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Baseball's effect on american culture
Effects of baseball on american culture
Baseball culture in america
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Sports and Leisure During Late 1800s Early 1900s
There was a rise in leisure, recreational, and entertainment facilities in the early 21st century. A reduction in working hours and a higher level of income for many people throughout the twentieth century which created a demand for facilities where people could relax, enjoy each other's company and enjoy their hobbies and interests. The strongest start of leisure was in the period between 1894-1915. At this time, the working class saw a decrease in hours that they could work in a day. They wanted to find a new way to relax and have fun. The 1920s would soon become known as the “Golden Age of American Sports” leading into the growth of the sports world today.
After the Civil War, organized
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By the 1850s, the sport rapidly spread to many parts of the country as teams were formed from all classes of society. Baseball soon became more organized and it became America's pastime. Baseball was at a strong point during the 1920s. This time period saw the rise of players such as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) soon became a household name all across the country. Lou Gehrig didn’t start his career until 1923, but he became a fan favorite and was called Iron Man because he played in 2,632 games straight. The two combined for 627 home runs and earned the nickname for the infamous Yankees team in the 1927 as “Murderers Row”. Baseball would soon own the spotlight in all of sports with the crowds nearing capacity every game. The fans of baseball wanted to use their time off from the laborious factory jobs to watch the best baseball players during this era. Even though the 1920s had ended with the beginning of the Great Depression, America’s love for baseball was able to help many people through the rough times by enjoying a baseball game and other new growing sports. The sport of American Football had traces back into the 1830s but was started in 1879 with rules instituted by Walter Camp, player and coach at Yale University. The game was originally based off of Rugby. The phrase touchdown was brought from the score in rugby when you …show more content…
Baseball, Football, and Boxing were the frontrunners in attendance at the events. The sport of boxing was originally unliked by many people because of its violent nature, it soon became a large part of the U.S. growth in leisure. The Depression and the New Deal turned the trend toward participant sporting events. Although in the Depression millions were out of work, the average worker had more leisure time because of less people having jobs. The Federal Government put lots of funding into recreation facilities, spending almost $1.5 billion by 1938. State, county and local governments added another $500 million. The WPA built 10,000 tennis courts, 3,026 athletic fields, 2,261 horseshoe courts, 1,817 handball courts, 805 swimming pools, 318 ski trails and 254 golf courses. In 1934 Congress authorized the establishment of fish and game sanctuaries in the national forests for the first
“The athletic craze began in the late nineteenth century when American’s were looking for some recreational activities to add to their daily lives during the Depression. In the cities, industrial wage earners frequented play grounds. They went dancing at the dance halls and had fun at the amusement parks. People that lived in rural areas simply rode bicycles, played baseball or football. “
The 1920s were known as the Era of Mass Popular Culture. People were extremely social and loved to be entertained in large social groups. These social groups allowed people with the same interests to spend time together and enjoy themselves. Sports brought people together more than all other events. The people of the 1920s were entertained by sports that were also played by Negros and women.
"Topics for Work." America at Work / America at Leisure, 1894-1915. Library of Congress: American Memory, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. .
Sports were in rising popularity before and throughout the 1920’s. The economy was working astonishingly well, and the common American had substantially more disposable income that they did not have before. This gave numerous people the money to pay for the cost of entertainment services. Baseball was by far largest in popularity, with stars such as Babe Ruth. The 1919 World Series caused much commotion during this time, and slingshotted the popularity of Baseball and subsequently the popularity of other college and professional sports. New innovations such as the Radio and Television, made it easier to listen and keep track of sports and news across the country. This created a common culture with Americans and gave
The 1920s was an important time in sports. Many people have called the 1920s the Age of the Spectator, or even the Golden Age of American Sports. The United States had a strong economy for most this decade, so workers had more leisure time. This also meant that new and bigger stadiums could be built. Many people were interested in sports and the radio made it easier for fans to keep up with their favorite teams. Newspapers increased their coverage of sports and printed dedicated sports sections. From George Herman “Babe” Ruth (baseball) to Bobby Jones (golf) sports had a huge impact on American life, helping the 1920s to become known as the Golden age of American
The 1920’s was a period of extremely economic growth and personal wealth. America was a striving nation and the American people had the potential to access products never manufactured before. Automobile were being made on an assembly line and were priced so that not just the rich had access to these vehicles, as well as, payment plans were made which gave the American people to purchase over time if they couldn't pay it all up front. Women during the First World War went to work in place of the men who went off to fight. When the men return the women did not give up their positions in the work force. Women being giving the responsibility outside the home gave them a more independent mindset, including the change of women's wardrobe, mainly in the shortening of their skirts.
