spontaneous combustion, the outbreak of fire without application of heat from an external source. Spontaneous combustion may occur when combustible matter, such as hay or coal, is stored in bulk. It begins with a slow oxidation process (as bacterial fermentation or atmospheric oxidation) under

history of technology: Innovation: …hand is the theory of spontaneous innovation, according to which the primary determinant of technological innovation is social need. Scholarship is as yet unable to solve the problem so far as technological advances of the Middle Ages are concerned because much information is missing. But it does seem likely that…

F.A. Hayek: The critique of socialism and the defense of classical liberal institutions of F.A. Hayek: …made a distinction between “spontaneous orders” and “constructed orders.” He averred that many social institutions—among them language, money, the common law, the moral code, and trade—are instances of spontaneous orders. These orders arise as a result of human action, and they come about as a result of individuals pursuing…

pneumothorax: Spontaneous pneumothorax is the passage of air into the pleural sac from an abnormal connection created between the pleura and the bronchial system. It may be characterized as either of two types: primary, in which the patient has no prior thoracic trauma or predisposing lung…

Gaspare Spontini was an Italian composer and conductor whose early operas, notably his masterpiece, La vestale (1807), represent the spirit of the Napoleonic era and form an operatic bridge between the works of Christoph Gluck and Richard Wagner. Entering the Conservatorio della Pietà dei Turchini

warning system: Radio sensors: …by radio silence and by spoofing, the transmission of signals intended to deceive. In 1967 the Israelis transmitted voluminous radio messages from empty airfields to hide the fact that aircraft had been moved to other locations.

William Gibson: In Spook Country (2007), characters navigate a world filled with spies, ghosts, and other nefarious unseen agents. Zero History (2010), which completed a trilogy that includes his previous two novels, reveals hidden governmental conspiracies through a search for a missing fashion designer. The Peripheral (2014) investigates…

Whoopi Goldberg: Early life and The Color Purple: Eventually she developed The Spook Show, a one-woman stage show noted for its humor, satire, and drama, which she performed throughout the United States and Europe. That performance became the basis for the critically acclaimed Broadway show Whoopi Goldberg, which debuted in 1984, and in 1985 Goldberg won…

spookfish, any of about 11 species of small marine fishes constituting the family Opisthoproctidae (order Salmoniformes), with representatives in each of the major oceans. The name spookfish, or barreleye, as they are sometimes called, originates from their unusual eyes, which are pointed upward

Norman Mailer: …published two works of nonfiction: The Spooky Art, his reflections on writing, and Why Are We at War?, an essay questioning the Iraq War. On God (2007) records conversations about religion between Mailer and the scholar Michael Lennon.

bobbin furniture, heavy furniture made in the late 17th century, whose legs and other parts were lathe-turned to ornamental shapes; also lighter, less boldly turned pieces made in 19th-century cottage style (see cottage furniture). Bobbin turning was a type of ornament consisting of a series of

Anne Tyler: …The Beginner’s Goodbye (2012); and A Spool of Blue Thread (2015). Vinegar Girl (2016), a retelling of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, was written for the Hogarth Shakespeare series. In 2018 Tyler released Clock Dance. Redhead by the Side of the Road (2020) centers on a tech expert…

valve: …medium is usually pressurized oil, spool valves are employed to regulate the oil flow. The valve shown in the Figure provides two flow paths for the output from a pump. In the extreme upper position, as shown, active flow is from the pump port P to the working, or load,…

spoon, an implement consisting of a small shallow bowl-shaped receptacle supported by a handle, used for eating, serving, and cooking foods. Spoons, together with forks, are known as

bok choy, (Brassica rapa), member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) that is a variety (chinensis) of Brassica rapa. Bok choy belongs to a family of plants that includes other vegetables popular in Asian cookery such as mustard greens and Chinese leaves (also known as Chinese cabbage and Napa

Spoon River, river in west-central Illinois, U.S. It rises at the confluence of the West Fork Spoon and East Fork Spoon rivers in Stark county and flows south and southwest to a point west of Lewistown, where it turns southeast, joining the Illinois River opposite Havana after a course of about 160

