Obscure Japanese names for Western sports

Particularly in the prewar era, Japan decided that Western sports should have native Japanese names, so this ranking survey from goo Ranking looks at Japanese names for sports that it would be impressive to know.

Most of these names have faded into history with the usually English name imported into the language; about the only one to survive is field-ball, yakkyu, baseball. Table tennis is table-ball, takkyu (which everyone knows), but I presume that comes from Chinese, so it doesn’t count.

Note that the results appear twice; first without the original English so you can try your hand at guessing from the literal translation.

Googling “thrust ball” gives me this, which might not be a sport:

Ranking result

Q: What Japanese name for sports would it impressive to know? (Sample size=941)

Rank	Kanji	Literal	Votes
1	撞球	Thrust-ball	268
2	排球	Expel-ball	104
3	鎧球・米式蹴球	Armor-ball, American style kick-ball	101
4	避球	Evade-ball	71
5	籠球・籃球	Basket-ball	61
6	打球・孔球	Hit-ball, hole-ball	51
7	杖球	Cane-ball	50
8	闘球・ラ式蹴球	Fight-ball, Ra-style kick-ball	49
9	塁球	Base-ball	47
10	送球	Throw-ball	44
11	蹴球・ア式蹴球	Kick-ball, A-style kick-ball	33
12	庭球	Garden-ball	25
13	洋弓	West-bow	14
14	羽球	Feather-ball	8
14	拳闘	Fist-fight	8
16	氷球	Ice-ball	7

Q: What Japanese name for sports would it impressive to know? (Sample size=941)

Rank	Kanji	Literal	Sport	Votes
1	撞球	Thrust-ball	Billiards	268
2	排球	Expel-ball	Volleyball	104
3	鎧球・米式蹴球	Armor-ball, American style kick-ball	American Football	101
4	避球	Evade-ball	Dodgeball	71
5	籠球・籃球	Basket-ball	Basketball	61
6	打球・孔球	Hit-ball, hole-ball	Golf	51
7	杖球	Cane-ball	Hockey	50
8	闘球・ラ式蹴球	Fight-ball, Ra-style kick-ball	Rugby	49
9	塁球	Base-ball	Softball	47
10	送球	Throw-ball	Handball	44
11	蹴球・ア式蹴球	Kick-ball, A-style kick-ball	Football	33
12	庭球	Garden-ball	Tennis	25
13	洋弓	West-bow	Archery	14
14	羽球	Feather-ball	Badminton	8
14	拳闘	Fist-fight	Boxing	8
16	氷球	Ice-ball	Ice hockey	7

Demographics

Between the 5th and the 19th of February 2021 941 visitors to the goo Ranking site and associated properties completed a public questionnaire. No further demographics were given.