List of Throwing Sports A-Z
Throwing sports encompass any sport in which participants launch an object into the air or forwards by utilizing hand and arm strength. There are a few different types of throwing sports, which are typically centered around throwing for distance, like shot put, or feature participants throwing at a target, like darts. Throwing sports also range from individual sports like javelin to team sports like baseball. At the professional level, throwing sport athletes can launch objects at tremendous velocities that the average person might find unfathomable. However, because of the high velocity created by their arm movement, many athletes experience injuries to their shoulders or arms during their playing careers. A prominent example of a sport in which these shoulder injuries occur is baseball, where pitchers often experience an array of arm ailments at the professional and college levels.
Major throwing sports events include the Olympics, Paralympics, and Commonwealth Games, with pro leagues such as Major League Baseball also putting throwing sports on display. Famous throwing sports athletes include MLB baseball pitchers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, known for their immaculate arm strength and throwing accuracy. Javelin thrower Breaux Greer, who competed in the Olympics three times and holds the national record for the United States, is another widely successful throwing athlete.
Throwing Sports List A to Z
- 16-Inch Softball
- Axe Throwing
- Baseball
- Boomerang Throwing
- Boßeln
- Brännboll
- Bunnock
- Caber Toss
- Calva
- Cirit
- Club Throw
- Cornhole
- Darts
- Decathlon
- Deck Tennis
- Digor
- Discus
- Double Disc Court
- Finnish Skittles
- Flutterguts
- Goaltimate
- Gorodki
- Guts
- Haggis Hurling
- Hammer Throw
- Harpastum
- Heptathlon
- Horseshoe Pitching
- Horseshoes
- Icosathlon
- Jai Alai
- Javelin
- Jereed
- Jeu Provençal
- Juggling
- Jukskei
- Klootschieten
- Knife Throwing
- Military Pentathlon
- Mölkky
- Oina
- Over-The-Line
- Oztag
- Quoits
- Shot Put
- Shurikenjutsu
- Slow-Pitch Softball
- Softball
- Steinstossen
- Tejo
- Tetradecathlon
- Throwball
- Track And Field (Athletics)
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Varpa
- Washer Pitching
- Weight Throw
- Yukigassen
FAQ
What are throwing sports?
Throwing sports come in many different forms, each with different objectives and equipment. For example, throwing sports such as javelin, discus, and hammer throw challenge athletes to throw the furthest distance in order to win. Other throwing sports like darts, axe throwing, or horseshoes rely on the accuracy of throws at a target to win. Team sports like baseball and softball have an entirely different objective of scoring the most runs in order to win but rely heavily on throwing the ball as a main function of the game. Many of these sports use a variety of different equipment and involve throwing entirely different objects altogether. With the wide range of activities included in the throwing sports category, there is surely something for everyone to enjoy.
How many throwing events are at the Olympics?
There are currently four throwing sports included in the Summer Olympic Games. The four sports are javelin, discus, hammer throw, and shot put, which are all track and field (athletics) events. Weight throw was previously an Olympic sport but was removed after the 1920 games in Antwerp, Belgium. Baseball and softball were featured in past Olympics, most recently in the 2020 Tokyo Games, but will not be a part of the 2024 Paris Games. In the Paralympics, track and field (athletics) events are also held, such as discus, shot put, and javelin.
What throwing sports feature an overhand throw?
An overhand throw is when an athlete swings their arm in a forward-moving motion over their head. Some sports that use an overhand throwing motion are: baseball, javelin, shot put, axe throwing, and hammer throw. Ultimate frisbee also contains some overhand throws, depending on athletes’ preferences, but some participants choose to throw underhand or sidearm. The most popular of all these throwing sports that feature overhand throwing mechanics is likely baseball. However, some pitchers in baseball also favor throwing sidearm or “submarine style” based on what is most comfortable for them.
What are the most popular throwing sports?
Some of the most popular throwing sports in the world include baseball, discus, javelin, shot put, and hammer throw. Four of these sports (discus, javelin, shot put, and hammer throw) are currently featured in the Olympics, with baseball having also been included in the Olympics as recently as 2020. The goal of shot put, discus, javelin, and weight throw is to see who throws the furthest ball, disc, or spear, respectively. Meanwhile, baseball is centered on throwing the ball to batters and throwing a baseball to teammates when playing defense to record outs.