National pastime

A National Pastime is a sport or game that is consider to be a culturally intrinsic part of a country or nation. The term national pastime is mainly used in North American English. In British English the term national sport is used.

Related Topics:
Sport - Game - Country - Nation - North American English - British English

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although there are normally no official parameters towards defining what is a National Pastime, there are some general things most sports or games that are National Pastimes have in common, including:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• The rules and objectives of the sport or game are known in fairly great detail in the country or nation.
• The game or sport is widely played or watched in the country or nation.
  
• The game or sport has a long history of popularity or extreme current popularity in the country or nation.

In some countries, sport or game can become the official national pastime by mandate of the government, such as with Canada and lacrosse in 1859. http://www.lacrosse.ca/nationalsport.asp

Related Topics:
Canada - Lacrosse

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In other countries, where the sport or game has such a long history, such as with baseball in the United States or sumo wrestling in Japan, the sport or game is often considered a de facto "official" national pastime.

Related Topics:
Baseball - United States - Sumo wrestling - Japan - De facto

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
National pastime: List of Countries' national sports/pastimes ►