Evolution in AthletesEvolution in Athletes

Shane ConnollyShane Connolly

Have Athletes Grown Over Time?Have Athletes Grown Over Time? 1920s - NFL - 5’11 and 198 lbs. 1990s - NFL - 6’3 and 302 lbs.

1930s - Average NBA Player - 6’3 2000 - Average NBA Player - 6’7

1930s - Tallest NBA Players - 6’7 2000 - Tallest NBA Players - 7’6

7’+ in the NBA from 1940-1960 = 2% 7’ + Footers in the NBA since 1990 = 10-12%

1920s - NFL - 5’11 and 198 lbs. 1990s - NFL - 6’3 and 302 lbs.

1930s - Average NBA Player - 6’3 2000 - Average NBA Player - 6’7

1930s - Tallest NBA Players - 6’7 2000 - Tallest NBA Players - 7’6

7’+ in the NBA from 1940-1960 = 2% 7’ + Footers in the NBA since 1990 = 10-12%

NBA Player GrowthNBA Player Growth

NFL Players’ Size Versus Population

Does Size Matter?Does Size Matter?

Level of play - MLB Draft - 1 of first 7 pitchers selected was

under 6’2 NFL - bigger linemen start more

Length of career NBA - every 73 lb. or 9.1 inches = extra year NFL - every 112 lbs. or 6.7 inches = extra year

Level of play - MLB Draft - 1 of first 7 pitchers selected was

under 6’2 NFL - bigger linemen start more

Length of career NBA - every 73 lb. or 9.1 inches = extra year NFL - every 112 lbs. or 6.7 inches = extra year

Artificial SelectionArtificial Selection

Yao Ming - 7’6 Basketball player Father - 6’10” Yao Zhiyuan Mother - 6’2” Fang Fengdi "We had been looking forward to the arrival of

Yao Ming for three generations.” - retired Chinese basketball coach

Yao Ming - 7’6 Basketball player Father - 6’10” Yao Zhiyuan Mother - 6’2” Fang Fengdi "We had been looking forward to the arrival of

Yao Ming for three generations.” - retired Chinese basketball coach

Operation Yao Ming: The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of an NBA

Superstar

Operation Yao Ming: The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of an NBA

Superstar

The story behind NBA giant Yao Ming, the ruthless Chinese sports machine that created him, and the East-West struggle over China's most famous son, opens with the story of Yao's parents, basketball players brought together by Chinese officials intent on creating a generation of athletes who could bring glory to their motherland. By age fourteen, Yao was pulled out of school to follow in the footsteps of his idol Wang Zhizhi, the star of the People's Liberation Army team. It wasn't long before American sports companies would set their sights on China's two tallest players. Journalist Larmer details the backroom maneuverings and uncovers the disturbing truth behind China's drive to produce Olympic champions, while also taking readers behind the scenes of America's basketball empire. Caught in the middle are two young men--one will become a superstar, the other a struggling athlete rejected by his homeland and running out of options.--From publisher description

The story behind NBA giant Yao Ming, the ruthless Chinese sports machine that created him, and the East-West struggle over China's most famous son, opens with the story of Yao's parents, basketball players brought together by Chinese officials intent on creating a generation of athletes who could bring glory to their motherland. By age fourteen, Yao was pulled out of school to follow in the footsteps of his idol Wang Zhizhi, the star of the People's Liberation Army team. It wasn't long before American sports companies would set their sights on China's two tallest players. Journalist Larmer details the backroom maneuverings and uncovers the disturbing truth behind China's drive to produce Olympic champions, while also taking readers behind the scenes of America's basketball empire. Caught in the middle are two young men--one will become a superstar, the other a struggling athlete rejected by his homeland and running out of options.--From publisher description

Sexual SelectionSexual Selection

Ideal male body type - tall and muscular (mesomorphic)

Ideal female body type - tall and skinny 26 world record holders in track have married

other world record holders, Olympic champions or NCAA champions

Genetic Polymorphism - the concentration and proliferation of rare traits through an interbreeding group

Wallace - Geographic speciation

Ideal male body type - tall and muscular (mesomorphic)

