Sports in Society: Issues & Controversies Chapter 3 Looking at the Past: Does It Help Us Understand Sports Today?

General Historical Issues Evidence suggests that physical activities and games have existed in nearly all cultures There are fewer contrasts between the games that different people play today Decreasing contrasts are due to cultural diffusion and the power and influence of nation-states and sponsoring corporations

Historical & Cultural Variations Variations exist because Sports are cultural practices that can serve a variety of social purposes People create sports within the constraints of the social worlds in which they live

Characteristics of Dominant Sport Forms Today Secularism Equality Specialization Rationalization Bureaucratization Quantification Records

Ancient Greece Sports were Grounded in mythology Linked with religions beliefs Characterized by Gender exclusion Frequent violence Absence of administrative structures Absence of measurements & record keeping

Roman Contests and Games Emphasized spectacle, combat, and the power of political leaders Characterized by Diversions for the masses Exclusion of women as athletes Absence of quantification and record keeping

Medieval Europe Folk games played by peasants Tournaments played by elite for purposes of military readiness Gender restrictions grounded in religious dogma and beliefs Games lacked specialization and formal organization

Renaissance, Reformation, & Enlightenment Increasing control over peasants People’s lives often restricted by labor Calvinist and Puritan beliefs did not promote or support leisure Sports constituted diversions for people

Industrial Revolution: Early Years Organized competitive sports emerged, especially among elite Time and space for games were limited in urban areas Slavery among Africans, and exploitation of other workers limited widespread involvement in sports

History Lessons: Origins of Distorted Views Who tells the stories about what sports were like in the past? Whose perspectives are used to frame these stories? How is power related to whose stories are told and how they are told? Why are histories usually incomplete?

Industrial Revolution: Later Years Growing emphasis on rationality and organization in society & sports Most sports were segregated by social class and race Women’s participation in sports was very limited

Organized, Competitive Sports in the US: 1880-1920 Sports often were used by wealthy people to reinforce status distinctions The organization of sports favored the interests of people with power and wealth Increased sport participation opportunities for workers, especially men (continued)

Organized, Competitive Sports in the US: 1880-1920 (cont) Sport participation comes to be linked with character development Organized sports were tied close to ideas about masculinity and femininity skin color and ethnicity age and disability

1920 to Today: Struggles Continue Over Meaning, purpose, and organization of sports in communities and society Who will participate in sports and the conditions under which they will play How and why sports are sponsored

1920 to Today: Struggles often are related to issues such as: Entertainment, professionalization, and commercialism Masculinity and violence Nationalism and chauvinism Gender inequities and homophobia Racism and racial discrimination Physical abilities and access to participation Class dynamics and use of resources Media images and narratives

The histories of sports are linked to ideologies in society.

Sports History does not just happen Sports history has always depended on the actions of people as they construct physical activities in their lives Historical changes in sports have often occurred in connection with people’s visions of what sports could and should be like There have been many struggles that have influenced the meaning, purpose, and organization of sports in society Sports history will continue to emerge in connection with struggles over people’s ideas about sports and the ideals that guide those ideas