Chapter 13 Sport in the Twentieth Century Mechikoff /Estes, A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education, Fourth Edition © 2006, The McGraw-Hill.

Chapter 13

Sport in the Twentieth Century

Mechikoff /Estes, A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education, Fourth Edition © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sport in America

Model for sport in place by late 1800sMovement to the cities supported the push for sport and recreational activitiesTechnological advancements were used in the sport worldTelegraphs, radio, and television contributed in the spread of sport informationSports journalism developed

Sport and Playful Activities

Became increasingly accepted because Americans felt moreComfortable with the bodyBecame free of religious restrictionsBecame related to the physical aspect of humans

Attitude Towards Sport Many different views

Generalizations difficult to make

Sport is practiced in rural and urban areasSport exists in premodern and modern formSometimes viewed as exercise of body only Also viewed as means of achieving integration of mind and bodyChanges in attitude occurred and are illustrated by trends in sports

College Football

Evolved into the most popular sport on American college campuses“King of Intercollegiate Athletics”Coaches became national heroesBowl games began with Rose Bowl in 1902Trophies and awards were granted

Heisman Trophy

Intercollegiate football, 1902

College FootballIntegration of football programs began in the late 1800s1892: first game between two black collegesSafety of the game was in question

1905: 18 football players were killed Pres. Roosevelt called meeting to reform the game Agreement to keep footballFormed a governing agency for football

Recruiting violations were also a problem

College Football

1910: governing agency was renamed the NCAA Held an educational role

Adopted minimum eligibility rules38 charter members who developed the forward pass rule

Professional Football

Played as early as 1894Players were blue-collar workers and former college football playersStruggled to gain legitimacy1920: the American Professional Football Association (APFA) was formed

Jim Thorpe was the first presidentTeams were first of modern professional football

Professional Football

APFA name changes to National Football League (NFL)

Early struggle for respect and popularityKey players and advertising help build fan base

1946: Color barrier broken when Kenny Washington and Woody Strode join the Los Angeles Rams

Professional Football

1960: American Football League (AFL) is formed1966: First Super Bowl1970: Merger of AFL and NFL

BaseballHugely popular at all levels (professional, community, school)Reflected societal trends: whites played in the Major League and African Americans played in the Negro League

Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the first black to play in the Major LeagueEddie Kelp, a white man, briefly played in the Negro LeagueBoth men were the object of racial taunting

Baseball

First Negro League World Series, 1924

Basketball1891: Dr. James Naismith invented basketball at Springfield College (originally the YMCA)Game was an instant successYMCA became the “hotbed” of basketballHigh school and colleges adopted the sportPopular with both men and women Colleges, YMCA, and the AAU all had different sets of rules

Basketball1915: Joint Committee developed

Representatives from the NCAA, AAU, and YMCA Agreement on uniform rules

Game caught on quickly around turn of 20th century1896: first basketball leagues formed in Denver1901: Eastern colleges formed Intercollegiate LeagueAmerican military introduced the game around the world during World War I

New York University, winner of AAAU basketball championship, ca. 1920

Boxing

Outlawed in many states in early 20th centuryPopular sport for betting Matches often took place in remote locations to avoid bans on boxing and gambling

Boxing: Jack Johnson (1879-1946)

First African American heavyweight champion (1908-1914)Often barred from fighting champion white boxersFlouted social conventions of the timeAuthorities misapplied the Mann Act; Johnson convictedJohnson lived abroad but eventually returned to the U.S. and served his sentence

Boxing

Jack Johnson (left); Jack Dempsey (right)

Volleyball

1895: William Morgan developed the game

Massachusetts YMCAOriginally called “minonette” and played over nine inningsJuly 1896: first published account of gameGame was promoted by the YMCAAlso adopted by the American military

Women and Sport

Attitudes reflect cultural biases about play and sport

Sport builds manliness—so not for womenDance became integral component of physical education programs

Some women’s colleges did provide athletic programsFemale physical educators discouraged competitive events

Women and Sport

Key early figuresBlanche TrillingMabel LeeAgnes Wayman

Mildred “Babe” Didrikson ZahariasSuccess in 1932 Olympics and as professional golferUndermined idea that women were unsuited for athletic competition

Women and Sport1957: Formation of organization to administer women’s athletics, eventually called Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW)1972: Title IX

All teams in high schools and colleges are open to both sexesEqual opportunities and financial support must be provided

1975-1983: NCAA takes control of women’s intercollegiate sports, AIAW disbands