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Mesoamerican ballgame is an ancient sport that was played by people of Ancient Mesoamerica. The sport, called ōllamaliztli in its native tongue, is no longer being played, but a sport named Ulama that was derived from it is being played even today by the indigenous people in that region.

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The origin, rules and game play about Mesoamerican ballgame is not very clear, but there are some theories that have been suggested based depictions, paintings, and the sports that evolved from it.

The sport that is believed to have a lot of ritual and cultural significance involved a game play where the objective was to keep striking the ball with ones hips and prevent the ball from falling onto the ground.

The courts and the balls used for playing the sport were theorized based on the finding of remains from that location. The sport was played within a large structure, with a long and narrow playing area flanked by small sloping mounds that extended the length of the court. The courts used were of different sizes in different locations, but the shape remained the same. The balls used are estimated to be about 10 to 12 inches in diameter weighing 3 to 6 pounds, made out of solid rubber.

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Related Pages

• Ulama — a traditional ball sport from Mexico, players keep the ball inbounds by hitting it with their hips or forearms.
• Pelota Mixteca — an ancient game similar to tennis without a net, the ball is hit with decorated gloves.
• About Extinct and Ancient Sports
• List of Extinct Sports
• Complete list of sports