z")
None whatsoever. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Your favorite team from your favorite sport will be like dust in the wind. No single game will be remembered, much less an event during that game. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/30 "2013-01-06T20:41:16Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Single game? > > The Kirk Gibson homerun to win the world series. > > The Michael Jordan “flu game.” > > The Immaculate Reception. > > Dave Tyree’s helmet catch. > > Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP win, particularly the beat on Phil Ivey. Sorry. I know that Michael Jordan played basketball for someone, and “homerun” and “world series” are baseball things. In 300 years? It’ll be that maybe the Olympics are still going, or the World Cup or the Superbowl. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/31 "2013-01-06T20:43:25Z")
They’ll be more interested in zero-gravity gymnastics and comet luging. Or evading our cockroach overlords… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/32 "2013-01-06T20:50:12Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP win, particularly the beat on Phil Ivey. Just looked this up. Seriously? I doubt anyone who wasn’t there remembered it for 300 minutes, never mind years. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/33 "2013-01-06T21:16:55Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Just looked this up. Seriously? I doubt anyone who wasn’t there remembered it for 300 minutes, never mind years. His win created the current poker “boom”. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/34 "2013-01-06T21:35:45Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > His win created the current poker “boom”. Maybe it did. I wonder if the somewhat lax attitude of the Irish and UK governments towards online gambling helped a bit more? Still, 300 years later… ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/35 "2013-01-06T22:24:29Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Single game? > > The Kirk Gibson homerun to win the world series. An indication of how quickly the memory fades - Gibson’s homer in 1988 was not to win the World Series, it was in Game 1. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/36 "2013-01-06T22:32:43Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Maybe it did. I wonder if the somewhat lax attitude of the Irish and UK governments towards online gambling helped a bit more? Still, 300 years later… 839 players played the 2003 Main Event, it grew to 2576 in '04, has been over 6,000 every year since. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/37 "2013-01-06T23:16:31Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > 839 players played the 2003 Main Event, it grew to 2576 in '04, has been over 6,000 every year since. And yet I had to google even whatever the fuck it was. 300 years. The world isn’t agog. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/38 "2013-01-06T23:22:50Z")
My point was, it’s 10 years later, and his name is still well-known in poker circles (I can tell you don’t watch poker) I agree he’ll be a mere (very small) footnote in 2313. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/39 "2013-01-06T23:47:46Z")
Not even that. Poker circle are very, very small and in 300 years nobody will give a shit who he was or what he did. I guarantee it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252/40 "2013-01-07T00:12:00Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > The 1972 Summer Olympics, due to the Munich Massacre. > [Munich massacre - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_massacre) Minor event(looking back 300 years), though it will be in history books and so forth. History buffs and so forth might know about it, but it will be likely forgotten. Will 9/11 even be remembered much in 300 years? It will not be something the average citizen knows much about, I reckon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sporting-events-will-still-be-remembered-300-years-from-now/646252.md?page=3)