SPORTS IN COLONIAL
AMERICA
SPORTS IN COLONIAL AMERICA
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SPORTING ACTIVITIES IN THE NORTH AMERICAN
EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS FOLLOWED THE TRENDS OF
THEIR BRITISH AND EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS
COLONISTS BROUGHT TO THE NEW WORLD MANY OF
THE SPORTS TRADITIONS FROM THEIR PLACES OF
ORIGIN
SPORTING ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED IN DIFFERENT
WAYS, HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO REGION, CLASS AND
DEGREE OF URBANIZATION
IN THE 18TH CENTURY URBAN AREAS WITH
SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE
ATLANTIC TRADE GENERATED A VENUE FOR
COMMERCIAL SPORTS.
SPORTS IN COLONIAL AMERICA
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ORIGINAL EUROPEAN SETTLERS IN THE CONTINENT
PARTICIPATED IN SPORTING TRADITIONS IN THE
CONTEXT OF RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS
SPORTING ACTIVITIES WERE CONSIDERED PART OF
LEISURE TIME DURING THE SABBATH, ORGANIZED
AND SUPERVISED BY RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES
AS THE COMPOSITION OF PROTESTANT, ESPECIALLY
PURITAN, COMMUNITIES VARIED ACCORDING TO
REGION, RESTRICTIONS TO PLAY AND PRACTICE
SPORTS DURING SABBATH WERE ENFORCED IN
DIFFERENT DEGREES
SPORTS IN COLONIAL AMERICA
SECULARIZATION OF SPORTS IN COLONIAL
AMERICA BECAME AN IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENT IN THE 18TH CENTURY
 FOLLOWING EUROPEAN TRENDS, THE
PROSPERITY OF URBAN TOWNS ORIENTED
TOWARDS MERCANTILE ACTIVITIES
GENERATED A POTENTIAL MARKET FOR
LEISURE ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED FOR
COMMERCIAL PROFIT, NAMELY BOXING AND
HORSE RACING.
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SPORTS IN COLONIAL AMERICA
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES (SOUTH-NORTH)
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS:
HORSE RACES
PRIZE FIGHTING
COCKFIGHTING
HUNTING
SPORTS VERY POPULAR IN SOUTHERN AREAS,
ASSOCIATED WITH MASCULINITY AND RACIAL
PRIVILEGES
 WORK AND SERVITUDE WERE IDENTIFIED
WITH BLACK SLAVES, LEISURE AND FREEDOM
WITH WHITE COLONISTS
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CLASS AND SPORTS IN THE SOUTH
PLANTERS ASSOCIATED WITH RACE TRACKS,
IMPORTATION OF HORSES AND IMITATION OF
ENGLISH TRADITIONS
 18TH CENTURY: NEW FENCED TRACKS THAT
CHARGED FOR ADMISSION, JOCKEY CLUBS
 RACES BECAME WEEKLY EVENTS, VERY
ORGANIZED (TIMING, WEIGHTS, COLORS)
 RACES BECAME SOCIAL EVENTS ON THEIR
OWN.
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FIST FIGHTS
“EYE GOUGING” FREE STYLE, BARE FIST
FIGHTS
 FIGHTERS FROM THE LOWER CLASSES
 ASSOCIATED WITH GAMBLING AND
DRINKING
 SPONTANEOUS AND/OR ORGANIZED
(DUEL-LIKE EVENTS)
 TAVERN OWNERS SPONSORS
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SPORTS MEANINGS IN THE SOUTH
SOURCE OF HONOR AND CLASS
IDENTIFICATION
 GENTRY: AFFIRMATION OF
“ENGLISHNESS”
 LOWER CLASSES: RACIAL AND GENDER
BOUNDARIES, WHITENESS AND
MANHOOD
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AFRICAN AMERICAN SPORTS
PLANTATION ACTIVITIES:
 COCKFIGHTING
 WRESTLING
 RACES
 OCCASIONALLY FIGHTERS AND HORSE
HANDLERS/RIDERS
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SPORTS IN THE NORTHERN
COLONIES
PURITAN WORK ETHIC
 SABBATH RESTRICTIONS AGAINST
GAMES
 SPORTS SHOULD BE MODERATE AND
RENEW MEN FOR WORK
 GENTRY CLUBS (FISHING, HUNTING,
HORSE RACING)
 OTHER SPORTS: GOLF, LAWN BOWLING,
SKATING
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COMMERCIAL SPORTS IN THE
NORTH
COCKFIGHTS
 HORSE RACES
 FIRST FENCED CIRCULAR TRACK IN NEW
YORK 1736
 LOCAL TAVERNS AND SALOONS BECAME
THE MAIN SPORTS PROMOTERS AND
HOSTED COCKFIGHTS, DANCES AND
BOXING MATCHES
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SPORTS IN THE 18TH CENTURY
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CLASS MARKED (GENTRY-ONLY CLUBS)
SPONSORED IN URBAN CENTERS BY LOCAL
SALOONS, INNS, BARS, TAVERNS.
ORIENTED TOWARDS A CONSUMMER AND
RECREATIONAL CULTURE NO LONGER
ATTACHED TO RURAL WORK, CHURCH OR
RELIGIOUS CALENDAR
PRIZE FIGHTS AND HORSE RACES SEMI
PROFESSIONAL
GAMBLING AND DRINKING