What Is The Official Sport Of Maryland?
LACROSSE – Effective October 1, 2004, Lacrosse became the official team sport of Maryland (Chapter 272, Acts of 2004; Code General Provisions Article, sec.7-329(b)). Known as the oldest sport in North America, lacrosse was played by native American tribes probably for centuries before the first account of it was written in 1636 by a French Jesuit missionary in Canada. Among native Americans, lacrosse was played by tribes throughout the Great Lakes region, and in what is now the southeastern United States, and all along the East Coast, a range which encompasses Maryland.
- Lacrosse players, University of Maryland vs.
- The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, April 2002.
- Photo by Rob Brown.
- Since 1995, lacrosse has grown rapidly as a club sport and at middle- and high-school levels in Maryland.
- Lacrosse is a fast-paced game played on a field in which the ten players on each team attempt to get a small ball into their opponent’s goal while keeping it out of their own goal.
A team consists of a goalie, three attackers, three midfielders, and three defenders. A long-handled stick with a net pocket on the end is used to throw, catch, and scoop the ball. From the stick, the game derives its name. To early French Canadians, the stick resembled a bishop’s crosier, la Crosse.
In the United States, lacrosse became popular on college campuses in the late 1800s, beginning with New York University in 1877. The University of Maryland fielded its first team in 1910. In 1926, the first women’s lacrosse team in the country was established at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore. Lacrosse made its Olympic debut in 1904, with The Johns Hopkins University team representing the United States at the summer games in 1928 and 1932.
That school has remained a lacrosse power-house, ranked number one in the postseason coaches poll in 2002, 2003, and 2004. The Johns Hopkins University’s Blue Jays defeated Duke University’s Blue Devils to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men’s Lacrosse championship on May 30, 2005 and May 28, 2007.
- Played at M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, the victory gave the Blue Jays a ninth national title.
- Other Maryland teams have performed well. The U.S.
- Naval Academy in Annapolis won its eighth consecutive intercollegiate title in 1967, and, in 2005, ranked fifth in the nation, behind Johns Hopkins, Duke, Georgetown, and University of Virginia.
Between 1995 and 2001, the University of Maryland women’s team won seven consecutive titles, and, in 2019, the team won its fourteenth National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship. The University of Maryland men’s team won their third NCAA championship in 2017.
- The Loyola University Maryland ‘s Greyhounds defeated the University of Maryland, College Park’s Terps to win the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse championship in 2012.
- The Chesapeake Bayhawks debuted in the Nationals Division of Major League Lacrosse in June 2001 as the Baltimore Bayhawks.
- During a restructuring of the League in March 2010, the team relocated to Annapolis as the Chesapeake Bayhawks and played at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium,
When the Premier Lacrosse League merged with Major League Lacrosse in December 2020, the Chesapeake Bayhawks stopped playing. Maryland not only wins, but also hosts competitive lacrosse events. From June 23 to July 2, 2005, Annapolis, Maryland, hosted the World Cup, International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations.
- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s lacrosse championship match was played at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, on May 28, 2011 and returned May 24-26, 2014.
- The USA Lacrosse National Tournament was held in Bel Air May 28-29, 2022, while the Premier Lacrosse League played four games at Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Field in Baltimore June 24-25, 2022.
In addition, the World Lacrosse Women’s World Championship was held in Towson from June 29 to July 9, 2022. In 2003, 2009-2011, 2015-2018, and 2022, Baltimore hosted US Lacrosse ‘s National Convention. Open to US Lacrosse member coaches, officials, and administrators, the Convention offers field demonstrations, and educational clinics and sessions.
Contents
What is Maryland’s top sport?
Maryland adopted jousting as its official state sport in 1962 | © Flickr/MdAgDept “Crab cakes and football — that’s what Maryland does.” This quote from Wedding Crashers (2005) simplified the mid-Atlantic state to a mere two things, yet Maryland does so much more, particularly when it comes to sports.
Maryland became the first state to adopt an official sport, naming jousting as its official sport on June 1, 1962, Henry J. Fowler, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from St. Mary’s County, introduced a bill during a session of the Maryland General Assembly to establish jousting as the official state sport.
The bill passed both houses and was signed into law by Governor J. Millard Tawes. According to the Maryland State Archives website, “jousting tournaments have been held in Maryland since early colonial times but became increasingly popular after the Civil War.” The pageantry is not lost in modern-day tournaments.
Men (referred to as knights) and women (referred to as maids) are dressed in colorful costumes full of regalia and many of the medieval customs and practices are still utilized. The Maryland State Jousting Championship is held annually and has been sponsored by the Maryland Jousting Tournament Association since its founding in 1950.
