On 31 January 1971, the Apollo 14 embarked on a nine-day quest to travel to the moon and back. Apollo 14 was considered the 8th human-crewed mission within the prestigious Apollo program and was regarded as the third mission for humans to land on the moon. The quest was also the final of the H-missions within the Apollo program. To give you more insight into the H-missions, it was a precision landing sequence where humans would spend two days on the lunar surface where they would perform two moonwalks.

The Mission of Apollo 14

While the astronauts spend time on the moon for two days, Mitchell and Shepard were to fulfil a wide variety of mission objectives that the Apollo 13 quest was unable to complete at the famous Fra Mauro formation. The primary goals were to collect and survey samples at the Imbrium Basin, activate and deploy the ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package), and take several photos for any future explorations sites that might occur.

However, because the last mission was unable to make a successful landing on the moon, improvements were made ensuring that a more significant amount of scientific data and lunar material could be collected from the moon. This was made possible thanks to the addition of a MET (modular equipment transporter). The carrier was a collapsible cart with two wheels that could easily transport tools and samples across the surface of the moon.

This quest was fundamental because an accident occurred with Apollo 13 that forced the crew to return to earth without landing on the moon in April 1970. The Apollo 13 was supposed to be the 3rd mission of humans on the moon. Thankfully, Apollo 14 didn’t experience any problems during its journey. While Mitchell and Shepard landed on the moon on 5 February, Roosa stayed in orbit within the command module to perform various scientific experiments and take photos to provide more documentation on the moon.

The Very First Lunar Olympics

While Mitchell and Shepard were spending time on the moon’s surface, they had to perform two extravehicular activities that lasted over 9 hours in total. It was during the 9 hours that Shepard decided to play some golf on the moon. He managed to achieve this as he previously decided to take a six iron with him to the moon. It was only a six-iron head, so he had to attach it to a handle from one of the lunar tools.

Utilizing two golf balls, Shepard took a total of 3 one-handed swings of the club, missing the golf ball on his initial try. He then managed to make contact on the following two swings and stated that the balls travelled for miles once he connected his shots. Michell, on the other hand, decided to use a scoop handle and throw it like it was the sport of javelin.

Baseball teams in Major League Baseball have relocated for several reasons. For instance, an organization might relocate due to financial troubles, low spectator attendance, or even unexpected issues that arise at the local stadium. You will even find teams that have decided to relocate due to heavy competition from another group in the same area. You will also see teams in the MLB that have relocated from East Coast cities to the Sunbelt region and the Midwest. With that in mind, let’s take a look at MLB teams that have relocated.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers were the first professional baseball team in the American League that was established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Brewers were undoubtedly not the last team to be created in Wisconsin, nor the last team to relocate to Milwaukee. The Brewers played here between 1894 and 1901. They initially started as a minor league team that formed part of the Western League. The 1901 season was the only season that saw the Milwaukee Brewers play. After they finished in the last place, they decided to move to St. Louis, where they were known as the St. Louis Browns during 1902.

Baltimore Orioles

Once the American League was reorganized entirely, it received three new teams, and one of them was the Baltimore Orioles during 1901. The team got its name from the state bird in Maryland. In 1903, the team was relocated to New York City where they changed their name to New York Highlanders after finding a stadium which they called home. However, in 1913, the team changed their name again and is now known as the New York Yankees after they relocated to the Polo Grounds.

Boston Braves

The Boston Braves are regarded as the first baseball team to have been formed in Boston. The team is also considered the founding members of the National League. The baseball team was initially established back in 1871 as was then known as the Boston Red Stockings. In 1912, the team was renamed the Boston Braves. In 1901, the Boston Red Sox formed part of the American League. In 1953, the Boston Braves decided to move to Milwaukee where they decided to rename the team to the Milwaukee Braves.

St. Louis Browns

During 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers decided to relocate and change their name to the St. Louis Brewers that formed part of the American League. However, the St. Louis Cardinals were also a hugely successful team in the same city that developed part of the National League. Unfortunately, the St. Louis Brewers were less successful than the St. Louis Cardinals which saw the Brewers play their last season during 1953. During 1954, the team decided to make another move to Baltimore where they eventually became known as the Baltimore Orioles. Of course, this marked the second MLB team in the city of Baltimore. This was quite a unique relocation as well as it features a Midwestern baseball team relocating to a team on the East Coast.

