Juego de pelota (Spanish), pitz (Mayan), or ullamaliztli (Aztec) was the ballgame Mesoamericans played. The goal of the game was to keep a rubber ball in play by mainly using a person’s hips. However, the ball courts themselves tell interesting stories.
The Mesoamerican ballgame was nearly all played by adolescent and adult men of all classes. The game became very popular and spread throughout Mesoamerica, especially in Mexico. Stone courts were built near a town’s market or ceremonial complex, and were first used my members of nobility, and then common people.

Nobles often played the ballgame, for they were normally the people who built the courts in the area. They would become professional players and challenged each other (other nobles) to games on major feast days. These games would involve gambling too.

Many of these ball courts have carvings on them. They would be of God to scenes of the game. Many carvings also show the sacrifice that happens after the game.

Some Mayans thought that ballgame was associated with the Underworld. In one carving in the South Ball court of El Tajin, a story is shown of the aspects of Venus. Mayans believed that the game was a game in between the Gods, impersonated by players.

Overall, ball courts are an important object in Latin American history. They resemble beliefs and classes. They also express stories of what happens and how important the game is.

Source: Scarborough, Vernon L. and Wilcox, David R. The Mesoamerican Ballgame. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1991. Print.