Race & SportRace & Sport

Class FormatClass Format

Overview of Sport Sociology/ Issues Overview of Sport Sociology/ Issues in Sportin Sport

Expand your perspectiveExpand your perspective

Sport SociologySport Sociology

StackingStacking Participation TrendsParticipation Trends Employment TrendsEmployment Trends Participation BenefitsParticipation Benefits OppressionOppression Is sport a microcosm of society?Is sport a microcosm of society?

The BeginningThe Beginning

V.Yale Princeto

n

Scalp SongScalp Song

Simpson College Simpson College Miami University (Ohio)Miami University (Ohio) StanfordStanford

Indians on the GridironIndians on the Gridiron

Jim Crow & SportJim Crow & Sport

Gentleman’s AgreementGentleman’s Agreement 1939 Cotton Bowl1939 Cotton Bowl 1940 NYU v. U. of Missouri1940 NYU v. U. of Missouri

Irony?Irony?

Euro-AmericansEuro-Americans

SpectatorsSpectators CoachesCoaches AdministratorsAdministrators Journalist Journalist AthletesAthletes Performance isn’t normally marked Performance isn’t normally marked

by raceby race

Sports & RecollectionSports & Recollection

Recalling events is synonymous with Recalling events is synonymous with sportsport

Events related to race and sport are Events related to race and sport are often excluded or devoid of facts often excluded or devoid of facts about strugglesabout struggles

Erasing ProcessErasing Process

NCAA Hall of Champions NCAA Hall of Champions They do not address segregation or They do not address segregation or

integration integration Athletes accomplishments are devoid Athletes accomplishments are devoid

of segregationof segregation

Erasing Process (cont.)Erasing Process (cont.)

College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of Fame No attempts are made to clarify raceNo attempts are made to clarify race No discussion about the conditions No discussion about the conditions

the Native Americans excelled under, the Native Americans excelled under, and how they disappearedand how they disappeared

Fails to show the rise of the African-Fails to show the rise of the African-American athleteAmerican athlete

Bypasses topics of Native American Bypasses topics of Native American mascots & Confederate mascotsmascots & Confederate mascots

Jack TriceJack Trice

Iowa State Iowa State University University rededicated their rededicated their stadium in his stadium in his honorhonor

One of the first One of the first Black players at Black players at ISUISU

Love/Hate the Black BodyLove/Hate the Black Body

Black bodies have been seen as Black bodies have been seen as grotesquegrotesque

Black bodies have been rendered Black bodies have been rendered aesthetically as superior in: strength, aesthetically as superior in: strength, speed, & resilience speed, & resilience

Black bodies signified deviance: Black bodies signified deviance: sexuality, style, presentation, sexuality, style, presentation, criminalitycriminality

Love/Hate the Black BodyLove/Hate the Black Body

The body of the African-American The body of the African-American athletes, as a site and source of athletes, as a site and source of exceptional ability, criminal deviance, exceptional ability, criminal deviance, and spectatorial, if not sexual pleasure, and spectatorial, if not sexual pleasure, simultaneously facilitates imagination simultaneously facilitates imagination and exploitation. And as it entertains, and exploitation. And as it entertains, inspires, troubles, and revolts, it inspires, troubles, and revolts, it legitimates, if not encourages, legitimates, if not encourages, discipline, regulation and control. discipline, regulation and control. (King & (King & Springwood, 2001)Springwood, 2001)

College or Pro?College or Pro?

ImmatureImmature Materialistic Materialistic Disinterested in EducationDisinterested in Education Lacking DisciplineLacking Discipline Taking the Easy Way OutTaking the Easy Way Out Needs to Care for their FamiliesNeeds to Care for their Families

A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes

Henson opted to Henson opted to attend the attend the University of University of Michigan & play Michigan & play minor league minor league baseball in the baseball in the summersummer

Bryant decided to Bryant decided to play pro-basketballplay pro-basketball

A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes

Phenomenal Phenomenal AthletesAthletes

Middle-class Middle-class families involved in families involved in sportsport

Approached by Approached by professional teams professional teams in high schoolin high school

A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes

Bryant received a Bryant received a $10 million $10 million contractcontract

NY Yankees openly NY Yankees openly courted Hensoncourted Henson

Bryant “the next Bryant “the next Michael Jordan”Michael Jordan”

