African American Sports In The 1920s

When the 1920’s were coming around the bend, many things started booming. Such as organized crime, fashion, and automobiles. Sports was one of these to blow during the 20’s. During the 1920s there were many forms of sports rising up, with baseball being one of the older sports it has always been a long time favorite for Americans despite the dangers of the sport and the 1919 World Series scandal.

The 1920’s was a grand time for the United States. Banks were failing, the Stock Market was crashing and the economy was falling apart, however sports were flourishing through these times. Football, track, tennis, boxing, and baseball were some of the most known sports in the 20s. During the 20s many sports had racially divided teams, for example baseball had a African American league called the Negro Leagues. Some sports were allowing integration of African American players with white players. For example, Henry Mcdonald was the first black male to play professional football, and Jesse Owens was the first African American to be a four-time Olympic gold medalist. Sports was not just for men, women played as well. Helen Wills was a professional tennis player and won her first championship in 1921 when she was just 13. Boxing was another sport that made its appearance in the 20’s, one of the most well known boxers

Baseball has not always been the famous diamond and sand filled bases that we know of today. Earlier in the 20’s the bases were marked with stakes, they were later replaced with the sand-filled bases due to injuries. The original placement of the bases formed a square, afterwards A.G. Mills designed the first diamond for the baseball field. Baseball has not always been an American sport, baseball is based around the same principles as the British games cricket, and rounder. Baseball has been around for decades, and has always and always will be America's favorite pastime.