Death & Sports

The primitive lure of dying to compete and competing to live is a never ending Cree of athletes across the globe.

About 250 years B.C, the Romans started gladiator matches. Approximately one or two out of 10 bouts were fought to the death for thousand of Roman spectators. These savage gladiator fights went on for about 650 years. The vast majority of combatants were slaves, but the lure of ultimate competition also drew in volunteers to fight in these deadly battles. Many freelance warriors were ex-soldiers skilled in fighting, upper-class patricians, knights and even senators. http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-roman-gladiators

More than 2000 years later, the potential for being killed in competition continues, and it's more then OK with those directly involved.

In January 2013, free style snowmobile bronze medalist, Caleb Moore died when he was 25-year-old while competing in ESPN's Winter X Games. Moore was attempting a backflip in the freestyle event in Aspen when the skis on his 450-pound snowmobile caught the lip of the landing area, sending him flying over the handlebars. Moore landed face first into the snow with his snowmobile rolling over him. http://xgames.espn.go.com/xgames/article/8901435/caleb-moore-died-snowmobile-accident-x-games-aspen

Colten Moore, Caleb's younger brother, a three time gold medalist in the same sport hasn't competed since 2014, but he plans to get back to the X Games. Colten's autobiography detailing his sporting adventures with his brother Caleb was released on January 19, "Catching The Sky." If Colten wins another gold medal, he will once again dedicate it to his deceased brother Caleb like he did with his last gold medal he said. http://xgames.espn.go.com/xgames/athletes/3015324/colten-moore

Colten said on ESPN's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," he plans to keep pushing the limits, and Colten has already landed the same backflip in competition which killed his brother in 2013.

In January of 2012, Canadian X Games, star Sarah Burke was killed practicing when she hit her head during a fall. At 29-years-old, Burke paid the ultimate price doing what she loved. Burke was a four-time Winter X Games gold medalist, and won the world championship in the halfpipe in 2005.

Spectators are not free from the price of death in Nascar events. Since 1990, at least 47 spectators have died while attending live races. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/thatsracin/article9152399.html

On February 18, 2001 iconic racing sensation Dale Earnhardt was killed while racing at the Daytona 500. http://www.autopsyfiles.org/dearnhardt.htm

Over 100 cyclists have died during races in the past 120 years. The most recent competitor to perish in a major race was 36-year old Wouter Weylandt during the 2011 Giro d’Italia. Over 100 cyclists have died during races in the past 120 years. http://www.thesportster.com/entertainment/top-20-athletes-who-died-in-action/?view=a This same web site also states that on average, two jockeys a year lose their lives during horse races.

Light weight boxing  champion in the 80s, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini on November, 13, 1982 literally beat Duk Koo Kim to death. Kim died from brain injuries he endured during the fight.  http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/39150762/ray-boom-boom-mancini-tells-his-story-in-new-book-the-good-son

Cheer leading has accounted for approximately 66 percent of all catastrophic injuries in high school girl athletes over the past 25 years. Catastrophic injuries are severe injuries to the spine, spinal cord or brain and can include skull or spinal fractures.

In 2011, there were almost 37,000 emergency room visits for cheer leading injuries among girls aged 6 to 22, according to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pediatricians-want-cheerleading-called-a-sport-over-injury-risk/

The risks of being killed in the heat of competition is always prevalent. The lure of live sports entertainment and those directly involved in the games can't seem to get enough and are perpetually pushing the envelope of extreme gaming.

In a high school essay, Caleb Moore wrote, “One of the things I found most memorable was Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. My favorite quote is when he says, ‘I wanted to live deep and suck out all of the marrow of life,’ I agree with him. We only get one shot in this life, so go for it,” Caleb said. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2016/01/18/colten-moore-carries-on-caleb-moore-x-games-legacy/78972090/