Book review: Fox Tossing, Octopus Wrestling And Other Forgotten Sports

FUCHSPRELLEN is the inspiration for Edward Brooke-Hitching’s first book. 

Edward Brooke-Hitching

Simon & Schuster, €14.50

The writer and documentary filmmaker’s German may not be the best, but even he was able to recognise the words ‘fox’ and ‘bouncing’.

It was a cruel, peculiar activity which involved throwing a fox as high as possible and piqued Brooke-Hitching’s interest, leading to this A-Z of forgotten sports, activities, and games.

Meticulous research has led to fascinating accounts of these forgotten sports’ origins and endings, offering great nuggets of information.

For example, did you know the pub name ‘Dog and Duck’ owes its name in part to duck-baiting — or the bloody origin of the phrase ‘to beat around the bush’?

Then there is eel-pulling, ice tennis, and phonebooth-stuffing, as well as the day in December 1937 when cheetahs took on greyhounds in Romford, Essex. All of these and more are covered in this intriguing, go-to guide on the weird and wonderful activities of years gone by.