Does anyone know the history behind why pirates are always portrayed with wooden legs?
by 
jenny_gurlie1984
ANSWERS: 1
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Because, as seen by landsmen, there were an awful lot of sailors with wooden legs. Sailing was a very hazardous profession, a lot of sailors had to leave the profession because of lost hands and legs. Of course, there were plenty of uninjured sailors - but they were away at sea so landsmen didn't see them. So the stereotypical "old sailor" had a wooden leg or a hook.
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