Leisure & Nightlife, VIN-Ă©CA
When it comes to free time, everyone has his or her own activity of choice. While some may like to repose with a nice game of bridge, poker, or chess, others may find bungee jumping or bullfighting to be more engaging, and still others would rather opt for hiking or archery. Luckily, there's no shortage of leisure activities available for those who have the time, resources, and inclination to pursue them.
Leisure & Nightlife Encyclopedia Articles By Title
volleyball
volleyball, game played by two teams, usually of six players on a side, in which the athletes use their hands to......
walk
walk, in horsemanship, moderately slow four-beat gait of a horse, during which each foot strikes the ground separately......
Walker Cup
Walker Cup, golf trophy awarded to the winner of a competition between amateur menâs teams from the United States......
walking
walking, activity that ranges from a competitive sport, usually known as race walking, to a primary and popular......
Wallenda, Karl
...
Was Abraham Lincoln a Wrestler?
Before he wrestled with the future of American democracy as the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln......
Was Andrés Escobar Killed for Scoring an Own Goal?
The murder of Colombian football (soccer) player Andrés Escobar just days after the team suffered a shock exit......
Was Jesse Owens Snubbed by Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympics?
By early 1933 Adolf Hitler had effectively become the dictator of Germany. All non-Nazi parties, organizations,......
Was Maradonaâs âHand of Godâ Goal Legal?
âUn poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Diosâ (âA little with the head of Maradona and a......
Washington, D.C., International
Washington, D.C., International, United States flat horse race attracting leading horses from all over the world.......
water polo
water polo, sport played in a swimming pool by teams of seven with a buoyant ball resembling an association football......
Waters, Alice
Alice Waters is an American restaurateur, chef, and food activist who was a leading proponent of the âslow foodâ......
waterskiing
waterskiing, planing over the surface of the water on broad skilike runners while being towed by a motorboat moving......
weight throw
weight throw, sport of throwing a weight for distance or height. Men have long matched strength and skill at hurling......
weight training
weight training, system of physical conditioning using free weights (barbells and dumbbells) and weight machines......
weightlifting
weightlifting, sport in which barbells are lifted competitively or as an exercise. For other activities using weights......
Wendyâs
Wendyâs is an American fast-food restaurant chain known for its square hamburger patties, Frosty desserts, and......
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, leading U.S. dog show competition, held annually by the New York City-based Westminster......
What Are the Most Dangerous Winter Olympic Sports?
The most dangerous sports at the Winter Olympics, which see the highest number of and most severe injuries, include......
What are torpedo bats?
The torpedo bat, also called the bowling pin bat, is a new baseball bat design that became widely known during......
What Are Yellow and Red Cards in Football?
Few moments in football (soccer) attract more attention than when a referee pulls out a yellow or red card. These......
What Country Has Won the Most World Cups?
The FIFA World Cup is the premier event in football (soccer)âand one of the worldâs biggest sporting competitions.......
What Do the Olympic Rings and Flame Represent?
The Olympic Games were founded on a love of sport, unity, and competition and an ancient tradition of physical......
What does âpit stopâ mean?
A pit stop is a brief halt during an automobile race or journey for refueling, maintenance, or rest. The phrase......
What Is a Modern Pentathlon?
While Summer Olympic sports such as swimming, gymnastics, and football are more popular with worldwide audiences,......
What is baseballâs Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS)?
The Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) is an instant-replay mechanism that Major League Baseball (MLB)......
What Is DRS in Cricket?
In cricket, âDRSâ refers to the âDecision Review System,â a set of technologies introduced in 2008 to help umpires......
What Is the Finalissima?
The Finalissima is a football (soccer) match played between the winner of the European Championship and the winner......
What Is the Offside Rule in Football?
The offside rule in football (soccer) is designed to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage by positioning......
What is the open era in tennis?
In the sport of tennis the term open era refers to the periodâbeginning in 1968 and continuing to the present dayâin......
What Is the Super Bowl Era in the NFL?
The Super Bowl era in the National Football League (NFL) refers to the period that started in 1967 and continues......