Spoon River Anthology, poetry collection, the major work of Edgar Lee Masters, published in 1915. It was inspired by the epigrams in the Greek Anthology. The Spoon River Anthology is a collection of 245 free-verse epitaphs in the form of monologues. They are spoken from beyond the grave by former

neuropteran: Annotated classification: Family Nemopteridae (thread-winged or spoon-winged lacewings) Adults delicate; head snoutlike; antennae short; posterior wings greatly elongated, ribbonlike or threadlike; often expanded distally to appear spoonlike. Larval antennae long, filiform; jaws incurved; mandibles with or without internal teeth; with or without an elongated neck formed by anterior…

paddlefish, (Polyodon spathula), archaic freshwater fish with a paddlelike snout, a wide mouth, smooth skin, and a cartilaginous skeleton. A relative of the sturgeon, the paddlefish makes up the family Polyodontidae in the order Acipenseriformes. A paddlefish feeds with its mouth gaping open and

spoonbill, any member of six species of long-legged wading birds that constitute the subfamily Plataleinae of the family Threskiornithidae (order Ciconiiformes), which also includes the ibises. Spoonbills are found in estuaries, saltwater bayous, and lakes. They feed by sweeping the long bill from

Claes Oldenburg: …created such large-scale sculptures as Spoonbridge and Cherry (1985–88) for the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, as well as a soft sculpture of an oversized shuttlecock specially for a 1995 retrospective of his work at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

John Spooner: He was author of the Spooner Act (1902), which authorized Pres. Theodore Roosevelt to purchase rights to build the Panama Canal. At the 1904 Republican national convention in Chicago, Spooner, as the head of the regular Wisconsin delegation, became embroiled in a bitter credentials fight with state Progressives led by…

Spooner Amendment, congressional amendment to the Army Appropriations Act of 1901 that called for the end of the U.S. military government in the Philippines. By the terms of the Treaty of Paris (December 1898), sovereignty over the Philippine Islands had passed from Spain to the United States.

John Spooner was a U.S. senator from Wisconsin (1885–91; 1897–1907), a powerful conservative force in his state and in Congress. Spooner moved to Wisconsin as a youth. After service in the Union Army during the Civil War, he was admitted to the bar (1867). He began a law practice at Hudson, Wis.,

spoonerism: …derived from the name of William Archibald Spooner (1844–1930), a distinguished Anglican clergyman and warden of New College, Oxford, a nervous man who committed many “spoonerisms.” Such transpositions are sometimes made intentionally to produce comic effect.

spoonerism, reversal of the initial letters or syllables of two or more words, such as “I have a half-warmed fish in my mind” (for “half-formed wish”) and “a blushing crow” (for “a crushing blow”). The word was derived from the name of William Archibald Spooner (1844–1930), a distinguished Anglican

Mary Poppins: Reception and legacy: …such as “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “A Spoonful of Sugar” entering popular culture as classics. The unique combination of live action and animation was a stunning effect in 1964, though Travers is said to have despised it. Mary Poppins was a triumph at the 1965 Oscars, winning five awards and being…

mountain laurel, (Kalmia latifolia), Flowering evergreen shrub of the heath family, occurring in most mountainous regions of eastern North America. It grows to about 3–18 feet (1–6 metres) in height and has oval leaves. The rosy, pink, or white flowers appear in large clusters above the foliage.

spoonworm, any member of the invertebrate phylum Echiura, also known as Echiuroidea, or Echiurida. Nearly all spoonworms are exclusively marine. They are sausage-shaped organisms with a flattened extension of the “head” that is curved along its lateral edges and sometimes shaped like a scoop or

human sensory reception: Odour sensitivity: Hunting dogs can follow a spoor (odour trail) most easily when high humidity retards evaporation and dissipation of the odour. Perfumes contain chemicals called fixatives, added to retard evaporation of the more volatile constituents. The temporary anosmia (absence of sense of smell) following colds may be complete or partial; in…

Sporades, group of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, lying northeast of Euboea (Modern Greek: Évvoia) island, including Skíathos, Skópelos, Skyros, and Alónnisos, as well as neighbouring islets. In antiquity these were known as the Thessalian, or Northern, Sporades, while the Thracian, or Eastern,

Aegean Sea: Ikaría, and Sámos; (3) the Northern Sporades, including Skyros, a group lying off Thessaly; (4) the Cyclades, including Melos, Páros, Náxos, Thera, and Ándros (Euboea, although technically an island, is considered a part of the Greek mainland and is connected to Boeotia by a bridge at Chalcís); (5) the Saronic…

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Types: …types of CJD: familial (fCJD), sporadic (sCJD), and acquired (aCJD). Both sCJD and aCJD may be further divided into subtypes. The most common sCJD subtype is sCJDMM1. Subtypes of aCJD include iatrogenic (iCJD) and variant (vCJD) forms of the disease (kuru is sometimes considered a third subtype of aCJD).

human genetic disease: Genetics of cancer: …percent of all cancers are sporadic, meaning that they do not seem to run in families, nearly 10 percent of cancers are now recognized as familial, and some are actually inherited in an apparently autosomal dominant manner. Cancer may therefore be considered a multifactorial disease, resulting from the combined influence…

ionosphere and magnetosphere: Ionospheric variations: …for the phenomenon known as sporadic E.

meteor and meteoroid: Basic features of meteors: …belong to showers are called sporadic.

connective tissue disease: Hereditary disorders of connective tissue: A related condition, sporadic osteochondritis dissecans, commonly affects children who are active in high-impact sports or sports involving repetitive movements; the sporadic condition is not hereditary.

bryophyte: Reproduction and life cycle: Mature bryophytes have a single sporangium (spore-producing structure) on each sporophyte. The sporangium generally terminates an elongate stalk, or seta, when the sporangium is ready to shed its spores. The sporangium rupture usually involves specialized structures that enhance expulsion of the spores away from the parent gametophyte.

Equisetopsida: Life cycle: …of the strobilus are called sporangiophores; each consists of a stalk bearing a flattened disk at its apex, on the lower edge of which is a ring of 5 to 10 sporangia, each one opening and shedding spores by a longitudinal slit on its inner side. The Carboniferous treelike horsetails…

bacteria: Sporulation: …aerial or substrate mycelia, or sporangiospores, which are formed in specialized sacs called sporangia.

bryophyte: Reproduction and life cycle: Mature bryophytes have a single sporangium (spore-producing structure) on each sporophyte. The sporangium generally terminates an elongate stalk, or seta, when the sporangium is ready to shed its spores. The sporangium rupture usually involves specialized structures that enhance expulsion of the spores away from the parent gametophyte.

Croatia: Croatia in Yugoslavia, 1918–41: These culminated in the Sporazum (“Agreement”) of August 26, 1939, which created an autonomous Croatian banovina that was largely self-governing except in defense and foreign affairs. The agreement provoked resentment among the Serbs, even in the opposition.

spore, a reproductive cell capable of developing into a new individual without fusion with another reproductive cell. Spores thus differ from gametes, which are reproductive cells that must fuse in pairs in order to give rise to a new individual. Spores are agents of asexual reproduction, whereas

Spore, electronic artificial-life game, designed by American computer programmer Will Wright, who created SimCity and other life simulation games for his company Maxis Software. Spore was released by the American video-game company Electronic Arts in 2008 for Microsoft Corporation’s Windows OS and

coal: Macerals: Several varieties are recognized, including sporinite (spores are typically preserved as flattened spheroids), cutinite (part of cross sections of leaves, often with crenulated surfaces), and resinite (ovoid and sometimes translucent masses of resin). The liptinites may fluoresce (i.e., luminesce because of absorption of radiation) under ultraviolet

plant development: Preparatory events: …vascular plants produce cells called spore mother cells—since they will give rise to spores—in spore cases (sporangia). Spore mother cells are usually surrounded, during development, by a special nutritive tissue. In the more primitive groups, each sporangium holds many mother cells. This is true also in the pollen-producing sporangia of…

bryophyte: Form and function: …a three-dimensional cell mass, the sporeling. This sporeling is rich in chlorophyll and soon forms an apical cell from which the gametophore grows.

Little Ice Age: Variability in solar output: …Little Ice Age period: the Spörer Minimum (1450–1540) and the Maunder Minimum (1645–1715). Both solar minimums coincided with the coldest years of the Little Ice Age in parts of Europe. Some scientists therefore argue that reduced amounts of available solar radiation caused the Little Ice Age. However, the absence of…

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Sporidiales Nonpathogenic; basidia may be very long; hyphae with clamp connections; some species emit peachlike odour; example genera include Sporidiobolus and Rhodosporidium. Class Atractiellomycetes Parasitic or saprotrophic; simple septate; some pycnidial members; auricularoid basidia; gastroid; contains 1 order.