Jousting competitions, held in various locations throughout the state, are non-contact “ring tournaments” where competitors on horseback with lance in hand try to spear hanging rings of various sizes while quickly riding by three arches. Rings, ranging in diameter from one-quarter of an inch to approximately two inches, are hung nearly 7 feet off the ground.
These tournaments take place between May and October annually.1. Distance between each arch is to be 30 yards.2. Time will be called from a point 20 yards before the first arch and end at the last arch.3. The total distance of 80 yards is to be covered in 10 seconds.4. Time will be called with the use of an official stop watch held by the judges on the stand.5.
The height of the irons will be 6’9″ from the ground.6. All rings will be wrapped with white cord.7. Tournament sponsors are required to send a complete score card to the secretary of the Maryland Jousting Tournament Association.8. After the 1950 season is completed, the following rules will prevail regarding the status of the rider.
Any Amateur rider scoring either 3 first places or 4 second places in tournaments shall be considered a Professional Rider and must ride in the Professional Class thereafter.Any rider winning one first place in a Novice or Rookie class will be considered an Amateur Rider thereafter.
What is each state’s sport?
Table
State | Sport | Designation |
---|---|---|
California | Surfing | |
Colorado | Pack burro racing | Summer heritage sport |
Delaware | Bicycling | |
Hawaii | Surfing (He’e nalu) | State individual sport |
What is the official sport of New York?
We may still not have an official state dinosaur, but New York does have an official state sport. And given the rich history of this sport here in the Empire State, it makes perfect sense. State Senator Peter Oberacker announced passage of legislation last year that would make this sport the official one of New York.
Why is Maryland known for lacrosse?
6 Reasons Why You Should Choose Maryland for your Lacrosse Event
- US Lacrosse, the national governing body of lacrosse, is headquartered in Baltimore. While primarily serving the youth level, US Lacrosse plays a range of roles in virtually every aspect of the game.
- You’re sure to have a high attendance of teams, spectators and volunteers. Lacrosse is very popular with the people of, After all, the sport is introduced at a young age through Maryland’s many lacrosse clubs and institutes.
- Maryland plays host to the NCAA men’s DI, DII and DIII and women’s DI lacrosse championships in May 2014 and the 2015 Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Tournament. So far in 2014, there are 121 tournaments that have either already taken place or are planned through November.
- Maryland has more than 100 venues that identify lacrosse as a primary focus. Lacrosse tournaments take place year-round thanks to a sufficient number of indoor and outdoor facilities. Maryland can accommodate beach, field and short-field lacrosse.
- Lacrosse has a rich history in Maryland. The first women’s lacrosse team in the country was established at Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore in 1926. Lacrosse made its Olympic debut in 1928, with Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University team representing the United States. In 1997, Maryland became home to the Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame, which would be the perfect activity for your teams and families once they step off the fields. Lacrosse became the official state team sport of Maryland in 2004.
- Maryland Sports will help your planning process. Maryland Sports is the only sports commission in Maryland. It works with DMOs, provides support to partners, and assists partners with a full range of services, from development of initial bids to on-site logistics. Maryland Sports also helps with volunteer coordination, sponsorship and event promotion. Maryland Sports doesn’t just recruit events—they retain and grow events. Maryland is the place to be for your next lacrosse event. As Maryland Sports Executive Director Terry Hasseltine said, “Lacrosse in Maryland is like butter on bread.”
: 6 Reasons Why You Should Choose Maryland for your Lacrosse Event
What’s Maryland best known for?
Home to the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland is known for its blue crabs and the city of Baltimore, a major historic trading port, baseball power and birthplace of the national anthem. Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” as he watched the American flag wave above Fort McHenry on the harbor during the War of 1812, signaling Britain’s defeat,
As one of the original 13 colonies, Maryland has always played a pivotal role in American history. Maryland was named a state in 1788 and was the seventh to ratify the U.S. Constitution. As a border state during the Civil War, it ultimately joined the Union, though it was divided in its support, even among family members.
Maryland remained a slave state for most of the war, forcing slaves like abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass to flee. In 1862, the Old Line State held the bloodiest one-day battle in the nation’s history: the Battle of Antietam, Maryland is an aerospace and defense hot spot, holding the majority of the country’s top aerospace companies and defense contractors.
What is the #1 sport?
Football/Soccer – While it may not be apparent in the United States, association football—also known as soccer—is the most popular sport in the world by a vast margin. Soccer is king in virtually all of Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Asia,
The sport has roughly 3.5 billion fans worldwide and 250 million players across 200 countries around the world. The next most popular sports in the world are cricket (2.5 billion fans), basketball (2.2 billion fans), and field hockey (2 billion). The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the administrative body for association football, futsal, and beach soccer in Europe and consists of 55 national association members.