What Sports Are in the Winter Olympics?
Since the first Winter Olympic Games, held in 1924, athletes have come together to compete in sports that test......
Whatâs the Difference Between a Lockout and a Strike?
Professional athletes are among the most highly paid workers on the planet. The owners of professional sports teams......
Whatâs the Difference Between Rhythmic and Artistic Gymnastics?
The Olympic Games features dozens of sports in its competitive lineup, including multiple disciplines of singular......
Whatâs the Origin of Happy Hour?
Happy hour is an American tradition in which people gather at a local bar or restaurant (more or less between 3:00......
Whatâs the Tush Push in the NFL?
Itâs fourth down, and the offense is just inches from the goal line. What play does the team run? In some cases,......
When Representing Your Country Becomes Political
When it comes to sporting events, there is perhaps nothing more stirring than the sight of victorious athletes......
Which Countries Have Participated in the Winter Olympics?
Since the Winter Olympics made their debut in 1924, thousands of athletes representing scores of countries have......
Which Country Has Won the Most Olympic Medals?
For athletes, winning an Olympic medal of any kind represents a reward for years (and sometimes decades) of hard......
Which National Teams Have Participated in the FIFA World Cup?
Since the inaugural World Cup, held in 1930 in Uruguay, about 88 different menâs national teams have participated......
Which NBA players have been named most valuable player?
After the conclusion of each NBA regular season, a group of 100 journalists and broadcasters votes to determine......
Which Winter Sport Is the Fastest?
With competitors regularly reaching speeds over 120 miles (195 km) per hour, speed skiing is the fastest winter......
whist
whist, trick-taking card game developed in England. The English national card game has passed through many phases......
Who Has Won the Career Grand Slam in Golf?
In modern menâs professional golf, the four major tournaments are the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and......
Who Has Won the Most Masters Tournaments?
The Masters is one of golfâs four major tournaments and ranks among the most prestigious events in sports. Since......
Who has won the most NCAA menâs basketball championships?
Since 1939 the NCAA has been crowning a menâs basketball champion. It is one of the most coveted titles in college......
Who has won the most NCAA womenâs basketball championships?
In 1982 the first NCAA womenâs basketball champion was crowned, as Louisiana Tech defeated Cheyney State College......
Who Invented the High Five?
The high five is one of the most popular and recognizable gestures in the worldâsecond, perhaps, only to the traditional......
Who Is Marty Supreme Based On?
Marty Supreme (2025) stars Timothée Chalamet as a gifted, cocky, slick-tongued table tennis player determined to......
Who Pays for the Olympics?
The Olympic Games are a costly celebration of sport paid for by both private and public resources. A portion of......
Who Really Invented Baseball?
You may have heard the charming tale of how war hero Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York.......
Who Was the First Person to Survive Niagara Falls in a Barrel?
Letâs say youâre looking to get rich quick. Would you sell your belongings? Play the lottery? Head to Las Vegas?......
Whoâs won the most NASCAR Cup Series championships?
Since 1949 NASCAR has been crowning a season champion, using a scoring system that awards drivers points in each......
Why Are Basketball Hoops 10 Feet High?
Throughout gyms, parks, and driveways around the world, basketball hoops are almost always 10 feet (3 meters) off......
Why are gymnasts so short?
The average female gymnast is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall. That is about 4 inches (10 cm) less than the average......
Why are horseshoes lucky?
Horseshoes are considered lucky because of their traditional association with protection and good fortune. The......
Why are rip currents dangerous?
Rip currents are dangerous primarily because they are often more powerful than they initially seem and move quickly,......
Why are the Olympics held every four years?
The Olympic Games are held every four years to honor their origins and maintain a tradition that dates back to......
Why Do Athletes Wear Numbered Jerseys?
âThe new and enterprising Cleveland Club management has taken the bull by the horns and numbered its players,â......
Why do baseball players chew gum?
Baseball players chew gum to help them maintain focus and stay relaxed during games. Players have described the......
Why do dogs like to play fetch?
Dogs enjoy playing fetch because of a combination of instinctual behaviors, physical exercise needs, and the joy......
Why do horses need horseshoes?
Horseshoes protect hooves from cracking or wearing down on rough surfaces. When horses walk on such terrains, their......
Why do horses wear blinders?
Horses wear blinders to limit their field of vision, which helps them focus on what is directly ahead. Blinders,......
Why Do Some People Call Football âSoccerâ?
One of the best-known differences between British and American English is the fact that the sport known as football......
Why Do Tennis Players Wear White at Wimbledon?
The Wimbledon Championships are the oldest and most prestigious of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments. (The......
Why Does a Football Swerve?
A football, or soccer ball, swerves because of the Magnus effect, in which air moving around the ball creates an......
Why Does âKâ Stand for a Strikeout in Baseball?
The box score of a baseball game is filled with all kinds of shorthand, which is necessitated by the desire for......
Why is a marathon 26.2 miles?
The marathonâs origin traces back to ancient Greece, where a legendary Greek soldier ran from Marathon to Athens,......
Why is it called a spelling bee?
It would be natural to think that a spelling bee gets its name from the buzz created when students compete in bees......
Why Is Shubman Gill Not Playing in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup?
It is not unusual to see teams shake up their rosters ahead of a major cricket tournament. However, more than a......
Why Is the Indy 500 Held on Memorial Day Weekend?
The first full year of auto racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was 1910. Races were held over the weekends......
Wightman Cup
Wightman Cup, trophy awarded the winner of womenâs tennis matches held annually from 1923 to 1989 between British......
wild-water racing
wild-water racing, competitive canoe or kayak racing down swift-flowing, turbulent streams called wild water (often......
Will We Ever Run Out of Sudoku Puzzles?
Realistically, no! There are 6,670,903,752,021,072,936,960 possible solvable Sudoku grids that yield a unique result......
Wimbledon Championships
Wimbledon Championships, major international tennis tournament played annually at Wimbledon, a neighborhood in......
windsurfing
windsurfing, sport that combines aspects of sailing and surfing on a one-person craft called a sailboard. The earliest......
Winners and Losers: A History of the Lottery
Two winning tickets were drawn over the weekend for the $1.8 billion Powerball, the second biggest jackpot in U.S.......
Winter Olympic Games
Once a quieter counterpart to the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympic Games have grown into a sporting powerhouse,......
Womenâs Africa Cup of Nations
The Womenâs Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is Africaâs premier womenâs football (soccer) tournament, held every......
Womenâs British Open
Womenâs British Open, golf tournament conducted annually that is recognized by the Ladies Professional Golf Association......
Womenâs World Cup
Womenâs World Cup, international football (soccer) competition that determines the world champion among womenâs......
Wordle
âą Do you start with the same word every day, or do you vary your opening words? âą How long is your streak? âą Have......
World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic (WBC), international baseball tournament, first held in 2006, in which many of the worldâs......
World Cup
World Cup, in skiing, trophy awarded annually since 1967 to the top male and female Alpine skiers. In World Cup......
World Cup
World Cup, in golf, trophy awarded to the winner of an annual competition for two-man professional teams representing......
World Geography Quiz
Test your knowledge of the countries of the world with Britannicaâs Geography Quiz! Identify countries on a world......
World Series
World Series, in baseball, a postseason playoff series between champions of the two major professional baseball......
World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker (WSOP), The World Series of Poker consists of a series of poker events that culminate with......
wrestling
wrestling, sport practiced in various styles by two competitors, involving forcing an opponent to touch the ground......
X Games
The X Games are extreme sports competitions held twice a year. The Summer X Games typically feature skateboarding,......
Xbox
Xbox, video game console system created by the American company Microsoft. The Xbox, Microsoftâs first entry into......
Zika at the Rio Olympics: Is the Risk Real?
In January 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus a Public Health Emergency of International......
écarté
écarté, card game usually played for a stake with nonplayers making side bets. The game was highly popular in France......