I’d heard this sport described many times but when I first saw the ball courts during a trip to Chichen Itza I still had a hard time believing it. “You’re telling me that a bunch of guys were able to knock a seven-pound ball through that tiny little goal ring up on the wall using only their hips? Surely someone got a translation wrong.”
It wasn’t until a more recent visit to the Yucatán that I got to see a live exhibition match (in period costume and all) where it all came together. It takes quite an impressive level of skill just to play the game, but seeing those goals was thrilling and I’m not even a huge sports guy.
