Should Athletes Be Role Models Research Paper

1219 Words3 Pages

Athletes: Should They Be Role Models? During the 1932 World Series, between the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees, George Herman Ruth Jr. also known as Babe Ruth hit arguably the most famous home run in baseball history. After Ruth pointed to the outfield, his next hit went exactly where he pointed. Consequently, many generations of children would mimic Ruth while playing baseball. Moreover, children of that time idolized Babe Ruth and viewed him as a role model. A role model can be defined as someone who is imitated by another individual because of their achievements, and actions (“Role model”). The way we view athletes has not changed since 1932, and children in today’s society still look up to and emulate their favorite athletes. While whether or not athletes should be viewed as role models is widely debated, there is ample evidence affirming athletes should act as role models for our society. However, with no regard to the evidence, many athletes claim that their main duty is to be an athlete and should not be accountable as a role model. For example, in a Nike commercial Charles Barkley stated, “I am not a role model! I’m a professional basketball player. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court” (Sailes 56). In addition, opponents also claim that many athletes do not show admirable morals; therefore, athletes should …show more content…

For instance, athletes promote physical fitness programs. When I was growing up, I remember former body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger promoting physical education programs in schools, yet his life of steroids or the media’s coverage of his extra-marital affair is improper behavior. However, parents only use the positive things. The majority of athletes are required to meet certain levels of physical ability to stay competitive. When children notice how physically fit their favorite athlete is, they want to have the same

Show More
Related

  • Influential Journey: Remembering Roberto Clemente

    828 Words  | 2 Pages

    For many years now, my biggest influencer has been Roberto Clemente, who played Major League Baseball in the 60’s and 70’s. Roberto Walker Clemente was born the youngest of seven children to Melchor and Luisa Clemente in Puerto Rico on August 18, 1934. Although growing up poor in Barrio San Anton in Carolina, he was happy and remained very close to his family and to his country and its inhabitants throughout his entire life. Roberto was an industrious young man and worked various odd jobs including milk delivery. He began playing baseball with his brothers and friends and was eventually signed for forty dollars a month by a professional hardball team in the Puerto Rican town of Santurce. His natural ability got him recognized by a Dodger scout and he was signed in 1954 to a minor league team in Montreal. His

    Read More

  • Babe Ruth Struggles

    1214 Words  | 3 Pages

    Babe Ruth, although encountering many struggles, is considered to be one of the greatest Major League Baseball players of all time. Ruth was a troubled kid, who subsequently got sent to a private school, Ruth was discovered and signed to play baseball in the Big Leagues, and so the story begins.

    Read More

  • The Legacy Of Babe Ruth

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    The world is a very different place than what it was in the 1920’s; however, despite our differences, many things have stayed the same. No matter what, there’s always something to refer back to. Nearly one-hundred years ago, the 1920’s holds a great deal of historical events that changed the world. One of these historical events is when Babe Ruth changed the outlook on negro leagues and african american baseball players. Ruth could do many things that other people couldn’t in baseball. He in general was an amazing baseball player, but he also did something much more, something that would change the world’s views of not just him, but everybody.

    Read More

  • Personal Life of Babe Ruth

    524 Words  | 2 Pages

    Soon after, Babe changed the game of baseball. Ruth is perhaps the most recognized player in Major league Baseball history. Where he was, the fans followed, the attendance was always the greatest in his presence. He is by far America?s greatest sports hero. Aside from being a great ball player, he was also a husband and a father. He cared more for his family than he liked to show.

    Read More

  • Jackie Robinson Courage And Courage

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    Athletes waiver an uncanny amount of courage, by pushing their bodies to the test and showcasing themselves and abilities to the judgement of the public. Sports may come natural for many people, but having utmost character and bravery does not come easy to anyone. Undoubtedly, having both is a rare occasion. Being a prime example, Jackie Robinson used his natural born gifts of a strong character and personality, along with an unprecedented athletic ability. He fought for equality by dignity and hard work. Respectfully, he was one of the best in Major League baseball for his time, and sparked a Civil RIghts Movement while doing it.

