HST 129 - History of Sports in America

Course Units: 1

(Not offered in 2014-15) Fields of battle (military, political, economic, and social) generally characterize the teaching of American history. Throughout times of conflict, however, it has often been the fields of American sport which have provided distraction, respite, and relief from these struggles. Meanwhile during times of peace, the fields of sport have contributed more than leisure and entertainment; they have reflected the American people’s lives, hopes and dreams. Sport, in other words, has been and continues to be an active mediator in America’s life, and a lens through which we can examine the broader contexts of American history.