OVERVIEW
 URBANIZATION PROCESS
CHARACTERISTICS
 DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN
AMERICAN CITIES


RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
CRUSADE AGAINST “BLOOD
SPORTS”
 MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY
 TURNER SOCIETIES

URBANIZATION PROCESS



IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CIVIL WAR THE
UNITED STATES EXPERIENCED AN
ACCELERATED PROCESS OF URBANIZATION
MASSIVE POPULATION MOVEMENTS
TRANSFERRED PEOPLE FROM THE
COUNTRYSIDE INTO THE CITIES, AND FROM
EUROPE INTO THE U.S.
ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATIONS GENERATED
SIGNIFICANT DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS IN WHICH
YOUNG MALE IMMIGRANTS AND MIGRANTS
RELOCATED TO AMERICAN CITIES FROM
EITHER EUROPE OR RURAL AREAS IN THE
COUNTRY.

URBANIZATION PROCESS


THE URBANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES
CREATED A CITY DEMOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE
WITH LARGE NUMBERS OF SINGLE YOUNG
MALES WHO MADE A LIVING IN THE NEW
MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE INDUSTRIES
SUCH TRANSITION MADE POSSIBLE THE
FORMATION IN AMERICAN CITIES OF LARGE
GROUPS OF MEN LIVING IN A RELATIVE
PROSPEROUS ENVIRONMENT WITH HIGHER
INCOME THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN
EUROPE AND THE COUNTRYSIDE, AND MORE
FREE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN LEISURE
ACTIVITIES.

URBANIZATION PROCESS




IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19 TH CENTURY THE
U.S. STARTED A RAPID PROCESS OF
URBANIZATION, PRECIPITATED BY THE TRANSITION
TO CAPITALISM. ADVANCES IN TRANSPORTATION
AND COMMUNICATIONS MADE POSSIBLE SUCH
MASSIVE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITIONS. BY1860 THE
U.S. COUNTED WITH MORE THAN 30,000 MILES
RAILROAD NETWORK.
BY 1860 20% OF THE U.S. POPULATION 20%
RESIDED IN URBAN AREAS, AND APPROX. 47% OF
THE GENERAL POPULATION HAD AN INCOME FROM
OTHER THAN AGRICULTURE SECTORS.
POPULATION MOVEMENTS, EAST TO WEST,
COUNTRYSIDE TO CITIES.
NATIONAL JOB MARKET: RURAL-AGRICULTURE TO
URBAN-MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES

TECHNOLOGY AND
SPORTS





TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
(RAILROADS REPLACED
STEAMERS & HORSE POWER)
TIME-MEASURED LABOR
ACTIVITIES, MASS PRODUCTION
ACCORDING TO TIME-
FRAGMENTED LABOR
INFORMATION & MEDIA:
REGULAR WEEKLY-DAILY
NEWSPAPERS
RAPID URBANIZATION
INCREASE PER CAPITA INCOME

DEMOGRAPHIC BASE FOR
MODERN SPORTS





PEOPLE LIVING IN THE CITIES
(MERCHANTS, LABORERS, SMALL
BUSINESS MEN, CLERKS,
BUREAUCRATS, APPRENTICES.
SINGLE MEN WITH AVERAGE INCOME,
SOME EDUCATION, AND FREE TIME,
IMMIGRANTS.
INTEREST IN SOCIAL MOBILITY,
OPTIMISTIC VIEW
FREE TIME AND MONEY FOR
RECREATIONAL PURPOSES
RESENTMENT OF URBAN IMPERSONAL
AND LONELY CHARACTER

DEMOGRAPHIC BASE FOR
MODERN SPORTS



SPORTING COMMUNITIES WERE
CREATED BY SINGLE YOUNG MEN
TRYING TO FIND AND CREATE
RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE
ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE
SUCH SPORTING COMMUNITIES IN
LARGE AMERICAN CITIES PROVIDED
THE DEMOGRAPHIC “FAN” BASE FOR
THE EMERGENCE OF ORGANIZED
SPORTS AND SPORTS AS FORMS OF
ENTERTAINMENT
PRIZEFIGHTING AND BASEBALL
EMERGED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT
SPORTS.

URBANIZATION, RELIGION
AND SPORTS



THE RAPID PROCESS OF URBANIZATION IN
19 TH CENTURY U.S. GENERATED A
SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE WAY RELIGIOUS
LEADERS VALUED AND CONCEPTUALIZED
SPORTS.
FROM CONSIDERING SPORTS A DISTRACTION
AND DEVIATION FROM SABBATH ACTIVITIES,
RELIGIOUS LEADERS STARTED TO VIEW
SPORTS AS A HEALTHY VENUE TO KEEP
YOUNG MEN OCCUPIED AND AWAY FROM
POTENTIAL TROUBLE IN THE URBAN
ENVIRONMENT.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITES WERE NOW
CONSIDERED A POSITIVE ANTIDOTE AGAINST
THE DANGERS OF URBANIZATION

URBANIZATION, RELIGION
AND SPORTS





TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS
PERSPECTIVE: SPORTS=DISTRACTION
FROM GOD, DISTRACTION FROM
WORK.
SPORTS= NEST FOR VICE, CRIME,
SINS.
GAMBLING= DISHONEST EARNINGS,
ECONOMIC RUIN FOR HOUSEHOLDS.
GAMBLING= FORETELLING THE
FUTURE, KNOWLEDGE RESERVED
ONLY TO GOD.
RELIGIOUS LEADERS LOOK FOR WAYS
TO SEPARATE URBAN SPORTS FROM
DRINKING AND GAMBLING

