Ways Done in the Past - Fun and Games

The Youth Olympic Games at City Hall, Padang on 21 February, 2008.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as Guest-of-Honour at the final countdown of Youth Olympic Games 2008.

According to legend, the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Heracles (the Roman Hercules), a son of Zeus. Yet the first Olympic Games for which we still have written records were held in 776 BCE (though it is generally believed that the Games had been going on for many years already). At this Olympic Games, a naked runner, Coroebus (a cook from Elis), won the sole event at the Olympics, the stade - a run of approximately 192 meters (210 yards). This made Coroebus the very first Olympic champion in history.

In 2010, Singapore hosted the world's first Youth Olympic Games. First in the history of modern society.

"Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG): History, today" by my blogger friend Ivan Chew here .

The following are some technical definitions of sports and games found on the Internet.

However, I do not wish to go into a debate or an argument over the definition of which is which on my personal blog topic or a thesis about this subject.

Sport vs Game

People often take game and sport as to be the same one. However, game and sport are entirely different. A game involves more than one person and a sport pertains to only an individual’s skills and performance.

A physical activity, Sport is carried out under an agreed set of rules. Sport is related to recreational purpose, either for self-enjoyment or competition or for both. A game is also for recreational activities and it involves one or more players. Played on the basis of a set of rules, a game is defined as a goal that the players try to achieve. As like sport, game is also played for enjoyment.

Sport is an activity or activities where the material capabilities of the sportsperson are looked upon. In a sport, it is the sportsperson or the individual who determines the outcome. Well, an individual’s talent does not determine a game. It is the entire performance of the players that determines the winner in a game. An individual’s skill or performance, though has much significance, does not count much in a game; it is only the coordination and team spirit that leads the game.

A person participating in a sport is called as athlete or a sports person. A person who participates in a game is known as player.

When a game relies on strategy, sport is based on individual performances and luck.

In a sport, the athlete can take independent decisions, but a player cannot take such independent decisions in a game. A decision is taken at a game collectively among two or more players.

All sports can be games, but not all games are sports.

Do you know that skipping is both a game and a sport?

Lets take a look at "The Jumping Jewels" , a family of rope-skipping enthusiasts, both young and not so young to keep fit and a fun way for family-bonding.

They also participated at the "South East Skipping Challenge" at Changi Simei Community Centre at the "12-hour Skipping Challenge" on 19 Dec 2009 and 20 Dec 2009.

South East CDC general manager Terence Ho said that the skipping campaign had galvanised residents, schools, corporate partners and well-wishers on a cause to celebrate fitness, friendship and camaraderie. "It also provides a platform for the community to do their part for the needy".

"The South East Skipping Challenge was a district-level effort to skip for a good cause. For every 20 skips that we accumulate, our corporate sponsor, Lam Soon Singapore, will exchange it for a bowl of Natural Organic Brown Rice to be donated to our needy residents. Anybody can skip, and every skip counts. Let's skip for a good cause".

A young girl plays with skipping rope made of rubber-band c 1980.

A skipping relay at Bukit Ho Swee Government Chinese Primary School c 1968.

Skipping game at Pasir Ris housing estate c 1996.

What is sportmanship ?

“Good sportsmanship” or “being a good sport” is an important part of all games, sports, and competitions. While winning can be cool, being a good sport means realizing that it’s participating, trying your best, and having fun that matters the most!

This blog topic "Fun and Games" was inspired by my blogger friend Lam Chun See in his new book "Good Morning Yesterday" on Chapter 5 quoted below:

The Singapore that I grew up in was very different from the Singapore of today. We had no Internet, computer games, mobiles phones; and television did not arrive until I was in Primary 5 in 1963. As for toys, there were very few available in the shops. Anyway, they were a luxury that few families could afford.

Life must be really boring; I can hear the young reader saying. Just how do children spend their time in those days? Well, I can assure you, life was not boring at all, and we had lots of fun and games. Before television invaded our living rooms, much of our entertainment was found outdoors. We had nature at the doorstep. And we had creativity.

Long before the advent of online games were played on the Internet on home computers, PSP or iPhone in the bus, on the MRT trains, in the loo, while eating, while walking on the roads and everywhere became a dilemma which children and adults became addicted. In the 1960s, life was simple. There were simple games for the individuals or as a team at school, at work or community centres for us to play. And enough time to do our homework and time to rest as done in the past...without the worries of our parents.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" as the proverb says. It means that without time off from work, a person becomes both bored and boring.

Whether its for children or adults, there is time to work and there is time to play for recreation, to relax and rest for a balanced lifestyle. Humans are not robots!

Gaming at Libraries? Why not?

Uncle Dick Yip of "The Wise Old Owl" blog shows us here .

With the archived photos curated with the credit of National Archives of Singapore with acknowldgement and thanks on the blog to share with everyone.

Games are played by people everywhere on earth since 776 BCE and even earlier.

There are games to have fun, kill time, as brain teasers, teamwork to build rapport with family, colleagues, friends and neighbors.

There are games played by the individual or as representatives of every nation in the world such as the Olympic Games and those grouped by the various types of games.

There are different games supported and cheered with different preferences by different people as spectators.

There are also games for gambling. But that is a totally different ball of games which other bloggers may be interested to blog on other topics.

Another related blog on Games Kids Play .

The favourite games of "mahjong" at home in the kampong days.

The treasured photos of former Minster Mentor Lee Kuan Yew:

A game of darts during two-day carnival of Singapore University Students Union Welfare Month at Raffles Institution on 6 June, 1964.

A game of table tennis at Tanah Merah Holiday Camp after officiating at the opening of the camp built by the People's Association on 23 October, 1960.

During the National Day Rally 2011, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong quoted a more cheerful blog here to watch the webcast video clip on the "Memories of Malaysia Cup 1994 (Singapore vs. Pahang), by Mr Muhammad Raydza :

"I love showing support to the Lions battling it out at Malaysia Cup... I was 17 years old then, a mere school boy.

When we were walking towards the stadium, there was this feeling of euphoria and anxiety anticipating the match, as everywhere we went, fans of both sides were in their best country’s colours.

The feeling was simply awesome when the final whistle was blown, as if the whole Singapore was there at Shah Alam".

The most memorable moment during the whole Malaysia Cup, to me, was not the players, instead, the integrity of the fans, to come together as one, and only in this competition where we see strangers become good friends and buddies become family. This is what I’m definitely hoping for in the next Malaysia Cup, and not so much of the win.

"But I hope the Lions win too", Prime Minister Lee quipped, to the laughter of everyone.