Oină is a traditional Romanian sport whose official rules were confirmed by a royal decree of King Carol I in 1912. The King’s Cup is awarded to the men’s team and the Queen’s Cup is awarded to the women’s team tournament champion. This weekend, Margareta from Romania and her husband presented the two trophies.
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The King’s Cup and the Queen’s Cup in oină
Oină is a sport, which externally has many similarities with baseball. Two teams of 11 players face off on a 70-meter field, running with a baseball-like ball and also hitting with a bat. This sport, of which some imagine traces from the 14th century, has an attested mention at the end of the 18th century. However, it was in 1898 that the then Romanian Minister of Education decided that sport should be practiced in physical education classes at school. The sport then knows its first unified official rules for the whole country.
This weekend took place the finals of the King’s Cup and the Queen’s Cup. Margareta of Romania, Guardian of the Crown, and her husband, Prince Radu, attended the sporting confrontations. ACS Frontiera Tomis Constanța faced CS Biruința Gherăești Neamț in the men’s final. The Guardian of the Crown presented the King’s trophy to the Constanța team, winners of this 9th edition of the King’s Cup.
Margareta from Romania threw the bat to the sportsmen. This is one of the peculiarities of this sport, the game of which begins with the referee throwing the bat. The team that catches it according to certain rules can start the game with the bat in their hands.
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Margareta and Radu from Romania present the trophies to the oină champions
On the women’s side, it was Prince Radu who presented the Queen’s Cup to CS Progresul Băilești, who faced CS Dacia Mioveni. The matches took place in the Arc de Triomphe rugby stadium in Bucharest. The Royal House is always committed to respecting traditions and promoting Romanian cultural and sporting particularities. Margareta from Romania gives her high patronage to the Romanian Federation of oină.
The Royal House recalls that the oină was officially and legally recognized by a royal decree of May 15, 1912, signed by King Carol 1st. This royal decree, which was published in June 1912 in the Official Gazette of Romania, approved the rules of the game as they had been published in 1898.
