“Not far from one quarter of the entire national income of America is expended for play and recreation” (1920s Sports”). During the 1920s, many people had enough money to spend on entertainment and a lot of people spent the money on sports. In the 1920s, there was many sports including boxing, baseball and football. In the 1920s, sports grew in popularity, and had a major effect on American society. First, baseball was one of the biggest sports in the 1920s. Then football will come in and have an impact on American society. Boxing was always a big sport, but in the 1920s the popularity grew more. Out of all the sports in the 1920s, baseball had grew the most in popularity.
Baseball was an essential part of American society in the 1920s.
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Michael Oriard wrote in his article Gridiron Football, “Attendance more than doubled, exceeding 10 million by the end of the decade, and newspaper coverage of the sport expanded at a similar rate.” Football originally came from rugby and soccer combined together. Football came from rugby by running with the ball and having an 18 foot goal post and a cross-bar at 10 feet above the ground. Football came from soccer by kicking the ball a certain length and then trying to score a goal on the opposite side of the field. Football became popular because many men wanted a contact sport that entertained them and was fun at the same time. Many people looked up to football players in the 1920s. Jimmy Conzelman was a halfback at Washington University in Saint Louis. Jimmy Conzelman played as a quarterback for many years with different teams. Jimmy played for the Decatur Staleys, Detroit Panthers, and Rock Island Independents. Jimmy also coached after he played. Jimmy coached the Milwaukee Badgers, Detroit Panthers, St. Louis Gunners, and Chicago Cardinals. John "Paddy" Driscoll was a quarter back and a coach in football. Paddy played quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals, and Hammond Pros. Paddy also coach football in his career. Paddy coached the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago Cardinals in his
American football has quickly become America’s favorite sport, nothing like turning on the TV on a Saturday or Sunday and watching some football with friends or family. Whether you love it or hate it there is no denying that football has become one of the most popular sports on the planet. Despite the controversy surrounding the dangers of football, it has still developed into a multi-billion dollar industry. Pretty much everyone has heard of football or the stars that surround it, but few people know how football got its start. Football is believed to have descended from the ancient Greek game of harpaston.
Bill was good at football something he inherited from his father who was assistant coach
In his days as a player, he became one of the most successful tight ends of all time and a player with great morals that kids looked up to. He played for the Dallas Cowboys; then he played for the Chicago Bears where he eventually went on to coach for them in the 1980’s. Ditka made “427 receptions, had 5812 receiving yards, and scored 43 touchdowns” in his career, which were unprecedented totals for a tight end at the time (“Mike Ditka” 1). When his career was over, Ditka went into coaching. His “wildly popular” 1985 Chicago Bears included the legendary running back “Walter Payton and one of the best defenses in NFL history” (“Mike Ditka” 2).
Sims was considered the greatest runningback in Oklahoma history from 1978-1979. During his career he led the Big 8 in rushing, led the nation in scoring, and set an all-time NCAA record at seven yards per carry. However, throughout all of Oklahoma history, the most famous player to wear the Sooner jersey is Lee Roy Selmon. Selmon was considered one of the best defensive players to ever step on the field in football. He went on to be the first Sooner to ever be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame
A linebacker from Penn State that had a great career in the NFL in Jack Ham. Penn State’s nick name is “Linebacker U”. Jack Ham played 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and won four super bowls. He is an eight time pro bowler and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
A small kid from Santa Barbara, California by the name of Randall Cunningham wanted to play football. Randall Cunningham played the position as a Quarterback and played 16 seasons for National Football League. Not only did Randall play the position as quarterback he also played as a punter. Randall Cunningham played for the Eagles before being drafted to the Vikings. Randall Cunningham was known for throwing the farthest footballs in college but his best throwing pass was when he made an epic play in the second quarter of the game by throwing a pass to Fred Barnett.
The late 1800’s was a time of mass progression for the United States. The west and east coast were finally connected through the completion of the railroad, making businesses and travel spread throughout the nation. Large corporations formed, the age of steel came about -- making cities more compact and vertical like the modern day, and there was a class breakdown economically making once lower-class individuals have a say in the market, forming the middle class. With all this new growth added to the economy, people finally could have leisure money to spend and some businessmen took notice and tried something that would later change the way Americans and soon the world consumed sports. If we look at the year 1859 we can see the pioneers of the professional baseball.
Theodore Roosevelt in his letter to his son, The Proper Place For Sports(1919), proposes to his son that football in college is dangerous and he should think before he play. He supports his claim by first bringing up the subject, then telling his son of he should make the decision, then telling his son to not let sports get in the way of school, in closing he states general things going on to change the subject. Roosevelt’s purpose is to beget the problems of football in order to make his son realize the consequences of playing and make him rethink. He adopts a sincere tone for his athletic son.
Before the 1920’s, football was overshadowed by baseball and it’s rising superstars, which largely gained popularity through the use of media. When analyzing the rise of college football in America, it is no surprise that media had the same impact on it’s growth in popularity. Media was a key reason why Americans became interested in college football. Most people could not afford, nor could they find transportation to get to the Saturday college football games. With the introduction of the radio and the press, people now had a way to be informed with what was happening in the world of sports.
The Victorian Era was the history of the United Kingdom during Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901. The Victorian society was broken up into four different classes, Gentry, Upper Class, Middle Class, and Working Class. Depending on what class you were a part of determined the type of diversion you got to participate in. Of course, the higher classes were involved in a wider range of activities. The lower classes activities were limited and not as diverse.
The 1920’s were a very exciting and well remembered time era for the changes the way sports are played today. During this time period watching as well as playing sports became much more popular as a method of relaxation or a way to spend some free time having fun, just as it is today. Babe Ruth’s outstanding skill and dedication changed the game of ball since people of all races and colors would watch his games, and was a huge role model to many young kids, giving them a dream to someday become a great player just like him. Babe Ruth’s record setting performances brought a whole new social life to people in the 20’s.
The early 1900s was a time of industrialization and economic prosperity in the United States. Following after World War 1, there were several events that followed like the Harlem Renaissance, the invention of televisions, the advent of credit and the Golden Age of American Sports. The United States had a very strong economy during America’s post-war and many workers had more free time. Advances in architecture resulted in new and bigger stadiums and radios were becoming a social norm. Radios made it easier for citizens to keep up with their favorite teams and newspapers often talked about the popular topics surrounding sports.
Picture it: New York, 1920, automobiles filled with flappers and Jazz music flooding the streets, a new age is here. Now this setting did not always occur in the country. The women would wear modest clothing, every daily task was done by hand, social standards were set no matter your race, and drinking became a serious problem despite your age or gender. However this all came to an end during the American’s Golden Age. The 1920s was a time in the country’s history where gender was defined, industries boomed, and political problems arose.
America's pastime then and now is baseball. Baseball’s best player in the 1920’s and probably the best in baseball's history is know as George Herman Ruth, or more commonly know
Era Of 1901- 1925 America is the land of the free and home of the brave. Americans have experienced highs and lows. A certain era has experienced more than it’s full share of both celebrations and tragedies. The era of 1901-1925 was significant to America. It was significant to America because of the development of the National Football League (NFL) , the Titanic tragedy, and the invention of the first television set.