Sports
Cricket is the most popular sport in the city. Cricket is played in various modified versions (generally referred to as gully cricket) are played everywhere. Junagadh is affiliated to Saurashtra Cricket Association. The all time great batsman of Pakistan, Hanif Mohammad is from Junagadh. Junagadh had a first-class level cricket stadium until 1973/74, called Jaffar Maidan, where Ranji Trophy matches were played. But with time the ground became a grassland. Since then the city hasn't got a cricket ground. After nearly four decades, now a domestic-level cricket ground is being developed at Vivekanand School Ground.
Various other sports such as football, basketball, volleyball etc. are also played. Many inter school and inter college tournaments are held annually and act as a good platform for the upcoming talents in athletics, swimming etc.
Junagadh has a swimming pool run by Junagadh Municipal Corporation. Junagadh agricultural university has a good ground hosting many tournaments.
Junagadh gymkhana was established before independence by Nawab of Junagadh. It has various sports facilities such as Indoor Badminton wooden court, several Tennis clay courts, Billiards room, Table tennis room, Carom and Chess room and a cards room. Gymkhana holds annual tournaments of Tennis, Badminton, Billiards and Teble Tennis. In summer they provide cricket coaching to young cricketers.
Junagadh also has Horse riding club run by Junagadh Police. Police Training College in Junagadh organises various horses shows, many state police tournaments annually.
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Famous quotes containing the word sports:
“I looked so much like a guy you couldn’t tell if I was a boy or a girl. I had no hair, I wore guys’ clothes, I walked like a guy ... [ellipsis in source] I didn’t do anything right except sports. I was a social dropout, but sports was a way I could be acceptable to other kids and to my family.”
—Karen Logan (b. 1949)
“It was so hard to pry this door open, and if I mess up I know the people behind me are going to have it that much harder. Because then there’s living proof. They can sit around and say, “See? It doesn’t work.” I don’t want to be their living proof.”
—Gayle Gardner, U.S. sports reporter. As quoted in Sports Illustrated, p. 87 (June 17, 1991)
“In the past, it seemed to make sense for a sportswriter on sabbatical from the playpen to attend the quadrennial hawgkilling when Presidential candidates are chosen, to observe and report upon politicians at play. After all, national conventions are games of a sort, and sports offers few spectacles richer in low comedy.”
—Walter Wellesley (Red)