UEFA is one of the six continental confederations of world football’s governing body, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association or International Federation of Association Football), UEFA represents the national associations of Europe and runs national and club competitions such as the EUFA European Champions, UEGA Champions League, UEFA Nations League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Super Cup.
Only a few European countries favor a sport other than football/soccer. In Austria and Estonia, the most popular sport is skiing, In Latvia and Lithuania, basketball is king, while ice hockey is the most popular in Finland, In Ireland, Gaelic football is the most popular sport. Everywhere else, it is association football.
Similarly, association football is also the most popular sport in all but a few Asian countries. The few exceptions include table tennis being king in China, archery in Bhutan, kickboxing in Laos and Cambodia, and basketball in the Philippines, The most popular sport in Mongolia is wrestling and the most popular sport in the Indian subcontinent (India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh) is cricket.
- Moving on to Oceania, association football is the most popular sport in Indonesia and Fiji, while rugby is the most popular in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and some other Polynesia island nations.
- Australians tend to favor Australian rules football or cricket.
- Association football/soccer again takes the top spot in Mexico, where men’s association football has been played professionally since the early 1900s and the Mexican Federation of Soccer was founded in 1927.
Mexico’s national football team first played in the World Cup in 1930 and has participated in 16 World Cups. The first women’s professional football league in Mexico was announced in December 2016 and played its inaugural season the following year. The Mexico national football team plays its home games at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City,
Which states love football the most?
Methodology
State | Rank: Love to Watch Sports on TV | Favorite Sport |
---|---|---|
West Virginia | 1 | Football |
Wyoming | 2 | Football |
Pennsylvania | 3 | Football |
North Dakota | 4 | Football |
Which state is best in sports?
State-wise contribution in the growth of Indian Sports – Out of 35 medals in Olympics history for India, 20 of them have been won in this century itself which shows the positive growth of India in sports. Even though India is lagging behind in comparison with many other countries, it is heading in the right direction.
What states have no sports teams?
Here’s some: Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Alabama, Wyoming, South Carolina, Virgina, West Virgina, Delaware, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Arkansas, Maine.
What is the official sport of Pennsylvania?
If each state could have only one sport, what would it be? (Pennsylvania, you get field hockey.)
What is the official sport of North Carolina?
Stock Car Racing – North Carolina designated stock car racing as the official state sport in 2011. Stock car racing has played a significant role in the history, heritage, and culture of North Carolina. North Carolina is the home of the stock car racing NASCAR Hall of Fame and the NC Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
What is Hawaii state sport?
A growing sport internationally, outrigger canoe paddling is a cultural treasure of historic significance in the Hawaiian Islands, and it has been designated the state’s official team sport. The first settlers of these islands paddled more than 2,000 miles to get here, relying on the stars to guide them.
Today, the challenge and sport of outrigger canoe paddling is preserved through numerous clubs consisting of more than 2500 competitive paddlers throughout the state. Recreational paddlers add thousands to that count! Canoe Regattas are hosted annual May through September on various Saturdays at a number of locations.
On Hawaii Island, catch the long distance racing action that takes place up and down the Kona-Kohala coastline on the following dates and at these locations — all within an easy 30 to 45 minute drive from Holualoa Inn: August 21, Honaunau; August 28, Waikoloa Beach Resort; September 4 & 5, Kailua-Kona to Honaunau; September 11, Waikoloa Beach Resort to Keauhou Bay.
Kick back on our Holualoa Inn makai (ocean facing) lanais and view the regattas scheduled September 2010 without leaving “home”! You don’t have to compete or join a club to enjoy this exciting and challenging sport. A number of local experts provide instruction, canoes, guided tours and more, among them HYPR Nalu situated across from the pier in Kailua-Kona, and Kona Beach Boys located on the small beach fronting King Kamehameha Hotel in Kailua-Kona.
For more information on outrigger canoe paddling and for an annual calendar of competitions phone (808) 324-1541 or online Moku O Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Association. Innkeeper Holualoa Inn
What state is lacrosse the biggest in?
1. New York – New York has long been the host of great lacrosse at all levels. It’s popular across the state, especially in the Long Island and Westchester County areas, but enjoys competitive play in all corners of the state. New York has some of the most competitive high school lacrosse, with both boys and girls teams consistently being ranked among the best in the country.
Where is lacrosse most popular in the world?
International lacrosse – Lacrosse has historically been played for the most part in Canada and the United States, with small but dedicated lacrosse communities in the United Kingdom and Australia, Recently, however, lacrosse has begun to flourish at the international level, with teams being established around the world, particularly in Europe and East Asia.
What sport is Baltimore known for?
Home to the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and the MLB’s Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore has a lot of team spirit.