Horse racing is undoubtedly a very competitive sport. It mainly involves two or more jockeys who compete against one another on horseback to determine who will reach the finish line first. A racecourse can take on several different forms and can be presented in multiple lengths. You will also find that races can be classified by running styles, obstacle courses, and even specific horse breeds. Even though it’s considered a favourite sport for spectators, it’s also a renowned sport when it comes to gambling. For instance, in 2008, betting on horses was valued at more than $115 billion.

Largest Venues for Horse Racing

Many countries across the globe have managed to establish their very own horse racing venues, allowing spectators to observe their horses and riders. Let’s take a look at three of the biggest sites in the world determined by spectator capacity.

Tokyo Racecourse

Situated in Fuchu in Tokyo, the Tokyo Racecourse is a venue that can host 223,000 spectators with a seating capacity of 13,750. It was initially constructed back in 1933 and played host to several prestigious races every single year. The most famous horse races include the Yasuda Kinen, the Japanese Derby, and the Japan Cup. The course measurements come in at a length of 1.25 miles and are 243 feet in width. Overall, the Tokyo Racecourse provides five tracks, including Course A (on the hedge), Course B (three meters from the fence), Course C (six meters from the wall), Course D (nine meters from the wall), and Course E (twelve meters from the wall). During 2007, the Tokyo Racecourse experienced a few renovations, including a new grandstand. The venue also impresses with the most significant video screen, measuring in at 37 feet high and 218 feet wide.

Nakayama Racecourse

The second biggest racecourse is the Nakayama Racecourse situated in Funabashi, Chiba within Japan. The venue can host up to 165,676 individuals to watch the racing action. It was initially constructed in 1990 and provided two grass courses, a jump course, and a dirt course. It also comes equipped with three tracks, including Course A (on the hedge), Course B (three meters from the fence), and Course C (seven meters from the wall) and the races run between 4,000 meters and 1,000 meters, depending on the track. The venue is home to some of the best jump races in the world, including the Nakayama Daishogai and the Nakayama Grand Jump.

Churchill Downs

The third biggest racecourse track in the world is the Churchill Downs, situated in Lexington, Kentucky within the United States. The racecourse venue can host a total of 165,000 individuals and be initially opened back in 1875. During its first year, the site managed to host the very first Kentucky Derby which is one of the most famous horseracing events in the world. Other world-renowned races that take place here include the Clart Handicap, the Stephen Foster Handicap, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Woodford Turf Classic.

Sporting events in the country of Japan is exceptionally essential when it comes to the culture of the country, especially when you look at martial arts. The national sport in Japan is Sumo wrestling, while judo, kendo, and karate are also regarded as prevalent sports in Japan. There’s also a wide variety of western sporting events that are quickly gaining popularity in the country, including baseball, football, and even basketball. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most popular sports in the state of Japan.

Sumo

Japan’s national sport is sumo, and it originated from the Shinto ritual that depicts a god wrestling a human. During the late 17th century, sumo tournaments managed to gain popularity in Tokyo. Every single year, six major sumo wrestling tournaments are held in several countries across Japan with each of these tournaments lasting for at least 15 days. A sumo wrestler at the highest-ranking is referred to as a Yokozuna. It’s quite surprising to learn that no Japanese wrestler has managed to hold the title between the year 2000 and 2016 as Mongolia produced multiple Yokozuna athletes.

Baseball

Baseball is a respected sport in the country of Japan with most seeing it as an unofficial national sport in the country. It is commonly known as puro yakyu or simply yakyu. However, most people in the country will know exactly what you are talking about when you call it baseball. There are loads of people that follow baseball in Japan, and you’ll notice that thousands of fans are drawn to baseball league matches over weekends, while high school baseball matches attract fans during the summer. Even though baseball has been around since 1872, it only became a professional sport in 1936. Some of the most famous Japanese baseball teams include the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants.

Puroresu

The word Puroresu is regarded as the shortened word to describe pro wrestling in Japanese. The sport first burst onto the scene in 1951 after it failed to make a name for itself during the early 20th century. The success behind this favourite sport in Japan can be attributed to the respected Puroresu wrestler, Rikidozan. Other favourite wrestlers of this sport include Giant Baba, Tiger Mask, and Antonio Inoki.

Tennis

The first time tennis was enjoyed in the country of Japan was back in the late 19th century when five professional tennis courts were constructed for tourists in Yamate Park. During the same time, western-style physical education was brought to the country, and the sport of tennis was used as a physical activity instead of a competitive game. Tennis has a rich history when it comes to Japan and remains a favourite sport to this day.

Other Popular Sports in Japan

Apart from the sports mentioned above in the country, you will also find that golf, jukoda, boxing, motor racing, and association football plays a significant role in the culture of the country.