Jack Anderson is a professor of sports law and global expert in governance, and regulation. He advises sporting bodies and contributes widely to public debate – as well as being a Limerick hurling supporter.
At the launch of the revived 'The Epic Origins of Hurling' by alumni of St Joseph’s Fairview, Brendan McGrath, a former pupil of the original author Brother Ó Caithnia, noted that in the 17th and 18th centuries, hurling in Ireland was the plaything of landlords. McGrath highlighted that the landed gentry would regularly wager 300 guineas on a game (roughly €80,000 today).
Similarly, the origins of sports as diverse as boxing, baseball, cricket and, of course, horse racing were all predicated on the punt.
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