HIST 341: History of Sport in the United States

HIST 341-001: History of Sport in the United States
(Fall 2013)

04:30 PM to 07:10 PM M

Enterprise Hall 174

Section Information for Fall 2013

History 341 examines the development of sports in America, from the colonial period to the present. Students will explore how unorganized and sometimes impromptu athletic activities developed into spectator sports at both the collegiate and professional level, and how sports not only reflected but also informed issues of race, class, gender, ethnicity and international politics. Specific topics include: the transformation of “blood sports” into acceptable athletic pursuits, such as boxing; amateurism and the rise of athletic clubs; baseball’s popularity during the first half of the twentieth century; sports heroes of the 1920s and 1930s; women’s sports; racial segregation in sports; athletic rivalries during the cold war era; and the globalization of American sports. Emphasis will also be placed on “turning points” of sports history, such as the 1919 Black Sox scandal, the bouts between boxers Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, the racial integration of major sports leagues, the creation of free agency, the establishment of Title IX, the American-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the victory of the United States women’s soccer squad in the 1999 World Cup, and the Lance Armstrong doping scandal. The course will consist of films, readings, lectures and discussions. Instructor: Prof. Elzey

Tags:

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Examines the roots of American sport in colonial play and recreation, the emergence of organized and national sports, issues of gender and race in the sporting world, and the intersection of U.S. sport with events such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War. Offered by History & Art History. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.