By Kat Boniface With the Thoroughbred Makeover wrapping up at the Kentucky Horse Park, and the Breeder’s Cup coming up this weekend, now is a great time to consider the place of thoroughbreds in our history. Racehorses have not just been seen as animal athletes. Many have become public figures. This month marks the anniversary…
Trothen, Tracy J. Winning the Race? Religion, Hope, and Reshaping the Sport Enhancement Debate. Sports and Religion Series, ed. by Joseph L. Price. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2015. Pp. xiv+209. Bibliography and index. $30 paperback. Reviewed by Alex Parrish After LeBron James’ career-defining block in the dwindling moments of Game 7 of the…
Luther, Jessica. Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape. New York: Akashic, 2016. Pp. 247. Notes. $15.95 paperback. Reviewed by Noah Cohan Jessica Luther didn’t intend to make a career at the intersection of journalism, college football, and sexual assault. But not long after she started her sports blog, Power Forward, in 2011,[1]…
On Tuesday evening, the Cleveland Cavaliers received their championship rings and watched their 2016 NBA Champions banner rise to the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena. After the festivities, the Cavs took to the hard court to take on the New York Knicks. Hours later, the Golden State Warriors, with their new acquisition, the former league…
Kirschbaum, Erik. Soccer without Borders: Jurgen Klinsmann, Coaching the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and the Quest for the World Cup. New York, NY: Picador Press, 2016. Pp. xxv+358. Author’s Note and Index. $25 hardcover. Reviewed by Cedrick G. Heraux Hired in July 2011 to coach the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT), Jurgen Klinsmann…
Bar-On, Tamir. The World Through Soccer: The Cultural Impact of a Global Sport. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. Pp. xxiii+307. Appendix, notes, bibliography, and index. $92.00 hardback, $89.99 electronic book. Reviewed by Zachary R. Bigalke Anyone who has watched soccer in recent years has seen a dizzying array of different formations and tactics being…
By Emalee Nelson This fall, a pioneering television show emerged on FOX’s primetime lineup. Pitch tells the fictitious, yet inspirational, story of Ginny Baker, the first woman to play Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres. The series tackles a variety of issues one can imagine a woman would face competing in a league…
Guroff, Margaret. The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2016. Pp. 295. Abbreviations, bibliography, notes, index, 10 b&w photos, and 5 b&w illustrations. $24.95 hardcover. Reviewed by Lindsay Parks Pieper I recently visited Washington, D.C., to conduct research in the Library of Congress. The proximity of the library…
By Kevin Rossi, Guest Contributor Colin Kaepernick’s ongoing protest against racial injustice and police violence has created a unique lens with which to view the role sport can serve in the dialogue about race relations in the United States. His message echoes that of the Black Lives Matter movement: police officers in the United States are…
By Cat Ariail Tonight, the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers will tip-off the Unity Game. Instead of preseason basketball, “celebrating multiracial groups, diverse populations and organizations committed to improving relations among different groups” will assume priority. A day of community service preceded the game and the half-time ceremony will feature an address by the CEO…
Sport in American History 