This is an unpublished essay I wrote in the wake of the first Covid-19 lockdown, at a time when most sport events had been abruptly cancelled. In the essay, I explore one peculiar sport (or sport-like) phenomenon that rose dramatically in popularity as a result: marble racing. Because marble racing recreates the aesthetics of sport with HD clarity, it can serve as an occasion to reconsider what sport is, how sport tells stories, and what those stories might mean for us at this strange historical juncture.
“Finding our marbles: How a YouTube phenomenon can help us rethink sport.” Available at: https://sophushelle.com/2020/08/21/finding-our-marbles/. Written in August 2020, uploaded in April 2021.