Ideal female body type - tall and skinny 26 world record holders in track have married

other world record holders, Olympic champions or NCAA champions

Genetic Polymorphism - the concentration and proliferation of rare traits through an interbreeding group

Wallace - Geographic speciation

HeredityHeredity

Dr. Per-Olaf Astrand - “To become an Olympic athlete, choose your parents well”

Examples of heredity NFL - 241 sets of brothers in league and 99 sets of

fathers and sons 2008 MLB Draft - 68 players selected who had

relatives play a professional sport, 66 played professional baseball

There are 18 cases of world record holding families, either siblings or parents and children

Dr. Per-Olaf Astrand - “To become an Olympic athlete, choose your parents well”

Examples of heredity NFL - 241 sets of brothers in league and 99 sets of

fathers and sons 2008 MLB Draft - 68 players selected who had

relatives play a professional sport, 66 played professional baseball

There are 18 cases of world record holding families, either siblings or parents and children

HeredityHeredity

Traits Height Red/White muscle fibers

Red - slow-twitch fibers White - fast twitch fibers. The fast-twitch fibers

contract quicker, which is an advantage in sprinting

Traits Height Red/White muscle fibers

Red - slow-twitch fibers White - fast twitch fibers. The fast-twitch fibers

contract quicker, which is an advantage in sprinting

Other Reasons for GrowthOther Reasons for Growth

Overall population growth Globalization of sports - gene pool Salaries in sports Steroid use

Can only help to a certain extent Possible reaction, not cause

Overall population growth Globalization of sports - gene pool Salaries in sports Steroid use

Can only help to a certain extent Possible reaction, not cause

SummarySummary

Players have grown Bigger players have more success Both sexual and artificial selection come into play Heredity is a big reason for growth Are other minor factors such as steroids, sports

globalization and overall popualtion growth

Players have grown Bigger players have more success Both sexual and artificial selection come into play Heredity is a big reason for growth Are other minor factors such as steroids, sports

globalization and overall popualtion growth

Works CitedWorks Cited

1. Bemies, Charles O. “Physical Characteristics of the Runner and Jumper”. American Physical Education Review, September, 1900, vol. 5, pp. 235-245. <http://books.google.com/books?id=a5cRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA235&lpg=PA235&dq=C.+O.+Bemies.+Physical+Characteristics+of+the+Runner+and+Jumper.&source=bl&ots=eYwLxUggGR&sig=SzMVwqYhs6fhDSGibTzrpkuJYbw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA235,M1>

2. Bompa, Tudor O. Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training. Human Kinetics, 1999. Google Books. 13 Nov. 2008 <http://books.google.com/books?id=X1cFhd1SSswC>.

3. Entine, Jon. Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk about It. PublicAffairs, 2001. 87-96. Google Books. <http://books.google.com/books?id=wvigq7wgdp8c>.

4. Harrigan J. Football families. In: Carroll B, Gershman M, Neft D, et al., editors. Total football. New York (NY): Harper Collins, 1997; 11: 305-13

5. Haygood, Ralph, and Olivier Fedrigo, and Brian Hanson, and Gregory Wray, and Ken-Daigoro Yokoyama. "A common variant of HMGA2 is associated with adult and childhood height in the general population." Nature Genetics 39 (2007): 20 Nov. 2008 <http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v39/n10/full/ng2121.html>.

6. Johnston, Jessica R. The American Body in Context: An Anthology. Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. Google Books. 9 Nov. 2008 <http://books.google.com/books?id=iIWcRAAtxvcC>.

1. Bemies, Charles O. “Physical Characteristics of the Runner and Jumper”. American Physical Education Review, September, 1900, vol. 5, pp. 235-245. <http://books.google.com/books?id=a5cRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA235&lpg=PA235&dq=C.+O.+Bemies.+Physical+Characteristics+of+the+Runner+and+Jumper.&source=bl&ots=eYwLxUggGR&sig=SzMVwqYhs6fhDSGibTzrpkuJYbw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA235,M1>

2. Bompa, Tudor O. Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training. Human Kinetics, 1999. Google Books. 13 Nov. 2008 <http://books.google.com/books?id=X1cFhd1SSswC>.

