Many years back, while passing one or another of Boston’s many institutes of higher learning, I saw a group of students running around holding brooms between their legs. I eventually determined that they were playing a real-life version of the game of “Quidditch”, from the Harry Potter books (and movies and theme parks and…).

Instead of flying, the players run with ersatz broomsticks positioned between their legs as they jostle, catch, defend and tackle to score points and win.

I’m all for new sports, and letting people enjoy things is usually a fine idea. Nevertheless, at the time, I found this more than a little ridiculous. I still do, and I’m just not buying this as a reasonable explanation for the “brooms”:

“The broom adds a layer of skill and complexity to the sport, through a handicap which works the same way you must pass a ball backwards in rugby, or can only kick the ball” in soccer, according to QuidditchUK, the sport’s governing body in Britain.

Anyhow, “quidditch” is now “quadball”, so it’s a little less goofy than it was before.