World War II was a grueling war that kept everyone on their toes. Many were killed and people lived in fear, yet somehow, America kept up its confidence that the Allies would triumph. Have you ever wondered why? Despite losing players and recourses to the war, sports played a major role in keeping the morale up and providing much needed entertainment and recreation for Americans on the Homefront and in the military. The idea around spectator sports was to improve everyone's morale during the war. People who played spectator sports would be any of the famous athletes from the 1940’s. Many viewers would forget about the war during a game, and instead, focus on the thrill and excitement of rooting for their favorite team to win. This would …show more content…
happen up until the games themselves began to be affected by the war (Charleston 1426). Games became less exciting the more the sports changed.
For instance, the athletes were so in shape that they were wanted for the army. Factories that made metal baseball bats were transferring their factories over to the war effort. Baseball bats were made out of wood throughout the war because the United States needed the metal for the war (Charleston 1426). Recreational athletics, the second grouping of sports, were mainly played for fun. Anyone could play them, and their whole purpose was to have fun. These sports supported confidence, enthusiasm and discipline, as well as physical fitness. These included playing any “professional sport” for fun, such as golf or soccer (Charleston 1426). Spectator sports and recreational sports were both for entertainment, keeping up the morale of the country during the war. Even though the athletes were slowly being called off to war, the country kept up its enthusiasm towards the two types of sports. They enjoyed being able to watch their favorite players in the stands. They also enjoyed being able to have fun and forget about whether or not the Allies would beat the Axis Powers. There were many different sports during the war, and there are many sports now. Since there is almost an 80-year gap between World War II and now, there are bound to be some changes in the way we play …show more content…
sports. Basketball was one of the few sports that wasn't touched by the war. Due to most players’ heights, they were not allowed in the army (Gray, “Sports of the 1940’s”). The height limit was 6’ 2”, so some players were not exempted from the draft. Instead, an organization was created for basketball, the National Basketball League, founded in 1937. Much later, in 1946, the NBL joined with the Basketball Association of America, (founded in 1946) to create what we now know as the National Basketball Association (NBA). Basketball games were enjoyed by many people, because of how little it changed. They were able to enjoy a favorite sport, without having to adjust to any differences (Gray, “Sport of the 1940s”). Soccer, one of the most popular sports during World War II, was very different from many of the other sports at the time. They did not have a women's team at any level of soccer. At both the professional level and the amateur level, there were no female teams. There were some amateur teams for men, but they were all gone by 1948. The FIFA World Cup was around, even back then, but two of them were cancelled. The Germany 1942 World Cup and the Brazil 1946 World Cup were both cancelled due to the World War II and the aftermath. The biggest change between World War II and now, is that there are female soccer teams. There are amature teams, for both men and women, and you are able to play soccer as young as 4 years old. Before now, you were not able to play soccer until you were in high school (Gray, “Sports of the 1940s”). NASCAR racing kept the war speeding forward. Although it was technically made a sport in 1946, it was in the developing process throughout the war. In the beginning of NASCAR racing, they didn't have any special cars. The cars they used were originally normal cars with “souped up engines.”The first NASCAR race happened in 1946, with a total of 24 cars dropping out for mechanical failures and wrecks. Now, the car styles have changed. There are many different styles of cars, and they can drive much faster than before. There are still races, but there are also tournaments, called Series. It is much more popular now than in 1946, when it first started (Gray, “Sports of the 1940’s”). Boxing was a very popular sport, gaining its popularity after Joe Louis won against heavyweight championship against German Max Schmeling in 1938.
