Sudden death, the Mayan version

November 8, 4:39 PMCentral American Travel ExaminerMichael Sherer

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The game most associated with Mayan life was known as Pok-ta-Pok, whereby teams of heavily padded men fought each other over a little rubber ball. Sound familiar?

Forbidden to use their hands, they had to utilize elbows, wrists or the hips to somehow rarely get the grapefruit-sized solid rubber sphere through the carved stone hoops adorning either side of the playing field.

Chichen Itza, one of the most famous Mayan cities, had seven ball courts, Tikal had  5 and Copan had the second largest playing field in the Mayan Empire(thanks to 18 Rabbit), the Lord and ruler at the time.

The sizes of the ball courts varied, from 545 feet long by 225 feet wide, to the smallest yet found of 65 feet by 20 feet. Guatemala, at this point, has recorded over 700 fields. Quiragua, north of Copan, has two, where the unlucky 18 Rabbit was be-headed later, over another matter.
 

As to how many players there were to a side, history is unclear, but the penalties for losing were severe. During the Toltec period at Chichen Itza, stone panels portrayed the aftermath of a game in which one of the players was decapitated. Other penalties included the forfeiture of all clothing and jewelry of the spectators to the maker of the winning goal. At the Seibal site in northern Guatemala, the remains of nine players were discovered buried under the ball court.

loser

History makes no mention of any cheer leaders: one can only imagine the roar of the crowds and the spectacle. There would have been pounding drums, clouds of incense and lines three deep at the concession. Go Tikal Tigers, Go! The nobility in the better seats were probably knocking back their chocolate concoctions. Losing your head over this ball game had a whole other meaning, as did ‘sore loser’.