    Read More

  • Lebron James: A Positive Role Model Analysis

    621 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lebron is a positive role model because of how he voices his opinions on social issues. Lebron feels a need to voice his opinions on social issues to show people it is not bad to speak your mind no matter if it is accepted or not. Such as when Lebron wore a “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt during warmups (Scott). During the 2014 year a man named Eric Garner was choked to death by a police officer. LeBron being the kind of person responded not in words but in action. He along with other wore these T-Shirts to speak against police brutality. Another time Lebron made his opinions known was when he and other spoke out against the racial injustice that exists today (Grossman). He put on a speech on national television. It was not to berate anyone or group but was to inspire change in relations between people and law enforcement. He made it known that Black were target of this kind of crimes more than whites and brought that knowledge to the public stage. It was

    Read More

  • Baseball

    1669 Words  | 4 Pages

    Even though some of the tradition was lost when the game of baseball started to be played for money there were still those players who played the game with all their heart and soul because they had a passion for it. So the people who started the tradition of baseball and made America’s pastime great such as Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, and Joe DiMaggio will always be remembered by those who play with the passion that resembles that of the men that were mentioned such as Ken Griffey, Jr. and Derek Jeter. These players will forever recognize what a great game they are so privileged to be a part of by its history, rules, and the players that made it all happen. Even if one does not have as much passion for baseball as others one probably still agree with The Babe (Babe Ruth) when he said,” Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world.”

    Read More

  • The Negative Impacts Of Gamesmanship And Sportsmanship

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    In a moral context, it is important to understand the extension of unethical conduct on the field to the inevitable corruption of personal life that becomes part of societal interaction. This type of behavior can extend to sexual misconduct (rape, marital infidelity, etc.), violence, and criminal activity. In modern sporting culture, the popularity and great success of athletes tends to tempt tem into thinking that the game they play is also being played in their personal lives. This form of public personae affects the way they view lawful conduct and morality as a means to achieve success in family life, personal choices, and the management of their daily activities off the field. The public image dictates the way they interact with other people outside of their professional careers. More so, the promotion of immoral and unethical behaviors in sporting institutions set another precedent in which athletes are encouraged to behave through a gamesmanship model. The enculturation of corrupt business practices tend to create a culture of winning as the primary goal of attaining greater wealth and financial prosperity over the sportsmanship qualities that can increase the ethical and moral culture of athletic performance. These moral aspects of off-field behavior define the underlying extension of gamesmanship as a part of immoral behavior by professional athletes:

    Read More

  • Jackie Robinson and the Struggle for Equality in Baseball

    3755 Words  | 8 Pages

    Baseball has always been known as America's pastime. But America's pastime, along with America's past, have both been saturated with the brutal force of racism. For hundreds of years, from the time of slavery until the middle of the 20th century, African-American children rounded up their friends and headed to the baseball diamond. There, for thousands of young black players, the smell of the grass, the cloud of dust that formed when running the ninety feet between bases, and the feeling of safely sliding into homeplate for a run marked the glimmer of fun and excitement in an otherwise dreary day. However, due to the color of their skin, black children were not awarded these luxuries. For aspiring black ballplayers, a baseball field with bats and actual baseballs would be a dream come true. Instead they were forced to play with rocks and sticks in an alley or run-down sandlot. But this would never stop them, the thrill and joy of baseball was too great. When playing, it seemed as if all their worries and fears floated away and only one thing mattered...baseball. Baseball was their escape, their livelihood, and the topic of all their hopes and dreams. For young black ballplayers, baseball was much more than a game. The word aspiring must also be clarified. See, for black players, one undeniable truth was always present. No matter how good you were, no matter how many homeruns or stolen bases you had, how hard you hit the ball or how fast you threw the ball, no matter if you had the ability to play with the best of the best, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Mickey Mantle, there was one thing you never had...the right skin color. The word aspiring did not exist in the...

