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Knights began competing in tournaments as practice for war.
At first, two big teams of knights would meet each other in
confusing, hand-to-hand combats called melees. Later, tournaments
became social gatherings to show off a knight's fighting skills
and to celebrate important events like weddings or treaties.
Knights fought mostly with blunt weapons so nobody would get
seriously hurt.
A popular part of a tournament was the joust. Two knights would
charge toward each other at top speed and try to knock each other off
his horse with a single blow of the lance. The knight also got points
if he broke his lance on his opponent's shield.
Tournaments were great celebrations and could last a week or longer.
They began with feasts and dancing and ended with prize ceremonies and parties.
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What kind
of armor is in your closet? Maybe you don't need jousting
armor like a medieval knight, but chances are you engage in a
sport or pastime where you need some kind of modern-day armor.
Play baseball? Better wear a batting helmet. If you're a catcher,
you're protected from the mask covering your face to the shin
guards on your legs. These boys play on their school's football
team. They wear helmets to protect their heads, sturdy guards
on their shoulders and legs, and even special shoes.Their fans
identify them by their numbers, team colors, and logo—a kind of
heraldry that's used in most competitive sports.
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