coal: Macerals: Several varieties are recognized, including sporinite (spores are typically preserved as flattened spheroids), cutinite (part of cross sections of leaves, often with crenulated surfaces), and resinite (ovoid and sometimes translucent masses of resin). The liptinites may fluoresce (i.e., luminesce because of absorption of radiation) under ultraviolet

basidiocarp: …single cells of the yeastlike Sporobolomyces.

protist: Reproduction and life cycles: …of the surrounding cytoplasm, to sporogony (production of sporozoites by repeated divisions of a zygote) and schizogony (formation of multiple merozoites, as in malarial parasites). The latter two phenomena are characteristic of many protists that are obligate parasites of more advanced eukaryotes. Some multicellular algal protists reproduce via asexual spores,…

fungus: Size range: …is the fruiting body, or sporophore. Sporophores vary greatly in size, shape, colour, and longevity. Some are microscopic and completely invisible to the unaided eye; others are no larger than a pin head; still others are gigantic structures. Among the largest sporophores are those of mushrooms, bracket fungi, and puffballs.…

cycadophyte: Sporophylls and strobili: Cycads are universally dioecious; that is, male and female reproductive structures are borne on different individual plants. Male plants produce pollen by leaf homologues called microsporophylls, and female plants produce ovules by leaf homologues known as megasporophylls. In all cycads, the microsporophylls…

sporophyte, in plants and certain algae, the nonsexual phase (or an individual representing the phase) in the alternation of generations—a phenomenon in which two distinct phases occur in the life history of the organism, each phase producing the other. The sexual phase is the gametophyte. In the

angiosperm: Pollination: The most common type is sporophytic self-incompatibility, in which the secretions of the stigmatic tissue or the transmitting tissue prevent the germination or growth of incompatible pollen. A second type, gametophytic self-incompatibility, involves the inability of the gametes from the same parent plant to fuse and form a zygote or,…

magnoliid clade: Evolution: …outer coat, or exine, contains sporopollenin, a chemical that is extremely resistant to decay). Leaves, wood, and well-preserved flowers also have been recovered from Early Cretaceous sediments. At one time, angiosperms were thought to have appeared suddenly (“explosively”) and with such diversity in structure that it was theorized that they…

sporotrichosis: …with the fungus Sporothrix, primarily Sporothrix schenckii. Infection usually is characterized by a chancre at the site of inoculation and, extending from the site, a chain of hard, red, pus-generating lumps along the lymphatics of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The fungus, which is most commonly found in the soil…

sporotrichosis, subacute or chronic infection with the fungus Sporothrix, primarily Sporothrix schenckii. Infection usually is characterized by a chancre at the site of inoculation and, extending from the site, a chain of hard, red, pus-generating lumps along the lymphatics of the skin and

sporotrichosis: …with the fungus Sporothrix, primarily Sporothrix schenckii. Infection usually is characterized by a chancre at the site of inoculation and, extending from the site, a chain of hard, red, pus-generating lumps along the lymphatics of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The fungus, which is most commonly found in the soil…

apicomplexan, any protozoan of the (typically) spore-producing phylum Apicomplexa, which is called by some authorities Sporozoa. All apicomplexans are parasitic and lack contractile vacuoles and locomotor processes. Apicomplexans live within the body cavities or the cells of almost every kind of

apicomplexan, any protozoan of the (typically) spore-producing phylum Apicomplexa, which is called by some authorities Sporozoa. All apicomplexans are parasitic and lack contractile vacuoles and locomotor processes. Apicomplexans live within the body cavities or the cells of almost every kind of

malaria: The course of the disease: …forms of the parasite, called sporozoites, into the person’s bloodstream. The sporozoites are carried by the blood to the liver, where they mature into forms known as schizonts. Over the next one to two weeks each schizont multiplies into thousands of other forms known as merozoites. The merozoites break out…

sports, physical contests pursued for the goals and challenges they entail. Sports are part of every culture past and present, but each culture has its own definition of sports. The most useful definitions are those that clarify the relationship of sports to play, games, and contests. “Play,” wrote

James Salter: He published another novel, A Sport and a Pastime (1967), while working as a screenwriter; among his filmed works are Three (1969) and the Robert Redford vehicle Downhill Racer (1969). The novels Light Years (1975) and Solo Faces (1979) followed. Salter’s early work enjoyed renewed attention when several of…

biomechanics: …orthopedic biomechanics), occupational biomechanics, and sport biomechanics. As an example, sport biomechanics deals with performance improvement and injury prevention in athletes. In occupational biomechanics, biomechanical analysis is used to understand and optimize mechanical interaction of workers with the environment.