The sport was affected by the war, but rather by choice than “force.” Over 4,000 professional boxers went to join the military overseas and fight in the war. They were in great physical condition, which made them strong soldiers. Nowadays, many people still box. The biggest change is that now there are female boxers. There are some minor changes, such as style, technique and safety. For example, the glove thickness was increased because many people were breaking their hands from the thin gloves. Other than small things, boxing hasn't changed from the war days (Gray, “Sports of the
1940s”). Football in the 1940’s was vastly different from how it is now. The World War II period of football was when many of the rules of today were created. Football had a slightly different name as well, being called One-Platoon Football. This means that players are not specifically assigned to play offense or defense. In the beginning, there were only two teams of 11, with no substitutes. Eventually they made bigger teams with substitutes in case of injury. Another change around this time was the use of the penalty flag. It was first applied in 1941, but was made official in 1948. The safety during this time period was very limited compared to the football you see on television. For example, there used to be no padding on the legs. They also added a more protective helmet, bigger shoulder pads, and abdominal protection. A new change is that you can sub in at any time, not just whenever there is an injury. Football is even more popular now than it was in World War Two. Football is the number one American Sport in 2018 (Gray, “Sports of the 1940s”). During World War II, golf was considered to be a big female sport. The sport was coed until the war began. After World War Two began, many men went off to fight or were drafted. The biggest change is that golf is equally popular with men and women. There are now tournaments, making it a spectator sport. The two biggest tournaments are the Masters and the PGA tour (Gray, “Sports of the 1940s”). There were many sports back then, just like today. Although almost all of the sports have been slightly altered between World War II and today, one sport that wasn't is baseball. Why was baseball untouched by World War II? In baseball, there were so many legendary players who played baseball at the time, including such greats as Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Joe DiMaggio, to name a few. In 1941, baseball hit its peak. There were some truly incredible moments in this season. For instance, Ted Williams, 22 years old at the time, had a batting average of .406, one of the highest batting averages in history. Joe DiMaggio, 26, consistently hit baseballs safely for 56 games in a row, the longest streak anyone had ever had. Lefty Grove, 41, had his 300th career pitching win, one of three men to ever win 300 games. Mickey Owen, the Dodgers catcher, was “forever immortalized” for mishandling a pitch that cost Brooklyn the World Series. All of these incredible players are in the Baseball Hall of Fame for their achievements (Bedingfield, “Baseball In WWII”). Franklin Roosevelt strongly believed that baseball was the best sport to keep up the morale of the country. So he sent out a special letter called the Green Light Letter. This letter informed the Commissioners of Baseball and the public that he wanted to keep baseball going. In the letter, he states, “I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going...baseball provides recreation which does not last over two hours or two hours and a half…” Because of this letter, baseball games continued, players still trained, consequently, even more people began joining baseball leagues (Bedingfield,”Baseball in WWII”). Because of the Green Light Letter, baseball should not have been influenced. Baseball players were the perfect height for the army, they were very physically fit, and they could not be more suited for fighting. FDR tried his hardest to keep baseball players playing. Although he wanted to keep them playing, he never once stated that they were exempted from the draft. As a result, many players began leaving their teams. In March of 1941, Hugh Mulcahy, a major league pitcher, was drafted into the war. He told the Sporting News, “My losing streak is over for the duration ... I'm on a winning team now.” Many other players began heading into the war, including Hank Greenberg, another Major League Baseball player, and Billy Southworth Jr, a minor league baseball player. Many of people’s favorite players were sent off to fight. Games became less exciting as young athletes such as Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Stan Musial learned to fly planes and shoot weapons. Only 12 minor league baseball teams survived the army draft out of the original 44 teams. As helpful as the Green Light Letter was, baseball players continued to be drafted (Bedingfield, “Baseball in WWII”). Despite losing players and recources to the war, sports played a major role in keeping the morale up and providing much needed entertainment and recreation for Americans on the Homefront and in the military. People enjoyed a wide variety of sports, including soccer, football, golf, boxing, and more. Many children who played recreational sports stayed fit, and people who viewed spectator sports stayed confident that anything could happen. The war influenced sports, but not enough to destroy the country’s happiness toward athletic pursuit.
After reviewing Theodore Roosevelt,” the proper place for sports”, Roosevelt, claim that Americans have always valued sports. Sports have big place in American Society, but there is more important things in life than sports. Playing sports is important for physical health but academics should be the main focus for everyone.
During the war, women played a vital role in the workforce because all of the men had to go fight overseas and left their jobs. This forced women to work in factories and volunteer for war time measures.
Women were able to contribute new skills into the workforce enabling many companies and everyday jobs to function while the men were overseas. With everyone doing their part in the war, Franklin Roosevelt encouraged large baseball organizations to continue a baseball league to open up new jobs and keep citizens entertained and keep their minds off of work. The league had allowed women to play professionally for the first time allowing women to strive for new things and opening the doors for new opportunites. Though the AAGPBL was an experiment during the war it grew into much bigger league that started with only 4 teams and expanded over time. The first professional baseball league had a great impact on Americans socially, politically, and economically that had changed American history during World War II and the ripple effect it had on women prior to that
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
During World War 1 half a million people died but millions of people became veterans. But one thing of American culture stayed the same; their love for baseball. On July 4th, 1918, America’s
In 1941, the United States entered WWII. Young men all over the country were being called to serve in the war. That doesn’t exclude professional sports players either. High profile MLB players, like Joe DiMaggio, were responsible for signing up for the draft also at the age of 18; so when duty called, they had to answer(Teitelbaum, 14). Baseball was an extremely popular form of entertainment. President Roosevelt called on Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis to keep the sport alive, even if the quality of a game was not as high(Galt, 10). At the same time, over 40,000 hometown women’s softball teams had already been formed. Teams were being sponsored by breweries, bakeries, taverns, big industries, and little individuals who wanted to be a part of the success(Galt,11). Women were going to take on the responsibility to ...
