Sports Facts
99 flashcards by MentisLibrary
Rules, scoring, records and championship trivia across soccer, basketball, baseball, football, hockey, tennis, golf, the Olympics and more, for casual fans and quiz-night regulars.
- What is a hat trick in soccer?
- Three goals by one player in a single match.
- What is a grand slam in baseball?
- A home run hit with the bases loaded, scoring four runs.
- How long is a marathon?
- 26.2 miles, or 42.195 kilometers.
- What is par in golf?
- The number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to need for a hole or a full round.
- What is the Super Bowl?
- The NFL's championship game, played each February between the AFC and NFC champions.
- How many players does a soccer team have on the field?
- Eleven per side, including the goalkeeper.
- How long is a regulation soccer match?
- 90 minutes, played as two 45-minute halves, plus stoppage time the referee adds for delays.
- How often is the FIFA World Cup held, and when was the first one?
- Every four years. The first was held in Uruguay in 1930, and the hosts won it.
- Which nation has won the most FIFA World Cups?
- Brazil, with five titles: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
- What happens when a soccer player is shown a red card?
- The player is sent off for the rest of the match and cannot be replaced, so the team plays a player short.
- When is an attacking player offside in soccer?
- When the ball is played forward to a player who is in the opponents' half and nearer their goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.
- Where is a penalty kick taken from in soccer?
- The penalty spot, 12 yards (about 11 metres) from the goal line, with only the goalkeeper to beat.
- What are the dimensions of a full-size soccer goal?
- 8 yards (7.32 m) wide and 8 feet (2.44 m) high, measured inside the posts and under the crossbar.
- What is a clean sheet?
- A match in which a team, and by extension its goalkeeper, concedes no goals.
- What is the UEFA Champions League?
- The annual competition for Europe's top club sides, played from autumn to a single-match final in late spring.
- What is the Premier League?
- England's top football division, formed in 1992 when the First Division clubs broke away from the Football League.
- What is El Clasico?
- The match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, Spanish football's biggest rivalry.
- How many players does each basketball team have on the court?
- Five, traditionally a point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center.
- How long is an NBA game?
- Four quarters of 12 minutes each, 48 minutes of playing time.
- How high is a regulation basketball hoop?
- 10 feet (3.05 m) from the floor to the top of the rim.
- How much is a free throw worth?
- One point, shot unopposed from the free-throw line 15 feet (4.57 m) from the backboard.
- What is a triple-double?
- Double figures in three statistical categories in one game, most often points, rebounds and assists.
- When did the NBA adopt the three-point line?
- For the 1979-80 season.
- What is the shot clock in the NBA?
- 24 seconds: a team must attempt a shot that hits the rim within 24 seconds of gaining possession.
- Which NBA franchise has won the most championships?
- The Boston Celtics. Their 2024 title was their 18th, one more than the Los Angeles Lakers had at that point.
- What is a double dribble?
- A violation: dribbling, stopping, then dribbling again, or dribbling with both hands at once.
- What is an alley-oop?
- A pass thrown near the rim that a teammate catches in the air and scores before landing, usually with a dunk.
- What is March Madness?
- The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, a 68-team single-elimination event held each March and April.
- How many players does a baseball team field?
- Nine: pitcher, catcher, first, second and third basemen, shortstop, and left, center and right fielders.
- How many innings are in a regulation baseball game?
- Nine. Each inning has a top half (visitors bat) and a bottom half (home team bats).