Sports in Early Sports in Early AmericaAmerica

Festivities/SportsFestivities/Sports

►Pilgrims rejected the idea of Pilgrims rejected the idea of

Christmas as a holiday.Christmas as a holiday.►Some new arrivals from Britain Some new arrivals from Britain

rejected the idea that these Pilgrims rejected the idea that these Pilgrims held.held.

►The majority of early colonists did not The majority of early colonists did not want to mimic the ways and traditions want to mimic the ways and traditions of the Mother Country. of the Mother Country.

Britain’s Festive CultureBritain’s Festive Culture

►Games and competitions were often Games and competitions were often held on holidays. (Christmas, Plough held on holidays. (Christmas, Plough Monday, Shrove Tuesday and Easter Monday, Shrove Tuesday and Easter Sunday).Sunday).

►Folk games included: Stoolball, foot Folk games included: Stoolball, foot races, quoits and skittles.races, quoits and skittles.

►Games allowed men to show off their Games allowed men to show off their physiques and skills.physiques and skills.

►

►Britons loved violent games- Wrestling Britons loved violent games- Wrestling and cudgeling.and cudgeling.

►Cudgeling- wicker shield and stick Cudgeling- wicker shield and stick were used to draw blood from an were used to draw blood from an opponent.opponent.

Sport and AnimalsSport and Animals

► Individuals would throw stones at Individuals would throw stones at roosters on Shrove Tuesday. Whoever roosters on Shrove Tuesday. Whoever delivered the lethal blow took the prize delivered the lethal blow took the prize home. home.

►Rooster fighting and animal baiting Rooster fighting and animal baiting were common.were common.

►Due to to things like animal baiting the Due to to things like animal baiting the bulldog became a national symbol for Great bulldog became a national symbol for Great Britain.Britain.

FootballFootball

►This game excited villagers the most This game excited villagers the most of all.of all.

►Most places had no real common rules.Most places had no real common rules.►The football was made normally of an The football was made normally of an

inflated animal bladder and encased in inflated animal bladder and encased in leather.leather.

►Purpose of the game was to move the Purpose of the game was to move the ball across a defined goal line.ball across a defined goal line.

►Games and festivities relieved some of Games and festivities relieved some of the grimness of life which routinely the grimness of life which routinely included early death from disease and included early death from disease and famine.famine.

TavernsTaverns

► Tavern-keepers promoted prizefights, Tavern-keepers promoted prizefights, rooster-fighting, animal baitings and other rooster-fighting, animal baitings and other contests.contests.

► Many contests involved bloodshed, “blood Many contests involved bloodshed, “blood sports”.sports”.

► Admission was often charged for these Admission was often charged for these events.events.

Puritan Assault Puritan Assault

►Puritans did not care for festivities on Puritans did not care for festivities on Sunday or religious holidays.Sunday or religious holidays.

►King James I issued a Declaration King James I issued a Declaration (Book) of Sports in 1618.(Book) of Sports in 1618.

►Parliament tried to overturn the Book Parliament tried to overturn the Book of Sports, but was blocked by future of Sports, but was blocked by future kings.kings.

►Puritans, as well as Quakers, tried to Puritans, as well as Quakers, tried to do away with traditional games in the do away with traditional games in the New World.New World.

►Villagers were placed in the stocks if Villagers were placed in the stocks if they presented a huge problem for they presented a huge problem for these Protestant Reformers.these Protestant Reformers.

►

Sabbatarian LegislationSabbatarian Legislation

► It was not until the 1930s that It was not until the 1930s that Pennsylvania dropped bans on Sunday Pennsylvania dropped bans on Sunday baseball games.baseball games.

►Even today local ordinances prohibit Even today local ordinances prohibit certain activities on Sunday in parts of certain activities on Sunday in parts of the country.the country.

““Lawful Sport”Lawful Sport”

►To be lawful:To be lawful:

1. 1. Dissociated from traditional Dissociated from traditional revelriesrevelries

2. Must refresh the participants 2. Must refresh the participants worldly and spiritual duties.worldly and spiritual duties.

““Lawful Sport”Lawful Sport”

► One must stop playing a sport if:One must stop playing a sport if:1.1. It became an all-absorbing activityIt became an all-absorbing activity

2.2. Resulted in idleness, gambling, Resulted in idleness, gambling, excessive drinking or deceit.excessive drinking or deceit.

