I Played The World’s Most VIOLENT Sport

Extreme sports usually make me think of mountain biking, bungee jumping, or people jumping out of planes. But today, I’m taking part in a sport more extreme and violent than all of those combined. I present the Stone Ball Game. Jesus, oh, oh, oh, something’s happening. There’s some commotion. This is British sport at its finest. This once-a-year tradition has been played for 825 years, with all sorts of controversy along the way. This year, police have threatened to shut it down unless people clean up their act. But there are only two rules to this game: the ball must stay on Long Street, and if possible, try not to kill anyone. Maybe it’s not that dangerous after all.

You wait till the SE, well, so this is quite civilized at the moment, very. You wait till they kick the [__] out of each other at the end. Yeah, I’m here in Aon, with the hardest man I know, not just the top half. Oh, come on, I’m not having that. The event starts in about an hour and a half. In the meantime, I want to look around the town and see what the locals are up to. The police presence, the ambulances, the shops are boarded up. It’s absolutely chucking it down here as well, which isn’t going to help things, and there’s a genuine worry that this might be the last year. You’ve been talking to some people, and they fear this could be the last one.

It’s quite heavily policed this year, by the sounds of it. Yes, uh, because they’ve heard we’re coming. Oh, just wink, sorry. Oh sorry, you repulsed me. Anyway, to the town center, just the library there, bed up. So, this is the street it’s taking place on, all the way down Long Street. It’s got to stay on this street. If you take it off the street, you have your head chopped off or something. I don’t know what happens, but you basically have to keep it on Long Street. That’s part of the rules. Apparently, there’s the ball there, a little bit bigger than the real thing. I think I’m going to get my hands on that today.

I should say that in order to win this game, you just have to be the last person holding the ball at the end of the two hours. Apparently, it’s been thrown from the top of this estate agent’s. Why they’ve picked an estate agent, I’m not quite sure to be honest. But that’s what’s happening, and then all hell breaks loose, basically. So, we’ve got ourselves a first-aid station, which always comes in handy, ambulance, a few police cars, they’re prepared just in case things get a little out of hand, which I guess is the point of the game really, isn’t it?

So, it kind of feels a bit strange. Another police van is turning up, a riot one in the background there. They’re prepared. And if I’m going to be playing this game today—at least, I’m going to try—I want to at least try and touch the ball at some point, that would be ideal but also unlikely. It would be funny though if I did win it. Probably unlikely to do that, but I feel like trying. We’re still 45 minutes away from kickoff, it’s absolutely chucking it down. I’ve seen people in shorts. It’s just mental, this whole thing. I’m sure the weather won’t put people off. It’s a really big deal here in this town. Everyone who wins becomes a hero and goes down in history.

People are taking time off work, people are taking time off school, missing the day, that kind of thing. It’s a big important day this. They’re throwing out sweets there for the kids; I hope they’ve got a good dentist here. Something’s happening. There’s some commotion. People are marching down, a group of lads marching in, ready for the match, ready for kickoff at 3:00.

I’m here with a local, Alex. “Hello, am I going to be all right? Am I going to die? Will I get battered?” “Depends how close you get in—uh, possibly.” Right, we are 10 minutes from kickoff, and the atmosphere is building. You can tell some people are really up for it, rugby shirts on. They’ve been having a few drinks beforehand, they’re ready. A quick reminder, it’s 3:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, 5 minutes to go. The chanting’s begun, they’re on the shoulders. I’ve had several warnings from people that things might get quite interesting early on and at the end of the game. This is about to get crazy.

Here we go. Jesus. Oh my, and it’s a scrum. There are legs in the air. Where’s the ball? I’ve got no idea. I don’t know where the ball is. Where’s the ball gone? I can see some legs. I see punches are going already. I can see it. I think it’s going to get booted up here in a minute. They’re all scrapping for it in the center. I’m pretty sure it’s going to get kicked all the way down this end in a minute. It’s just a massive scrap. I’ve got no idea what’s going on. This is British sport at its finest.

The crowd’s moving. How are they going to get down here? Where’s the ball? We can’t see. There’s a scrap in there. I haven’t seen the ball in a while; it’s in there somewhere. Marshals are getting involved in the center. It’s getting pretty mental in the middle there. I think they need to boot it somewhere; it’s getting stuck in the center. It’s been booted over there now. The ball isn’t getting much air time at the moment. It’s a lot on the floor, a lot of scrapping for it.

Something’s happening. Got to get a grip of the ball. It’s a little bit like The Purge, in a way, except you get a ball involved and have some fun with it. Someone’s got it, they’re carrying it. The guy is shirtless, you know it’s serious when he’s shirtless. And off it goes into another crowd. The crowd now moves forward. Everyone’s just moving towards it. It’s getting tasty. This is a bit crazy, to be honest. I mean, 99% of people that are here are actually taking part. It’s more of a spectator sport. I’m going to wait a little bit longer, I think, before I get closer because the thinking is this goes on for 2 hours, right? You don’t want to lose all your energy straight away. Give it an hour and a half, then get in is what I’m thinking. It’s all tactical, you see.

