The Social and Cultural Factor

James Hartmann 10/22/00 Midterm Exam History 337 The Social and Cultural Factors of Modern Sports When we observe modern sports and see the progress it has made, we can’t help but to look at the factors in the past that shaped sports, which has shaped our culture much in the same way. Urbanization, for example, affected organized sports much like it affected our culture. Better transportation and increased communication also helped spread sports and how we …

…was primarily the labor class whose ideals primarily included drinking, gambling, and playing. These “counterVictorians” gathered at sporting events and saloons to drink and bet. These activities further promoted the playing of sports such as prizefighting. Not only that, but they began to gain a sense of pride through athletic competition. This counterculture began the following of athletics and served as not only the chief participants in athletic competition, but also the chief fan base.