Henson “the next Henson “the next Michael Jordan of Michael Jordan of pro sports”pro sports”

A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes Bryant: School’s OutBryant: School’s Out Henson: Golden Boy: Henson: Golden Boy:

Michigan-Bound Michigan-Bound Quarterback and Quarterback and Yankee Bonus By Yankee Bonus By Drew Henson—Who Drew Henson—Who Also Averaged 22 Also Averaged 22 Points in Basketball Points in Basketball and 4.0 in the and 4.0 in the Classroom Is Almost Classroom Is Almost Too Good to Be TrueToo Good to Be True

A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes Bryant’s physical and Bryant’s physical and

emotional maturity was emotional maturity was debated in the mediadebated in the media

Did he have the Did he have the necessary experience necessary experience or strength?or strength?

Could he handle the Could he handle the pressure?pressure?

College would refine College would refine him, grant him the him, grant him the opportunity to earn a opportunity to earn a diploma and to diploma and to improve his gameimprove his game

A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes Henson’s choices were Henson’s choices were

celebratedcelebrated Yankees were very Yankees were very

verbal in the media verbal in the media they wanted him now!they wanted him now!

No arguments about No arguments about maturitymaturity

No assumptions about No assumptions about his physical abilityhis physical ability

No mention of the No mention of the value of a college value of a college degreedegree

The Assumptions?The Assumptions? Bryant is lackingBryant is lacking Bryant is breaking Bryant is breaking

the “rules”the “rules” Is there the Is there the

suggestion that suggestion that Black athletes need Black athletes need training, regulation, training, regulation, and discipline, but and discipline, but that their Euro-that their Euro-American American counterparts do not?counterparts do not?

Problems with Kobe?Problems with Kobe?

Than consider Than consider TigerTiger

Left Stanford Left Stanford before graduatingbefore graduating

Some backlash, at Some backlash, at firstfirst

The Rules of SportThe Rules of Sport

Maria Sharapova age 17

Robert Swift age 19 Al Montoya

age 19

Dominique Moceanu

age 13

Rick Nash

age 18

The Black Female AthleteThe Black Female Athlete

Research about women in sport has Research about women in sport has been limitedbeen limited

Large research studies about Black Large research studies about Black women and sport were not women and sport were not conducted until the 1980’sconducted until the 1980’s

Contemporary research continues to Contemporary research continues to ignore Black womenignore Black women

The Black Female AthleteThe Black Female Athlete

Black females at ALL levels of Black females at ALL levels of competition, only account for 6-8% of competition, only account for 6-8% of athletesathletes

Limited research suggest that there Limited research suggest that there are some similarities, but more are some similarities, but more differences than Euro-American differences than Euro-American female athletesfemale athletes

The Black Female AthleteThe Black Female Athlete

Girls only with exceptional talent Girls only with exceptional talent receive encouragementreceive encouragement

Culture is more comfortable with Culture is more comfortable with females in traditional rolesfemales in traditional roles

Sports is still viewed as a Sports is still viewed as a predominately male activitypredominately male activity

Additional ProblemsAdditional Problems

Cultural differencesCultural differences Different set of valuesDifferent set of values Environments with Environments with

tension & tension & misunderstandingmisunderstanding

Lack of sensitivityLack of sensitivity Differences related to Differences related to

commitment, ethics, commitment, ethics, fair play, winningfair play, winning

Differences in style of Differences in style of playplay

StackingStacking

Describes the assumption that minorities possess certain set of skills appropriate to certain positions on teams (or specific sports or events), and they will compete among themselves for these positions

Nontraditional SportsNontraditional Sports

Exclusionary clubs and leaguesExclusionary clubs and leagues Lack of minority role modelsLack of minority role models Lack of accessibility to facilities or Lack of accessibility to facilities or

coachingcoaching

Misc. TopicsMisc. Topics

What’s in a name?What’s in a name?– First name v. last nameFirst name v. last name

Success when the playing field is Success when the playing field is even?even?

ConclusionConclusion

“…“…it is important to acknowledge it is important to acknowledge that, despite problems, sports can be that, despite problems, sports can be sites for challenging race logic and sites for challenging race logic and transforming racial and ethnic transforming racial and ethnic relations” relations” (Coakley, 2001).(Coakley, 2001).