This is bake day, and we should be, you know, eating lovely circular cooked battered cakes, instead of battering each other. Hang on a second. It’s got stuck. I think part of the tactic is to try and get it into one of these doorways. If you can keep it in there for as long as possible, time to get in the mix. Oh God, we’re very close to this. We’re getting very close now, like a couple of meters away from it. It’s literally just down there. I think they’re letting people have a kick of it. I’m young, I’m five promises so far. Marshals are on everything, making sure it’s all being played fairly, just a fun sport.

Maybe it’s not that dangerous after all. Wait till the end. This is quite civilized at the moment, but you wait till they kick the [__] out of each other at the end. Yeah, awful, that’s what I get about this. Let me tell you, really bad. Oh yeah, have you ever got involved? No, no, I kicked this a couple of times when I was there. I kicked it about three feet. No one looked at me, just spoke to a local who said this is tame at the moment. It gets to a point where they’re kicking each other towards the end.

The police are all waiting for it to come back this way. I think they know teams are moving into positions, they’re moving further down. I think they’re expecting the ball to go back down from the other end now. It’s all tactical, it’s a game of tactics this. It’s not just fighting each other; you’ve also got to go up and down the street. This is the sort of game that requires a scotch egg, which actually looks a lot like the ball.

They’re really going for it now. That’s the most we’ve seen so far, I think. Not a very good kick this time. Still haven’t got anywhere near touching it yet. We got like two meters away, but realistically wasn’t anywhere near. They’re moving it, they’re moving it, and somewhere in the mix over there is the ball. We think, but we don’t really know. I think they’re just preparing for another kick somewhere.

Jesus, there it is. I mean, it’s chaotic, yes, but it’s kind of controlled chaos so far. It’s been a good game, I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been fun. It’s a release valve for this community. If you hate the postman, you can chin the postman. You can slap your child’s teacher, these kinds of things. I like that. It’s a release valve, and I think all communities should have this game. I’m all for it.

Right, it’s halftime, and as the saying goes, have a halftime pasty. Uh, the game, still the game still going on. What’s happened? Well, no one could have won, whatever, whatever. It’s halftime. Little pasty, cold, tell you. Well, for a cold pasty, that’s pretty good. That’s pretty good. Back to the action, you’re in the last 35 minutes. This is when things start to get a bit more intense. The scrums started now, they’re starting to get on top of each other, really wrestling for the ball to get off each. This is where it starts to go and get a bit more aggressive. You can really feel that change in the atmosphere. They’re all going for it. I mean, they’re really going for it now.

He is. Oh. Oh, go then. I’ll be very surprised if the ball moves much further down now. I think it’s going to be quite Scrappy last 30 minutes. Look how hectic that is. Rwanda getting a shout out there, really scrapping, fighting out. This is a once-a-year event. Could have some pancakes. He’s on top, he’s standing, he is riding that crowd. Oh, hang on.

The Undertaker. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Just to be clear, that was a guy over his air pulled, so he couldn’t stand on top of the crowd. Then, it’s again, it’s all part of the tactics, trying to stay on top of each other. I’ve said that like I know what I’m talking about, first time here, but part of it, I it seems. Oh, oh, someone challenging the ball. Gu, the police have taken a keen eye on what’s going on here. Um, still, a bit, people being hit and battered. That’s all part of the fun though, in all fairness. If you don’t want to get battered, just don’t take part. You know, that’s a pretty easy way of sorting it out between people. It’s not as if any of the stand, stand, oh, it’s not as if anybody sort of standing and watching is particularly in danger, so it’s kind of like fair play. I think, let it continue. It’s a bit of fun, bit different.

The police are moving in, or at least getting closer. Helmet just in case. Really going for it. The battles for who’s on top. Long guy’s not learned his lesson, he’s still going for it. Just some legs flailing there. Where’s this damn ball? I not seen it in like half an hour at this point. Know the part when I said I was going to get involved? Think I changed your mind. Now I’m sort of involved, sort of playing, of in a, in a way.

Oh, troops are off, hands are flying. I’ve got competition, they’re vlogging as well. Place, oh, there’s another one, another one making his move. Oh, oh, 15 minutes to go. Ball has still been kept in this, uh, shop front. One by one, people challenging after each other, and one by one, they keep getting dropped. They’re really going for it here. He’s at the top. I can see a shoe. I can see a shoe. What’s your thoughts on the game? 10 minutes to go. I don’t get it, I don’t get it, I don’t get the point. About 5 or 10 minutes left to go now, not much longer. I mean, there’s no chance of getting in there now, is there?

Oh, couple SC for a few minutes left. He takes his trousers. Oh, hello, that’s what you’re in, so go for it. Oh, oh, there’s got to be like a minute or two left now. Any late charge? Oh, that’s it, we have a winner. I’ve got a clue what it is. Let’s let’s see if there’s an after beer or whatever. I don’t know. A lot of topless people lost the clothes. They’re all down the street down there. A few people bleeding, stuff, but generally, I think that was police pretty well. It was chaotic, it was manic, but generally, the marshals, I think, did a pretty good job. What a game, what a game.

Well, I think I Shamu’s boss really got stuck in there, didn’t I? I was there for my part. I don’t anybody go. Oh, we didn’t actually play in a way. I did. I got pretty close to the ball. It’s not always about play. It’s the taking part.