Important Mayan rulers may have been incinerated and had their ashes turned into rubber balls for sport.

UncleScoopy

“We have evidence they were incorporated into balls. During the Classic Period, the balls were gigantic.”

As one commenter noted, if the Mayan tradition had endured, we could still have Richard Nixon to kick around.

4 thoughts on “Important Mayan rulers may have been incinerated and had their ashes turned into rubber balls for sport.”

  1. If I recall correctly, Nixon made that famous statement after losing the race for governor of California, 2 years after losing to JFK. But 6 years later, of course, he was elected president. I was born in 1968 and don’t really have any memories of Nixon as president. I do have a vague recollection of his resignation. By the time I knew who Richard Nixon was, Watergate had completely overshadowed his presidency. My parents had a David Frye comedy record called “I am the President” that I listened to as a kid. I thought it was very funny, but what I found truly fascinating about it was that it was filled with Nixon humor without any reference to Watergate (probably because it was released in 1969). I think listening to that record was the first time I learned who Spiro Agnew was. I actually used that record as a source for a term paper about Nixon I wrote in 7th or 8th grade. I had read in (I think it was) John Dean’s book that early in Nixon’s presidency, they used to joke that Agnew was assassination insurance because no one would want to kill Nixon if it meant Agnew would become president. In I am the President, Agnew was portrayed as a moron. It went something like:

    Frye as Nixon: “Spiro Mr. Eisenhower will teach you the days of the week, and the months of the year…”
    Agnew “Colors! I want to learn colors!!!”

    When the Watergate scandal became a big deal, that Agnew joke took on a new seriousness as the White House, according to Dean, started looking at Agnew as impeachment insurance. There was undoubtedly something to that as Agnew was forced to resign before Congress began considering impeachment.

    I wasn’t sure if it was Dick or David Frye so I double-checked with Google, which is how I learned I am the President was released in 1969. But I also learned the entire album has been uploaded to YouTube. I think I will listen to it again tonight just to see if it is as funny as I remember. If anyone else would like to experience pre-Watergate Nixon humor here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNUFBqqjzho&ab_channel=Jason1920

    1. When Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announced his retirement the first time in 1979 this is the first thing he said to the press:
      “If I can be permitted to turn around a phrase, I would say that I’m kind of sorry I won’t have you to kick around any more.”

  3. Too bad the custom died out. We could have proved Nixon wrong. We could still have him to kick around.

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