3. Entine, Jon. Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk about It. PublicAffairs, 2001. 87-96. Google Books. <http://books.google.com/books?id=wvigq7wgdp8c>.

4. Harrigan J. Football families. In: Carroll B, Gershman M, Neft D, et al., editors. Total football. New York (NY): Harper Collins, 1997; 11: 305-13

5. Haygood, Ralph, and Olivier Fedrigo, and Brian Hanson, and Gregory Wray, and Ken-Daigoro Yokoyama. "A common variant of HMGA2 is associated with adult and childhood height in the general population." Nature Genetics 39 (2007): 20 Nov. 2008 <http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v39/n10/full/ng2121.html>.

6. Johnston, Jessica R. The American Body in Context: An Anthology. Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. Google Books. 9 Nov. 2008 <http://books.google.com/books?id=iIWcRAAtxvcC>.

Works Cited (Cont.)Works Cited (Cont.)

7. Lawson G. World record breakers in track and field athletics. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics, 1997

8. Martinez, Gustavo R. "Talent Identification in Baseball.” <www.ftvs.cuni.cz/pds/konference/Clanky_sport/Talent%20identification.doc>

9. Norton, Ken, and Tim Olds. Morphological Evolution of Athletes. Rep.No. 2001. <http://umd.library.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?pub=infobike%3a%2f%2fadis%2fsmd%2f2001%2f00000031%2f00000011%2fart00001&mimetype=application%2fpdf&exittargetid=1225870814454>.

10. Norton, Kevin, and Tim Olds. Anthropometrica: A Textbook of Body Measurement for Sports and Health Courses. UNSW P, 1996. 287-352. Google Books. 30 Oct. 2008 <http://books.google.com/books?id=bkk8fub0p4ic&printsec=frontcover#ppa352,m1>.

11. Sachare A, editor. The official NBA basketball encyclopedia. New York (NY): Villard Books, 1994

12.Voy R. Drugs, sport and politics. Champaign (IL): Leisure Press, 1991

13. 15 Nov. 2008 <http://mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2008/drafttracker.jsp?p=0&s=30&sc=pick_number&so=ascending&st=number&ft=PS&fv=P>

14. Czerwinski, Kevin T.. "Familiar names dot '08 Draft board." MLB.com. 6 Jun. 2008. 10 Nov. 2008. <http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080606&content_id=2852856&vkey=draft2008&fext=.jsp>.

15. Larmer, Brook "The Creation Of Yao Ming." Sports Illustrated 25 Sep. 2005. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1116102/index.htm>

7. Lawson G. World record breakers in track and field athletics. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics, 1997

8. Martinez, Gustavo R. "Talent Identification in Baseball.” <www.ftvs.cuni.cz/pds/konference/Clanky_sport/Talent%20identification.doc>

9. Norton, Ken, and Tim Olds. Morphological Evolution of Athletes. Rep.No. 2001. <http://umd.library.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?pub=infobike%3a%2f%2fadis%2fsmd%2f2001%2f00000031%2f00000011%2fart00001&mimetype=application%2fpdf&exittargetid=1225870814454>.

10. Norton, Kevin, and Tim Olds. Anthropometrica: A Textbook of Body Measurement for Sports and Health Courses. UNSW P, 1996. 287-352. Google Books. 30 Oct. 2008 <http://books.google.com/books?id=bkk8fub0p4ic&printsec=frontcover#ppa352,m1>.

11. Sachare A, editor. The official NBA basketball encyclopedia. New York (NY): Villard Books, 1994

12.Voy R. Drugs, sport and politics. Champaign (IL): Leisure Press, 1991

13. 15 Nov. 2008 <http://mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2008/drafttracker.jsp?p=0&s=30&sc=pick_number&so=ascending&st=number&ft=PS&fv=P>

14. Czerwinski, Kevin T.. "Familiar names dot '08 Draft board." MLB.com. 6 Jun. 2008. 10 Nov. 2008. <http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080606&content_id=2852856&vkey=draft2008&fext=.jsp>.

15. Larmer, Brook "The Creation Of Yao Ming." Sports Illustrated 25 Sep. 2005. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1116102/index.htm>