    Read More

  • Why Athletes are Good Role Models

    1472 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone is aware of the role that these athletes have to do. We should not look at the inappropriate actions of few athletes. The. I was biased to believing that all athletes are bad before I started. doing my research for this paper.

    Read More

  • Athletes as Role Models

    2057 Words  | 5 Pages

    Athlets have been lookd up to as role models for as long as sports have exsted. There is just something attractive about the thought of being in good physical condition and being talented in sports. But, are athlets the kind of people that children should be looking up to for direction and guidance? Many children often look up to the professional athletes as role models. In fact, in 1995 Sports Illustrated for Kids did a survey for kids who were ages 7 through 12 about who their role model was. The majority of the kids answered that a professional athlete was who they most looked up to. Only four percent of the children answered that their role model was one of thir parents. Because of today?s media, athletes are constantly in the public eye. Everything they do on and off of the playing field. Some professional athletes speak a positive message through their fame by demonstrating constructive ideas such as teamwork and commitment while they are on the field. Even off of the playing field some athletes set a good example by visiting children in schools, going to hospitals, or even setting up foundations and organizations to help the ill and less fortunate people. However, other athletes are not as considerate to the fact that someone may be looking up to them, some athletes are not concerned about anything other than the sport they are getting paid to play and themselves. These athletes are the ones that propose questions over whether athletes should be considered role models or not. A role model can be defined as a person whose behavior, example or success is or can be emulated by others, especially young people. Who would want their child looking up to someone who has been convicted of domestic violence or has a drug addiction? It is an argument of opinion that cannot be settled.

    Read More

  • Athletes Flaws

    1393 Words  | 3 Pages

    Athletes’ personal lives are also more criticized and under the microscope of their fans. A criminal background or offense can ruin their career. Some critics also believe that athletes can get away with more because of their fame. Not only have athlete's improved physically and gained better technology they

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Sports Essay

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whether its baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, or tennis, sports is seen all over the world as a representation of one’s pride for their city, country, and even continent. Sports is something that is valued world-wide which has the ability to bring communities together and create different meanings, beliefs and practices between individuals. Although many people may perceive sports to have a significant meaning within our lives, it can also have the ability to separate people through gender inequalities which can also be represented negatively throughout the media. This essay will attempt to prove how gender is constructed in the sports culture while focusing on female athletes and their acceptance in today’s society.

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Sports

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    The sports of today have changed the way the players play the game. Starting on the professional sports level, bad sportsmanship behaviors, like the use of steroids or "throwing" a game or a match in an effort to please the sports gambler trying to get their big pay-off, has trickled down through the college level and even down to the high school level. One person recalls the days when athletes played their sport for the love of the game, because it is what they lived for. They remember when they were younger, sitting in their grandfather's lap and watching the Atlanta Braves (in the days of Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, Glenn Hubbard and other great names in Braves history) running out on the diamond every game. In fact, they quoted country artist, Collin Raye, saying [I've been] "a Braves fan even through the rotten years". Watching these games, they remember looking up at their grandfather’s face and seeing the look he had in his eyes by watching these guys play their sport from the heart. Now, years later, sports have been threatened by strikes. The athletes playing now aren't playing because they love to, but now it's more about the money and how much they can make. Sports of today are tainted and don't come from the heart. The kids today need to be taught what it was like "in the good ole' days" and how playing sports teaches an individual about how to work with other people and how to pull together as a family.

    Read More

  • Reflection Paper On Athletes

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the semester, I learned a lot on how to deal with psychological distress and how as an athletic trainer I should deal with athletes to overcome their situation and be there for them. Throughout my time as an athletic training student, I always liked to observe my preceptors on how they deal with athletics that are having psychological distress after injuries, and how as an athletic trainer I should handle these situations in a professional manner. There is one situation in particular that occurred during the King’s College football season that I would like to discuss.

    Read More

More about Should Athletes Be Role Models Research Paper

Open Document