sport climbing, a type of rock climbing in which climbers ascend a route that is equipped with preplaced permanent bolts, rather than placing temporary bolts as they climb and removing them on their descent, as is done in traditional rock climbing. It is a form of free climbing, meaning that upward

concussion: Physical examination and evaluation: …the sidelines by using the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), the first version of which was developed during the 2004 Second International Conference on Concussion in Sport. SCAT is a standardized tool used by medical professionals that combines various earlier concussion-evaluation tools.

fishing, the sport of catching fish, freshwater or saltwater, typically with rod, line, and hook. Like hunting, fishing originated as a means of providing food for survival. Fishing as a sport, however, is of considerable antiquity. An Egyptian angling scene from about 2000 bce shows figures

African American literature: Paul Laurence Dunbar: …the most important of which—The Sport of the Gods (1901)—offered a bleak view of African American prospects in urban America that anticipated the work of Richard Wright.

kite: Kite structure: …radical departure in design, the parafoil, a soft airplane-wing shape with no rigid members, used by the skydiver as a parachute, assumes its efficient flying profile entirely from the wind’s inflating the air channels along the leading edge. Another deviation in form is the rotor, a kinetic kite that manifests…

skydiving, use of a parachute—for either recreational or competitive purposes—to slow a diver’s descent to the ground after jumping from an airplane or other high place. The sport traces its beginnings to the descents made from a hot-air balloon by the French aeronaut André-Jacques Garnerin in

automobile: From station wagons to vans and sport utility vehicles: Generically known as sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), the type eventually reached luxury nameplates like Cadillac and Porsche. Derided by some as a frivolous fashion statement and unwise use of resources, the SUV craze was aided by stable fuel prices in the mid-1980s. At the beginning of the 21st century,…

fishing, the sport of catching fish, freshwater or saltwater, typically with rod, line, and hook. Like hunting, fishing originated as a means of providing food for survival. Fishing as a sport, however, is of considerable antiquity. An Egyptian angling scene from about 2000 bce shows figures

Thomas McGuane: McGuane’s first three novels—The Sporting Club (1969), The Bushwhacked Piano (1971), and Ninety-two in the Shade (1973)—present the central plot and theme of his early fiction: a man, usually from a secure family, exiles himself from American society (which he despises for its materialism and triviality), removes himself…

sporting dog, dog that scents and either points, flushes, or retrieves birds and other game on land and in water. The four basic types of sporting dogs are pointers, retrievers, setters, and spaniels. Vizslas and Weimaraners are also sporting dogs. While the breeds differ in size, they tend to be

Patrick Mahomes: Other activities and personal life: …Royals and Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City. Time magazine listed Mahomes among the 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

Patrick Mahomes: Other activities and personal life: …Royals and Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City. Time magazine listed Mahomes among the 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

baseball: Records and statistics: Baseball records have long provided benchmarks of individual achievements. No individual accomplishment possesses more drama for fans than the tally of home runs. Babe Ruth’s single-season record for home runs (60 in 1927) stood for 33 seasons until it was broken by…

lemur: Lemur diversity: …at least 25 species of sportive lemurs (family Lepilemuridae) that live throughout Madagascar in both rainforests and dry forests. They are solitary and nocturnal, feeding on leaves and flowers, which are digested in their enormous cecum with the aid of bacteria. Bacterial fermentation enables energy to be extracted from the…

sports, physical contests pursued for the goals and challenges they entail. Sports are part of every culture past and present, but each culture has its own definition of sports. The most useful definitions are those that clarify the relationship of sports to play, games, and contests. “Play,” wrote

gymnastics: Acrobatic gymnastics: Acrobatic gymnastics, formerly sports acrobatics, has been contested internationally since 1973. In 1998 the International Federation of Sports Acrobatics voted to dissolve, and the sport was subsumed by the FIG. The events in acrobatic gymnastics are women’s pairs, mixed pairs, men’s pairs, women’s trios, and men’s fours. Pairs…

gymnastics: Aerobatic gymnastics: …is aerobatic gymnastics, formerly called sports aerobics. Aerobics exercise has been a popular form of physical training for the general public since the mid-1970s. The highly competitive sports version of aerobics features routines of less than two minutes’ duration performed by individual men, mixed pairs, individual women, and trios. The…

