Introduction:
During the late 19th century, as city populations rose, there was an improvement in culture and entertainment. The biggest form of entertainment during this time were sports. Although people during this time were very busy, they used their limited free time to participate in leisure activities. There was a national "sports craze", where more and more people became interested in watching sports like boxing, baseball, basketball, and football.
Baseball:
Baseball started off as a casual gentlemen's game and ended up becoming a big form of entertainment in the US in the late 19th century. The National League was established in 1876, with different teams touring the country. Lots of playing fields and stadiums were made in cities, most notably Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. There were some racial divides in baseball during this time, African Americans were not allowed to play professional baseball, yet Moses Fleetwood Walker, an African-American man, joined the MLB in 1884.
Other Sports:
Intended to be a revised version of popular European sport Rugby, American Football became popular mostly at the college level, but it didn't draw in a crowd from the common folk. Boxing, adopted from England, became popular as a late night sport for workers, where they would often gamble. Basketball was established in 1891 as a less injury-inducing sport than football. It was a popular activity during the wintertime.
Vaudeville Shows:
The Vaudeville show was a popular circus-like event that provided a variety of entertainment for the common folk. It was made up of different acts, from singing to acrobatics. It traveled the country and became massively popular. They were meant to be "clean" and "family friendly", so no liquor was allowed in the show.
The Bicycle:
In 1885, the bicycle became a hit as a good way to get exercise and have fun. The high wheel bicycle was also a preferred version of the bike since it became a part of women's fashion. It ended up becoming an everyday tool for people to get around places who couldn't afford a car.
Sources:
http://www.ushistory.org/us/39b.asp
http://amhistory.si.edu/onthemove/themes/story_69_2.html
http://www.kansasheritage.org/people/naismith.html
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/a-brief-history-of-boxing/Content?oid=1083475
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/vaudeville-about-vaudeville/721/
This post is very interesting because it looks into the lifestyle of the normal Americans. During this time period, people are mainly focused on making products and business moguls, but it is also important to take a look at what the people do for fun when they are not busy with work. It is very interesting because with the growth of the middle class, it helped form a growing demand for entertainment like sports.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point about how some recreational activities were segregated for certain people, however for most recreational activities, not only did they provide entertainment, they also taught important life skills. For instance, the YMCA taught Christianity as well as how to play different sports; I think that when people began to realize the many benefits of being in sport activities, this helped them to develop increased mental discipline, a skill useful in maintaining their businesses and busy work lives.
ReplyDelete