The Golden Age of Sports in America

I. Introduction

            The 1920s is considered historically as the golden age of sports. It was during this time when America suddenly focused its attention to sports. This was not surprising since it was the time when the country wanted to forget the memories of the First World War. More than that, because of the War, it was also a time when the country was enjoying economic boom and the people simply wanted to enjoy their newfound financial freedom.

Mobility is another factor which contributed to the country’s fascination with sports. With automobile becoming part of every household, the typical American families begun to enjoy moving around town and cities the way they had not done so before. Visiting ballparks and watching games became possible.

At home, the typical American families also enjoy the new technologies and electrification of most urban areas which enable them to have more free time at their hands. With these new technologies, the typical families had enough free time on their hands which they used in amusing themselves with sports events.

One of the new technologies which allowed America to focus its attention on sports is commercial radio. The 20s was the era of radio and it allowed sporting events to gain popularity and be a part of the mass culture. The WJK broadcast of the Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier heavyweight title fight established the radio-sports relationship which remains strong until the present (Covil, n.d.). With the radio, the sports events became accessible for almost every family in America.

Lastly, it was also the era when there was an emergence of some of the greatest athletes in history. There was Jack Dempsey, The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, Big Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen, Bobby Jones, Man O’ War, Eddie Shore and Howie Morenz, and of course, Babe Ruth. With these great athletes, the nation could not help but become a fan. Thus begun America’s romance with sports.

II. The Birth of Sports Broadcast

            The first sport broadcast was the Johnny Ray-Johnny Dundee prizefight in 1921. It was from Westinghouse’s KDKA Pittsburgh station, which was also the first non-experimental licensed station. For the first time, a blow by blow account of the fight was brought to homes of the average Americans. But the truly historical broadcast was from the RCA’s WJK station which broadcasted the Jack Dempsey-George Carpentier fight in 1921. The legendary fight captured the fascination of America. Consequently, the radio became its main medium or source of information for this new found fascination.  It was then the birth of sports broadcasting.

            After the historic broadcast, KDKA broadcasted another legendary game, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies game. The play by play account of Harold Arlin via converted phone, initiated America into “being in the game” at the comfort of their own living room. According to Sports Illustrated, vol. 75, issue 18, pg 19, “Arlin’s play-by-play demonstrated to the public that baseball could be brought into the American living room with immediacy and intimacy” (Covil, n.d.).

            Then the Westinghouse WJZ station in New Jersey broadcasted the first World Series broadcast in 1921. Tommy Cowan did the play by play account of the New York Yankees and New York Giants game. Then in 1922, the station broadcasted the entire series and this time with respected sports journalist, Grantland Rice, doing the play by play account.

            Aside from boxing and the world series, college football was also brought to the hometown fans in a way that it was not done before. Although the first broadcast of college football happened a decade ago, the KDKA’s broadcasting of the University of Pittsburgh versus the West Virginia University was historical. This was because for the first time in history, advertising was introduced as part of the broadcast. Moreover, the historic broadcast started the interregional competition, which eventually made football the national sport of America (Covil, n.d.).

            Newspaper owned stations, saw the emerging role of radio into bringing sports to the masses competed with broadcasting games and sports events to the people. In 1924, Chicago Tibune’s WGN broadcasted the Indianapolis 500. It was the first car race broadcast in the history of auto racing. Then in 1925, the same station broadcasted the Kentucky Derby across the mid-west (Covil, n.d.).

            Then in 1927, the Rose Bowl game between Stanford University and the University of Alabama was broadcasted coast to coast.

            After the 20’s several issues concerning, advertising, ballpark attendance, broadcast banning of ballpark owners and even the great depression halted the healthy relationship between sports and radio broadcast. However, sports broadcasting were born and despite the many problems it would have later on, it was forever cemented at that time.

III. The Athletes

            By the 1920s horse racing was already a part of American culture but what was significant at that time in horseracing was Man O’ War. Man O’ War, also called Big Red, won 20 out of 21 races when it was two years old. Then when it turned three, it won every race it was entered into. Man O’ War was considered the greatest and fastest horse of that decade and the spectators, fans and radio listeners were enraptured.

In football there was, of course, Red Grange. In fact during this time, Red Grange became synonymous with football. He became a household name in the 20’s because of his 5 touchdowns during the game with Michigan but his legacy was in transforming the game into professional sport. After college he turned pro by signing with the Bears. They played a 12-day tournament and when they played in New York, thousands of people came to watch them play against the Giants. It was then the birth of the NFL as we know it today.

College football also took the center stage during the 20s, particularly with the team up of the Notre Dame’s famous Four Horsemen: Harry Stuhldreher, Jim, Crowley, Don Miller and Layden. It was also the time of their coach Knute Rockne who led them to victory in an undefeated season of 10-0 (Marshall, n.d.). One of their most memorable plays was with the Cadets of Army at the Polo Grounds in 1924.