Cards and dice were unlawful sports. Inn-Cards and dice were unlawful sports. Inn-keeperskeepers

were fined for permitting gambling.were fined for permitting gambling.

►Puritans allowed:Puritans allowed:

1. Fishing1. Fishing

2. Hunting2. Hunting

Children and SportsChildren and Sports

►Played with toys.Played with toys.►Were allowed to swim in the summer Were allowed to swim in the summer

and skate in the winter.and skate in the winter.►Played football and bat-and-ball Played football and bat-and-ball

games.games.

Training DaysTraining Days

►Law required that all men between the Law required that all men between the ages of 16 and 60 meet for military ages of 16 and 60 meet for military training on a regular basis.training on a regular basis.

►Troops competed in wrestling, foot Troops competed in wrestling, foot races, jumping, horse racing and races, jumping, horse racing and shooting-at-the mark. shooting-at-the mark.

New York and Early SportsNew York and Early Sports

►Dutch settlers bowled, held boat races Dutch settlers bowled, held boat races and played kolven/golf.and played kolven/golf.

►1664- first organized horse race at the 1664- first organized horse race at the Newmarket course on Hempstead Newmarket course on Hempstead Plains, Long Island.Plains, Long Island.

►1736- America’s first circular track for 1736- America’s first circular track for horse racing was built.horse racing was built.

►Rooster fighting as well as animal Rooster fighting as well as animal baiting were common.baiting were common.

Sports in Southern ColoniesSports in Southern Colonies

►Less restrictive way of life than the Less restrictive way of life than the North.North.

►Puritan and Quaker groups had little Puritan and Quaker groups had little influence in this region. influence in this region.

The Great AwakeningThe Great Awakening

►Until the Great Awakening of the Until the Great Awakening of the 1740s southerners expressed their 1740s southerners expressed their emotions, drank and gambled without emotions, drank and gambled without incurring the wrath of the clergy.incurring the wrath of the clergy.

►Southern planters wanted to display Southern planters wanted to display the same lifestyle as English country the same lifestyle as English country gentry.gentry.

Virginia sports- billiards, ninepins, Virginia sports- billiards, ninepins, skittles, versions of cricket, horse skittles, versions of cricket, horse racing and gambling.racing and gambling.

VirginiansVirginians

►Bred the quarter horse.Bred the quarter horse.

►Later in the eighteenth century they Later in the eighteenth century they turned from the native quarter horse turned from the native quarter horse to the English thoroughbred.to the English thoroughbred.

►

►Horse owners formed jockey clubs in Horse owners formed jockey clubs in various southern states.various southern states.

►The clubs kept careful records of The clubs kept careful records of bloodlines and races.bloodlines and races.

►Although the great planters displayed Although the great planters displayed reckless courage, brawling was reckless courage, brawling was replaced with more genteel forms of replaced with more genteel forms of boxing.boxing.

►Gander-pulling was a favorite blood Gander-pulling was a favorite blood sport throughout the south.sport throughout the south.

►

Backcountry’s Sporting WaysBackcountry’s Sporting Ways

►Appalachia, Mississippi Valley and Appalachia, Mississippi Valley and Ozark Plateau comprise the Ozark Plateau comprise the backcountry.backcountry.

►Wrestling along with “rough-and-Wrestling along with “rough-and-tumble” were main sporting events in tumble” were main sporting events in this region.this region.

WarfareWarfare

► Competitions: Running, jumping, leaping Competitions: Running, jumping, leaping throwing axes, sledges and spears. throwing axes, sledges and spears.

► Above all, backcountry people admired Above all, backcountry people admired shooting skills.shooting skills.

► The precise shooting of the “hunters from The precise shooting of the “hunters from Kentucky” accounted for American success Kentucky” accounted for American success against the British at the Battle of New against the British at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.Orleans in 1815.

Pastimes in the Pastimes in the Revolutionary EraRevolutionary Era

►Republicanism, as well as, evangelical Republicanism, as well as, evangelical Protestantism tried to suppress Protestantism tried to suppress popular pastimes/games.popular pastimes/games.

►They felt that folk games would They felt that folk games would weaken the new society.weaken the new society.

►George Washington and Thomas George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had somewhat of a difference Jefferson had somewhat of a difference in opinion on games at this time.in opinion on games at this time.