By Michael T. Wood, Guest Contributor On 20 July 2015, the United States and Cuba reopened their embassies in Havana and Washington, D.C. This occasion represents another important step in the normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations, and continues a policy shift that began in December 2014. Even though more action is needed on both sides of…
When she was Wilma Eldridge she couldn’t get nothing. They didn’t know Wilma Eldridge; they knew Wilma Rudolph. – Coach Ed Temple [1] By Cat Ariail Describing the post-athletic career of Wilma Rudolph, her collegiate coach perceptively captures the limitations of her heroine status. At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Rudolph won the 100-meter sprint,…
By Kyle D. James, Guest Contributor On July 31st, 2015, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will decide whether Almaty, Kazakhstan, or Beijing/Zhangjiakou, China, will become the host of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The Boston 2024 Olympic Committee, along with the European cities that have also announced their candidacies, will be watching closely, as this…
This is part 3 in a series of posts that explore the questions and issues of preparing a sport history course. The first post introduced the course and discussed selecting books and other materials. The second post explored issues of organization and choosing what to include. This is the final post in the series. It…
This is the second of two posts on Baseball’s Unwritten Rules. The “unwritten rules” entail issues of masculinity and decorum. They’re often contradictory and at times fans, players, and former players in sports media disagree on what they really are. In this series we want to take a closer look at them and try to…
This is the first of two posts on Baseball’s Unwritten Rules. The “unwritten rules” entail issues of masculinity and decorum. They’re often contradictory and at times fans, players, and former players in sports media disagree on what they really are. In this series we want to take a closer look at them and try to…
Sociologist Alan Bairner argues that “sport and nationalism are arguably two of the most emotive issues in the modern world” and that supporting one’s national team is one primary way to demonstrate one’s national identity. We most recently saw this in the abundance of support given to the US Women’s National Team when they defeated Japan…
In May, Caitlyn Jenner sat down for an interview with Diane Sawyer and was featured on the June cover of Vanity Fair. Jenner’s story, to that point, had been predictably marked by speculation and rumors of her “becoming a woman” or more crudely her “sex change.” Audiences impatiently waited for her to confirm the secret…
After defeating the powerhouse German team earlier this week, 2-0, the United States became the first country to reach the World Cup final on four occasions. US squads previously squared off in the 1991, 1999, and 2011 championships, winning titles in 1991 and 1999. Such an accomplishment is impressive in its own right; yet, when…
Sport in American History 