The 1920’s were considered by some as the Golden Age of sports. These sports at this time were on the uphill rise to becoming more popular. Sports in general started to become very popular among the average person, especially young farmers or factory workers when they got done with the day’s work.
Sports popularity skyrocketed in the 1920”s becoming a big part of the American populations lives. Boxing was able to attract the entertainment dollar with legendary fighters and great fights, boxers became famous in the world and the boxing matches became the biggest must see events. Sports grew in popularity during the 1920’s, and boxing was one of many sports that got popular during this time (Boxing).
Since the sport first emerged, baseball and America have shared the same values, responded to the same events, and struggled with the same social and economic issues. To learn of the ideals concerning the sport of baseball in America, is to know the heart and mind of America. Baseball developed before the Civil War but did not achieve professional status until the 1870s (The Baseball Glove, 2004). In 1871, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was formed. Unfortunately, the organization ran into financial hardships and was abandoned in 1875.
Americans began playing baseball on informal teams, using local rules, in the early 1800s. By the 1860s, the sport, unrivaled in popularity, was being described as America's "national pastime." Alexander Joy Cartwright of New York invented the modern baseball field in 1845. Alexander Cartwright and the members of his New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club devised the first rules and regulations for the modern game of baseball.
Entertainment in the 1920s began changing after World War I. Because people had more money and were more prosperous, they were able to go to theatres, clubs, and sporting events. Although the greatest form of entertainment had been motorcars, it was a form of freedom that people had never experienced. Sports began to become more popular. “Baseball became popular with the great mass of people for the first time”(Fischer). Because of another form of entertainment gaining popularity, the radio made it easier for fans to keep up
...t and leisure, to creating equality amongst everyone. The history of sports has been marked by division and discrimination but also has affected modern popular culture and changing social attitudes and standards towards gender equality, social-class and race. During the Gilded Age and after, sports finally broke the barrier between gender, social-class, and equality. It allowed blacks to be able to play sports with whites, women to play sports with men, and it allowed the poor to play sports with the middle-class and wealthy. Not only did sports in the Gilded Age allow barriers to be broken, but it also allowed sports to be shared amongst different races, women, and social-classes. Different sports such as prizefighting, boxing, and swimming were introduced by the minorities in society, and have now become some of the most popular sports today.
It was a known as a colorful time, the jazz age and the dollar decade. As World War I (WWI) came to a close many Americans wanted to simply forget about the Europeans and the war and live life to the fullest. Some chose to amuse themselves with soaring stock profits, illegal liquor, short skirts, and what many would look upon as shocking morals. This was a time of dramatic social and economic change. Many people were uncomfortable with this sometimes-racy “mass culture.” The Roaring Twenties was a time filled with youth hosting wild parties. Everything had a feeling of carelessness to it. People from all around the world were doing the same type of things as Americans were. As for the economic change, the total wealth of the U.S. nearly doubled from the year 1920 up until the great crash in 1929. Most African Americans knew this period to be the Harlem Renaissance. Many famous Jazz artists, playwrights, and sculptures came from the Harlem Renaissance. Some of which were Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes and Augustus Savage. Many other discoveries included sports legends, writers and gang life. Some of which were Babe Ruth, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Rudolph Valentino.
Baseball was first introduced into the American culture, by English immigrants in the early 18th century, and its popularity slow grew. It wasn’t until the Civil War the popularity of the game spread, and both Union and Confederate soldiers played baseball during lulls in the fighting. After Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, soldiers from both the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) and the Army of the Potomac (Union) played baseball. (Schackelford Jul 4, 2009) This was the beginning of the American people love of Baseball began. It was also the first mention of baseball being the national game. During the bloodiest war in our countries history Baseball was there to help the two sides heal. It was another fourteen years till 1879 when Football would be invented.
Hoffman, Frank W., PHD, and Bailey, William G., MA, (1991). Sports & Recreation Fads. New York: The Haworth Press.