Unit II – I.R. & Pro Sports
Sep. 2014
Sports & Society
Mr. Aiello
Sports and Western Society
Unit II Outline: Industrial Revolution and growth of professional sports
Overview
In this unit, the longest of our semester elective, we will study sports in the late 1800s
and early 20th century as they become major businesses in the industrial revolution. We will
evaluate the evolution of European football, the first professional team sport and start of
professional athletics, into modern American football. This will be followed by the origins of
baseball and basketball in U.S. history. In addition, we will discuss the growth of sports in
American society throughout the 20th century. To accomplish this objective, the class will be
divided into three groups – baseball, basketball and football – each will evaluate their chosen
sport from the 1920s to the 1980s. Each of these three sports will have several sub-topics and
each group will have a whole class period to present their sport to the rest of the students and the
teacher.
Essential questions
1) How did the Industrial Revolution promote the rise of professional sports?
2) What are the origins of modern sports like football, soccer, baseball and basketball?
3) How have educational competitions (secondary schools and colleges) assisted in the
development of modern sports?
4) What was the “golden age” of American sports?
5) How did the three major American sports – baseball, football and basketball – evolve to
reflect changes in American society from the 1920s to the 1980s?
DATE
Homeplay
Wednesday, Sep. 10
Baker pp. 115 – 117
Thursday,
Sep. 11
Rader Ch 2
Friday,
Sep. 12
Baker pp. 119 - 127
Monday,
Sep. 15
Baker pp. 127 – 137
Tuesday,
Sep. 16
Baker pp. 199 - 204
Wednesday, Sep. 17
TBA
Thursday,
Sep. 18
Baker pp. 138 - 145
Friday,
Sep. 19
Baker pp. 146 – 150
Monday,
Sep. 22
Rader pp. 153 - 162
Tuesday,
Sep. 23
Rader pp. 162 - 171
Wednesday, Sep. 24
Rader pp. 142 - 148
Thursday,
Sep. 25
Rader Ch 15, your section
Friday,
Sep. 26
Have a fun and safe Homecoming weekend!!
Monday,
Sep. 29
Mandelbaum, your section
Tuesday,
Sep. 30
project
Unit II – I.R. & Pro Sports
Sep. 2014
Sports & Society
Mr. Aiello
Wednesday, Oct. 1
project
Thursday,
Oct. 2
project
Friday,
Oct. 3
Complete your part of the group presentation, submit your materials to
Mr. Aiello at:
davidaiello@claytonschools.net
Monday,
Oct. 6
baseball group presentation
Tuesday,
Oct. 7
football group presentation
Wednesday, Oct. 8
PRESENTATIONS
basketball group presentation
READING MATERIAL
baseball group – Chapter in Mandelbaum; R 259 – 267
football group – Chapter in Mandelbaum: R 267 - 275
basketball group – Chapter in Mandelbaum; R 275 – 278
Homework assignments for the unit outline
Baker 115 – 117
1) What explains the incredible increase in population growth in the 1800’s ?
2) Why did people move to cities?
3) How did team sports suit “the temper of the times”?
4) In the U.S. and Britain, name 5 factors led to an increase in participation and
spectatorship of sports?
Rader Ch 2
1) What is the purpose of this chapter?
2) What improvements in communication and transportation helped the growth
of sports in the 19th century?
3) Name 3 aspects or characteristics of the Victorian culture.
4) Define “rational recreation”.
5) Who made up the oppositional culture?
Baker 119 – 127
1) What are the two distinct styles of football play? How did they appeal to
different members of the society?
2) What were the “public” schools in England?
3) Who was Dr. Thomas Arnold?
4) What are the “Cambridge rules”?
5) Where does the word soccer come from?
6) When did soccer become the “people’s game”?
7) In the 1880’s, how did the game forever change (started in N. England)?
Unit II – I.R. & Pro Sports
Sports & Society
Sep. 2014
Mr. Aiello
Baker 127 – 137
1) Describe the first American football game in 1869. Does this look like
European or American football?
2) Who is Walter C. Camp? Name 3-4 changes he made to the game.
3) What universities were the “big three” until 1900?
4) Where did Britain “export” European football and rugby during the Victorian
era?
Baker 199 – 204
1) What were the problems in American football?
2) How did the Rules Committee meeting of 1906 drastically change the game?
3) Why was the 1913 game between Notre Dame and Army so important?
Baker 138 – 145
1) On the eve of the Civil War, what was the most popular of all team sports?
2) What is rounders?
3) Who was Alexander Cartright?
4) How did the Civil War influence the growth of baseball as the national game?
5) What was the first professional baseball club?
Baker 146 – 150
1) When was the National League founded?
2) How did National League owners impose stern discipline on their workers?
3) Define the “reserve clause”.
4) What was the purpose of the Players League? Was it successful?
5) Explain John Montgomery Ward’s quote: “Baseball is a business, not
simply a sport”.
