What is the oldest American sport in history?

How far back in history do you want to go? The Native Americans in Canada played a game very much like lacrosse and the Mayan or Inca culture played a form of soccer. Both of these games often used a human skull for a ball.

If you just mean since the settlement by caucasians, some Pilgrim probably said "last one to that rock is a rotten egg" and started a footrace. Target shooting would probably have been a very early competitive sport. Hunting, at that time, would have been an occupation, not a sport.

If you just mean professional sports, bare-knuckle boxing may be the oldest, but it was not organized. The "champion" would travel from town to town in the old west and challenge the local tough guys, offering prize money to anyone who could beat him, but collecting enough in admission fees that he didn't go away without some profit even if he lost.

Also

• Rodeo is the oldest TRUE American sport. All others come from another country or are variations of a sport from another country.
  
• An arguement could also be made for fencing.

fencing is correct.

First answer by ID3591221314. Last edit by Lulu123456789101112. Contributor trust: 1 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 211 [recommend question]