ViralBall: American sports, explained
How the Baseball Playoffs Work, Round by Round
Twelve teams make the postseason: six from the American League and six from the National League. The two best division winners in each league skip the first round. Th…
NBA
All NBAHow the NBA Play-In Tournament Works
Seeds 7 through 10 in each conference play for the last two playoff spots. The No. 7 and No. 8 seeds need o…
NFL
All NFLWhat Is a Safety? The Rarest Way to Score Two
A safety is worth two points, and it goes to the defense. It happens when the offense is responsible for th…
MLB
All MLBHow the Baseball Playoffs Work, Round by Round
Twelve teams make the postseason: six from the American League and six from the National League. The two be…
NHL
All NHLWhat Is Icing? Hockey's Most Confusing Rule
Icing is called when a team shoots the puck from its own half of the rink past the other team's goal lin…
New here? Start with the rules
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MLB Explainer
Why There Are Exactly 108 Stitches on a Baseball
A major-league baseball has 108 double stitches, which makes 216 single stitches. Each ball is sewn by hand with 88 inches of waxed red thread. Re…
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NHL Guide
Hockey Standings: Where the Points Come From
A win is worth 2 points. A loss in overtime or a shootout is worth 1. A loss in regulation is worth 0. Teams are ranked by points, not by wins. Ea…
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NBA Explainer
Why Is the Hoop 10 Feet High? Blame a Balcony in 1891
The first baskets were nailed to a gym balcony rail that happened to sit 10 feet off the floor. That was December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusett…