Ba Taoshi is a capture-the-flag type game that is quite popular in Japan. Two huge teams of 150 people each vie for the control of one large pole.
Each team is split up into groups of 75 defenders and 75 attackers. The defenders begin in a defensive position, turtling around their own large pole with one teammate on the top. When the whistle blows, the attackers all rush to the pole and attempt to take control of it by pushing the man from the top off, and eventually lowering the pole to a 30-degree angle.
The sport is crazy, and there are often severe injuries. Some of the braver contestants make drastic leaps on top of the heads of their opponents in an attempt to push the opposing team's pole to the ground. You just gotta love seeing risk-takers like these putting it all on the line for a bit of fun. Besides dodgeball, this just looks like one of the all-time best sports in the world!
Just like the man who pushes his airplane to the absolute limit, there's something about daredevils that everyone can't help but respect. Are they brave? Are they stupid? Probably a bit of both.
As more and more of the attackers begin to push the defenders out of the way like a horde of zombies, it really makes it seem as if it's only a matter of time until the red team's pole gets forced to the ground.
Please SHARE this awesome video if you think we should play Ba Taoshi in America!