The 20s was also the start of women getting interested in sports and this was mainly due to French tennis star Suzanne Lenglen. She made women in sports interesting with her exposed ankles and forearms and with her on the court drinking. The men found her alluring and the women found her liberating. On the court, she won the Wimbeldon in 5 straight years. In the United States, there was Helen Willis who won three US singles titles (Marshall, n.d.). Their match was an historic event as many Americans hoped to see the defeat of the French. However, Lenglen won the game. It was the only time the two players met on court since Lenglen went professional and Willis became the next big star in the amateur.

In men’s tennis, there was the first US big star, Bill Tilden. Tilden won 10 major tournaments, 3 Wimbledon and 7 US Open(Marshall, n.d.). He was one of the major sports figures of the 20s.

In boxing, there was Jack Dempsey. He was the best heavyweight boxer of the 20s and even today is considered as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Aside from his power in the ring, he also gave the fans what they want: a very exciting fight. In his fight with Gene Tunney, called “The Long Count Fight”, he did not return to his corner on time, which allowed Tunney to recover and defend his title (Marshall, n.d.).

Of course, no American sports history would be complete without Babe Ruth and the Yankees and the 20s was their moment of glory. After the baseball scandal of 1919, Babe Ruth successfully saved the sport while playing the game like no one else did (Marshall, n.d.). He was the greatest player at that time and the Yankees was the best team. Almost every American was captivate and together, they made baseball the national past time of America.

Baseball has become so big in the 20s that at the ballpark and sports stadium, many noted the dominant presence of the middle class or the laboring class. This then became a matter of interest to some high brow individuals that later on, the game was called a “poor man’s game” (Wolfe, 1923). This then eventually led to the several colleges dropping the game in favor of other sports such as tennis and rowing. Nevertheless, this did not deter the spectators into coming into the games. And despite it being called a “poor man’s game” it united the nation into creating it as the national past time.

IV. Other Significant Events

            Aside from the great athletes, several events also contributed to the rise of sports in the 1920s which made the decade to be called as the Golden Age of Sports in America.

            The Paris Olympic Games of 1924 was contributory in America’s fascination to sports. The Olympic game caught the attention of the public with the triumph of English sprinters, Eric Liddle and Harold Abrahams, and the Americans sprinters, Charley Paddock and Jackson Scholz. The American Paddock was called the Fastest Human Alive and was already a winner in the last Olympics. Scholz was also one of the best bet. The British was considered the underdog but later won in several races. Liddle also got more attention from the news since he did not want to compete in the Sunday race (Marshall, n.d.).  

            As it was the time when the whole country was enjoying their new mode of transportation and new toy, the automobile, their interest in car racing was born. During the 20s the Indy 500 became famous and became an event which every American car enthusiast followed (Marshall, n.d.). Although the race was first held a decade before, in 1911, the 1920s found its way in the American public and soon it became one of the major races in the world.  

            The 20s was also the birth of the Stanley Cup as it is known today. During the first part of the 1920s, there were other leagues in competition with each other, such as the WCHA and the PCHA. Then by the second half of the decade, these leagues closed down and the NHL started dominating the sport (Marshall, n.d.)            

V. The Age of the Spectator

            The 1920s is not just considered as the Golden Age of Sport, but also the Age of the Spectator. It was during this time when the spectators paved the way for bigger and better stadiums to be built. The national broadcasts and the newspaper coverage of the games created a new form of journalism. The advertising was forever changed with the fans patronizing the companies worn or endorsed by their teams. The government had to improve the roads so that the fans can travel from cities to cities to watch their teams play. Many colleges and universities had their athletics program changed (Sumner, 2005).

The Golden Age in Sports and the Age of the Spectator ended when the Great Depression hit the United States in 1929. However, the decade caused several changes, not just in sports but also in the way Americans live their lives. These changes survived the depression and the succeeding decades and they are the reasons why America enjoys sports the way it does today.

Works Cited

Covil, Eric C. n.d. Radio and its Impact on the Sports World. American Sportscasters Online.

Retrieved 3 March 2008 from

http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/radiohistory.html

Marshall, James. n.d. The Golden Age of Sports: A Roaring Replay of the 1920's

Retrieved 3 March 2008 from

http://www.sportplanet.com/sbb/apfas/20R.HTM

Sumner, Jim. 2005. The Golden Age of Sports. North Carolina Museum of History

Retrieved 3 March 2008 from

www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/collateral/articles/s04.golden.age.sports.pdf

Wolfe, Edgar F. 1923. The Benevolent Brotherhood of Baseball Bugs. Literary Digest.

Retrieved 3 March 2008 from

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5087/