1. Sport in Colonial America
Chapter 11
Mechikoff & Estes, A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education, Fourth Edition © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. Colonial America: Attitudes
Attitudes toward sport representative of settlers European background
New England: Puritan
Against play generally
Mid-Atlantic (New York): Dutch, Quaker
Moderate play acceptable
South: Catholic, Baptist, and Methodist
Most friendly toward play
Attitudes were strongly influenced by religion

3. New England Puritans and Sport: 17th Century
Generally cold toward playful activities
All human beings were born “flawed” in the eyes of God
Goal was to restrain the “evil” impulses of sinners
Play was considered “evil”
“idle hands are the devils workshop”

4. Puritans and Sport
The good religious life determined how one should behave
Government was formed to insure religious behavior
Control of emotions and behaviors was critical
Much debate over what was proper behavior
Protestant work ethic
Hard work: a sign that one was destined for heaven
To be seen playing was a sign of moral depravity
Overcoming desire to play was a sign of morality

5. Puritans and Sport Ban on play was recognized to be impossible
Differed from European Puritans
What play is acceptable?
Play that helped maintain civic order
Moderate recreation keeps one refreshed
Abstention from recreation created disorder in life
Fishing, hunting, and walking acceptable
Improved health, renewed spirit

6. Sabbath and Sport Maintain the Sabbath
Examples of people (John Baker) whipped for hunting
Hunting not bad, but failed to keep Sabbath
Sabbath laws (“blue laws”) in effect into the 20th century

7. Amusements in New England
Taverns: American version of English pubs, German beer halls, and European inns
Frontier taverns provided amusements, lodging
Darts and cards were popular games
Marksmanship, boxing, cockfighting, and horseracing were popular
Social amusements became more acceptable as Puritan influence eroded

8. Card games were a popular Colonial pastime
Cards
Image source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
Card games were a popular Colonial pastime
(18th century hand-engraved cards)

9. Sport in the Mid-Atlantic
Quakers of Pennsylvania and Dutch Calvinists in New York:
More friendly toward playful activities
Horse racing popular from the beginning
Improvement of the breed by importing
Gamble on outcome
Bowling, golf, early croquet, tennis, cricket, shooting matches, sleigh rides

10. Sport in the South Growth of sports in the south
No Puritans settled here
Catholicism was dominant religion
Southern gentlemen extremely competitive
Rugged individualism and competitiveness manifest in wagering on horses
Founding Fathers enjoyed horse racing

11. Horse Racing First horse races were a quarter mile long
Led to Virginia quarter horse
Race tracks in Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina
Wagering often heavy, women placed bets
Big races followed by social festivities

12. Sport in the South
Social class often dictated appropriate sporting behavior
Upper class: requisite social and athletic skills
Riding, dancing, fencing, and conversation
Slaves participated as jockeys and boxers
Some slaves gained freedom by fighting

13. Sport in South: Boxing
Many boxers were slaves, providing entertainment and betting opportunities for whites
First well-known American pugilist: Tom Molineaux, who won his freedom from slavery
Traveled to England to fight British champion Tom Cribb in 1810—a rainy day match
After 29th round, Molineaux was winning
Partisan British fans stopped the fight briefly
Molineaux caught a chill and was beaten in 40th round

14. Other Influences on Colonial Sport
Native Americans originated the game of Lacrosse in the Northeast
Expert riders: horseracing and tribal dances
Had many forms of ball games that non-Indians learned and participated in throughout the country

15. La Crosse game, played by Native Americans and Whites (lithograph)
Image source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.