URBANIZATION, RELIGION
AND SPORTS




AS MORE PEOPLE LIVE IN CITIES
UNSUPERVISED BY RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES,
A CRUSADE AGAINST SPORTS ACTIVITIES
INVOLVING GAMBLING AND DRINKING BEGAN
TO GAIN SUPPORT IN THE COUNTRY
THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST “BLOOD SPORTS”
AND “NIGHT LIFE” WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A
STRONG CONDEMNATION TO PROHIBITION OF
BOXING, COCKFIGHTING, ANIMAL BAITING,
ANIMAL CONTESTS.
BLOOD SPORTS AT THE ROOT OF DRINKING,
GAMBLING AND CRIME.
BOXING BECAME AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY
ACROSS THE COUNTRY

URBANIZATION, RELIGION
AND SPORTS





URBAN LIFE, NEGATIVE IMPACT ON
FAMILIES: SEPARATION FROM THEIR
ORIGINAL COMMUNITY, ORIGINAL
VALUES.
HOUSEHOLD HEAD, NO LONGER A
PERMANENT-STABLE STATUS.
BOYS GROWING UP IN THE CITIES
WITHOUT CONTROL OR SUPERVISION.
SHIFT FROM PHYSICAL TO WHITE
COLLAR OCCUPATIONS, DISASTROUS
EFFECTS IN MEN’S CHARACTER.
COUNTRYSIDE MEN: STRONGER,
MORE MASCULINE, BETTER VALUES,
BETTER LIFE.

URBANIZATION, RELIGION
AND SPORTS



RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATION LEADERS
SEARCHED TO DEVELOP NEW KINDS
OF MODERATE, NON-VIOLENT
EXERCISE, IDEAL FOR BOYS IN URBAN
AREAS.
TEAM SPORTS, CHARACTER SHAPING
ACTIVITY.
SPORTS UNDER SUPERVISION
STARTED TO BE RECONCEIVED AS
IDEAL VENUES TO CHANNEL AND
FACILITATE THE TRANSITION TO TURN
BOYS INTO MEN.

MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY
DOCTRINE
 ORIGINATED IN ENGLAND, VERY
POPULAR IN THE U.S. 19 TH CENT.
 PHYSICAL EXERCISE WAS
LINKED TO SPIRITUAL HEALTH
AND HIGH MORAL VALUES
 URBANIZATION DEPRIVED
YOUNG MEN OF THEIR
ANCESTORS’ STRENGHT AND
COURAGE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY




EXERCISE/SPORTS= AN
ANTIDOTE TO SEXUAL DRIVE
AND BODY SELF-CONTROL IN
YOUNG MEN
SEXUAL EXCESS AND
DEVIATIONS LINKED TO LACK OF
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
CITY LIFE VICES COULD BE
PREVENTED BY SUPERVISED
EXERCISE AND SPORTS.
SEXUAL RESTRAINT ACHIEVABLE
THROUGH SPORTS

MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY



SPORTS, A TOOL IN BUILDING
CHARACTER
URBAN LIFE CREATED
EFFEMINATED AND SOFT MEN,
ONLY EXERCISE AND SPORTS
COULD RESTORE MANHOOD.
SPORTS DISCIPLINE AND
VALUES WOULD TURN BOYS
INTO MEN IN A GRADUAL
PROCESS.

TURNER SOCIETIES


IN ADDITION TO THE MUSCULAR
CHRISTIANITY DOCTRINE, OTHER EUROPEAN
TRADITIONS REGARDING PHYSICAL EXERCISE
IN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS INFLUENCED THE
U.S. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE 19 TH
CENTURY.
TURNER SOCIETIES, A TRADITION BROUGHT
IN TO THE UNITED STATES BY GERMAN
IMMIGRANTS, PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE “GYMNASIUM” AS
A SEPARATE SPACE SPECIFICALLY
DEDICATED TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES IN
RECREATIONAL CLUBS FIRST AND SCHOOLS
LATER.

TURNER SOCIETIES




GERMAN SOCIAL CLUBS FOR
THE YOUTH
BERLIN 1811 TURNVEREIN
CREATED BY FREDERICK L.
JAHN.
1848-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS
BROUGHT THE TURNERS INTO
THE U.S.
SOCIAL CENTERS W/ LIBRARY,
BAR, DANCING HALL AND GYM.

TURNER SOCIETIES





1851 NATIONAL GYMNASTICS
FESTIVAL IN PHILADELPHIA
1881 U.S.-GERMANY COMPETITIONS
PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE CLUBS
1893 CHICAGO’S WORLD FAIR, 4 000
EXERCISE DISPLAY
1898 U.S. COMMISSIONER OF
EDUCATION INTRODUCED SCHOOL
GYMNASTICS AND PHYSICAL
EDUCATION, INSPIRED BY THE
TURNER MODEL.

CLASS HOMEWORK


READ THE HISTORICAL
DOCUMENTS IN RIESS’ BOOK ON
McCOY’S DEATH AND THE
“BOSTON RAT PITS” PP. 54 AND
56.
USING THESE EXAMPLES,
CONSIDER THE PROS AND CONS
OF PROHIBITING “BLOOD
SPORTS”.