World War II is an event that has marked history like no other. Originating from a European struggle, war broke out in 1939 and continued for six years. From the years 1939 through 1945 more than half the earth's surface was battling in war. American society was greatly affected. People of every age, race and class were deeply affected. Women's place in society took a leap forward like it never had before. As an effect of the second world war women's traditional roles in society were drastically altered.
Theme: Many events of The Nazi Olympics surround this sporting festival to make it one of the controversial events in sport history. Not only does Mandell cover the 1936 Olympic Games themselves but he gives insight to the history of the modern games, participation by the United States, the role of the games in the Nazi propaganda efforts and portrays heroes and key figures. Mandell wrote about the intersection of sport and politics and how world leaders set the agenda, not the athletes. The Nazi’s used the 1936 Olympic Games as a way to reinforce their political and racial goals. Although they were founded as part of a vision of world peace, the 1936 games became a stage for political disputes. The Nazi Olympics takes an in depth look at the efforts the Germans made to show the rest of the world that they had again become a powerful nation under the leader of Adolf Hitler. The events that followed the games in Germany, mainly the Holocaust and World War II overshadowed the Berlin games. However, it is very important to note that a world gathering like the Olympics took place in a country that was in the process of eliminating an entire race of people. The games were a huge success in regards to the Nazi regime, they were able to fool the world and prove to Germany that they were a peaceful and stable nation.
whole belives that war comes second to athletics. If only we could have the Olympics
Sports are a popular pastime among all ages and types of people. People not only participate in them for fun, but also for money, physical fitness, rush of competition, and for many other personal reasons. Playing sports is especially common among young people in schools. Athletics are great and enjoyable for many reasons, but there can be a point where sports participation can go too far and become negative for children and adults. Sports specialization for young people is an increasing trend that results in sports having a negative impact on individuals and society.
Sports contributed to making the 1960's a decade of fun excitement. One of the most
Jessica Statsky, in her essay, “Children need to Play, Not Compete” attempts to refute the common belief that organized sports are good for children. She sees organized sports not as healthy pass-times for children, but as onerous tasks that children do not truly enjoy. She also notes that not only are organized sports not enjoyable for children, they may cause irreparable harm to the children, both emotionally and physically. In her thesis statement, Statsky states, “When overzealous parents and coaches impose adult standards on children's sports, the result can be activities that are neither satisfying nor beneficial to children” (627). While this statement is strong, her defense of it is weak.
Sports may have impacted our culture much more then we thought it would, and keeps impacting. Sports have affected some of the most important aspects of life, such as jobs and money. It has also affected things as little as who we look up to and how we dress. Culture means “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.” The definition of sports is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” So when we put two and two together we get a a nation or world that has changed due to sports. Back in the mid and late 1900’s sports were used to see whose way of life was better. As time went on and keeps going on, we
The first category of sports is individual sports, in which a person can play alone if he/she does not have any partner. For example, auto racing, tent pegging, golf, fishing, skating, skiing, swimming, martial arts and cycling. These are the sports that a person can play alone and maintain his/her fitness while enjoying the game. Unlike team sports, individual sports focus more on personal growth and accomplishment. In indivi...
The benefits of sports range from physical, mental, and social. Exercise keeps people fit, develops healthy muscle tone, and reduces heart and lung problems (Oak, Manali). Sports studies have shown that “youth are motivated and engaged in ways that do not happen regularly in any other parts of their lives. Their experience of sports stands out from nearly all other activities, including socializing and schoolwork, in providing enjoyment where they are exerting concerted effort toward a goal” (Larson, Reed, and Sean Seepersad). People who play sports bond over a common interest. This opens up children to meeting new kids and socializing with many more. In Kindergarten, I played baseball. Even though I did not truly understand all the mechanics of the game, I met new friends and began to develop motor skills. This was very useful starting at an early age and pushed me to stay active throughout my life.