Rader Ch 10, pg. 153 - 162
1) What three things did “this era witness” that increased baseball’s popularity?
2) Explain the “Abner Doubleday myth”.
3) Name the two key rule changes that made the early 1900’s “an age of the
pitcher”.
4) Describe the character of Ty Cobb.
5) What was the National Agreement of 1903?
Rader Ch 10, pg. 162 – 171
1) What was the “Black Sox Scandal”? Why is it such a big deal in the history
of the sport?
2) Explain why teams located in large cities dominated the age of dynasties.
3) Define “barnstorming”. Why was it essential for the Negro Leagues?
Rader 134 – 143
1) Why did sports idols come about at this time period?
2) List five reasons for the popularity of Babe Ruth.
Unit II – I.R. & Pro Sports
Sep. 2014
Sports & Society
Mr. Aiello
Sports and Western Society
Unit II Project
Industrial Revolution and growth of professional sports
For the project in this unit, you will have 2 choices. These options will be explained on
the first day of the unit and students will select their project at that time.
The projects will be completed at the end of the unit according to their subject area and style of
evaluation. Make your selection based on the sport that you would enjoy learned most about and
your willingness to do a group presentation.
Option 1
Presentation
groups of 3-5
Your goal is to present the history of one of the major professional sports discussed in this unit
(football, baseball, basketball). Your history begins where this unit leaves off (1920’s) and
should continue up to the present day. Major themes to be discussed include the formation of
leagues, star athletes, new rules, television, business / labor, race, gender, etc.
You will be provided with some background reading material and you must do some additional
research to organize your presentation
out of 20
CONTENT INFORMATION
accuracy and detail in the history of your topic
3-5 sources in information with bibliography (as a group)
clear summary of notes for the class
must have a printed outline for the class
______
out of 20
PRESENTATION SKILLS
ability to capture the attention of the class
good eye contact, volume, organization and structure
visual aids and creative demonstration using powerpoint
_____
out of 10
INDIVIDUAL EFFORT
from teacher evaluation and student input, each individual
in the group will receive a different effort grade
based on reading in class, research in library and final presentation
participation as a group member
FOURTH GROUP ???? – SOCCER, fits into outline (post 1920 – World Cup), however,
lack of info in Mandelbaum and Rader texts….
Option 2
Short research paper
individual
Your goal is to write a short research paper on a topic related to one of the three major sports
discussed in this unit. You will read the same background material as the people who complete a
Unit II – I.R. & Pro Sports
Sports & Society
Sep. 2014
Mr. Aiello
group presentation and then complete a short paper with additional research on a specific
subtopic. Below is a list of suggestions:
American Football
The growth of American football and television (1960’s – 1990’s)
The current popularity of American Football
American football in Europe vs. European football in America
Baseball
Baseball’s labor conflicts / free agency (1960’s – present)
Baseball’s historical problems with gambling
Famous announcers: the voices of baseball
Basketball
Basketball and African American culture
ABA and NBA merger of the 1970’s
NBA vs. WNBA, gender issues in basketball
Soccer
Creation of World Cup (FIFA)
Popularity of European football – history of imperialism
Other sports can be considered – please discuss individually with your teacher. For example,
you could do lacrosse or hockey as a history within this unit of study.
_____ out of 40 points
RESEARCH
clear thesis and historical support for your thesis
bibliography with at least 3 credible sources
10 – 15 endnotes in proper format (internal or external citations)
3 – 5 pages in length
_____ out of 10 points
WRITING STYLE
clear thesis and consistent writing style to defend thesis
limited typing, spelling, grammar errors
This is graded individually.
Outline for group presentations
Often the problem with group presentations is GETTING STARTED.
This means – how do we divide up the work and GET ORGANIZED to be productive?
Unit II – I.R. & Pro Sports
Sep. 2014
Sports & Society
Mr. Aiello
1) Everyone is responsible for all of the reading.
You have to read to know what you are talking about.
2) After you have read, divide the content as a means to present. It never works to have one
person do the research and one person put together the powerpoint presentation.
3) After you have divided labor, explain to Mr. H your structure and specific responsibilities.
This will allow for individuals to succeed even if the group doesn’t do well collectively. Get
your structure approved after you have read.
Example for NFL
Chronology – look for the same 4 or 5 ideas in each section of time.
I 1920’s – 1940’s
a) structure of the league – teams, cities, rules changes
b) star players, new techniques or athletic innovations
c) business – tv, contracts, labor
d) social issues – race, gender, class, etc.
II 1940’s – 1960’s
a – d)
II THE MERGER (separate part assuming you have 5 people)
a – d)
IV 1960’s – 1980’s
a – d)
V 1980’s – present
a – d)
Thematic – take one of the 4 or 5 ideas throughout the history
I) Structure – changes in league
1920 – present
II) Star players – by decade 1920 – present
III) Business – tv. labor, contracts 1920 – present
IV) Social issues over time 1920 – present
V – come up with additional topic specific to your sport
NFL popularity = violence in America