Sports “ain’t never been clean,” says Charles Yesalis, former Pennsylvania State University professor and long-time performance-enhancing drug (PED) researcher. And by “never,” Yesalis means never. Research suggests that the first Olympians were openly doping. “The ancient Olympic champions were

sports betting, form of gambling that involves wagering on sports. Sports betting is one of the most popular forms of gambling because it taps into the passion of sports fans. A bet placed on a race or a game allows fans to prove their knowledge of a sport or to show their loyalty to a particular

Legalized sports betting and the rise of sports betting apps make it easier than ever to bet on your favorite athletes and teams. But before you make any uninformed or regrettable wagers in this type of entertainment (yes; sports betting is a form of entertainment, not investing), you’ll want to

sports-car racing: …utterly functional equipment throughout, the sports car is usually a two-seater, sometimes a four-seater, characterized by its nimble abilities (if not speed and power) together with general suitability for high-speed touring on ordinary roads. Unlike a Grand Prix car, it is usually series-produced, seldom handmade. Some manufacturers of Grand Prix…

energy drink: Energy drinks are distinguished from sports drinks, which are used to replace water and electrolytes during or after physical activity, and from coffee and tea, which are brewed, contain fewer ingredients, and may be decaffeinated. Energy drinks also differ from soft drinks, which either do not contain caffeine or contain…

sports betting, form of gambling that involves wagering on sports. Sports betting is one of the most popular forms of gambling because it taps into the passion of sports fans. A bet placed on a race or a game allows fans to prove their knowledge of a sport or to show their loyalty to a particular

electronic sports game, electronic game genre that simulates a real or imagined sport. The first commercial electronic sports game, as well as the first commercially successful arcade game, was Pong (1972). Produced by the American company Atari Inc., Pong was a simulation of table tennis

Sports Illustrated was founded as a weekly sports magazine in 1954 by Henry Luce, the creator of Time magazine. It became a pioneer in American sports journalism, though its influence waned in the 21st century as it passed through multiple owners. Luce started Sports Illustrated as an attempt to

sports medicine, medical and paramedical supervision, of athletes in training and in competition, with the goal of prevention and treatment of their injuries. Sports medicine entails the application of scientific research and practice to the optimization of health and athletic performance. Since

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), U.S. nonprofit professional organization of sports medicine physicians, practitioners, and scientists. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) was founded in New York City in 1954 as the Federation of Sports Medicine; it changed to its present name

Aaron Sorkin: …parlayed into the TV series Sports Night (1998–2000). A comedy that focused on the behind-the-scenes affairs of a nightly cable sports program, the show was lauded for its clever writing, but it languished in the ratings and was eventually cancelled. Buoyed by the possibilities that television offered, however, Sorkin revisited…

sports: Psychology of sports: Although a book titled Psychologie des sports (“Psychology of Sports”) was published in 1927 by the German psychologist Alfred Peters, the field developed slowly. The International Society of Sport Psychology was not established until 1965. At that time, research tended to focus…

Book of Sports, order issued by King James I of England for use in Lancashire to resolve a conflict, on the subject of Sunday recreations, between the Puritans and the gentry, many of whom were Roman Catholics. Permission was given for dancing, archery, leaping and vaulting, and for “having of May

Book of Sports, order issued by King James I of England for use in Lancashire to resolve a conflict, on the subject of Sunday recreations, between the Puritans and the gentry, many of whom were Roman Catholics. Permission was given for dancing, archery, leaping and vaulting, and for “having of May

sports-car racing, form of motor racing involving cars built to combine aspects of racing and touring cars. Although there are many conflicting definitions of sports cars, it is usually conceded that in normal production form they do not resemble Grand Prix (Formula One) racing machines. Whereas

radio: Sports: Sports coverage on radio began on April 11, 1921, when KDKA in Pittsburgh broadcast the first live sporting event: a boxing match described by local newspaper reporter Florent Gibson. The first live baseball game was a Pittsburgh Pirates–Philadelphia Phillies game covered by announcer Harold Arlin…

Keith Olbermann: …became a cohost of ESPN’s SportsCenter, a position he held until 1997, when he became the host of his own newscast, The Big Show with Keith Olbermann, on MSNBC. He left the network in frustration after his show was renamed White House in Crisis and dedicated to covering the Monica…