Maryland celebrates 60th anniversary of state sport; Jousting history recognized by citizens

 Maryland was the first state in the United States to adopt a state sport and nominated jousting after a long history. This sport has been around since the Middle Ages as a form of war but translated over the years into jousting tournaments.

     Typical jousting tournament men are on horseback and trying their hardest to strike their opponent while riding towards each other at high speed and attempting to unhorse them. The winner is crowned a hero and praised with large amounts of money. The horses travel up to 25 miles an hour and result in an explosive encounter through the meeting of the ‘knights,’ according to Britannica. 

         Europe used jousting as the main method of war but through the introduction of guns, this type of warfare became unnecessary, thus, the creation of jousting tournaments. The early founders of Maryland were fond of these tournaments. Through the creation of the Maryland Jousting Tournament Association pushed a bill to make jousting the official state sport. Because of its long history, this bill was overwhelmingly embraced.

     Currently Delegate C.T. Wilson has proposed a House Bill 0199, and this bill would repeal jousting as the state sport and replace it with lacrosse. Miller said, “We have a lot of better sports like lacrosse and baseball that should be the state sport instead.” The bill has been met with hard criticism and resistance from people who wish to preserve its deep roots in Maryland’s history.

     In this age, the idea of jousting is foreign to the younger generations. Sophomore Preston Miller has only heard of jousting in “a ton of old movies,” and he had “no idea that it was Maryland’s state sport.” 

     Junior Alex Burman does not think that jousting should be Maryland’s state sport. “I don’t know one person that does it, definitely not worthy of the state sport title,” said the eleventh grader.

     Junior Emma Siri is hesitant on her ability to excel at the sport but she would definitely do it.  “I  would just need some training, then I could be like a knight in shining armor,” said Siri.   Burman has differing views on this topic, “I don’t think I would participate. I do not know how to ride a horse, and I have no desire to ride a horse.”

     Safety is a huge concern for Miller and he says, “I would need to be safe while trying to get stabbed off of a horse.” It’s a concern for Burman as well and he says, “I don’t want to get hurt and I don’t think it’s the safest to get thrown off a horse.” To ease their concerns, there are a ton of safety precautions put in place for jousters, the most noteworthy are full body suits of armor.