>To All --
>
>I've been approached to write a sweeping history of American sports, from
>the Colonial period onward, focusing on the various cultural and political
>elements that made and continue to make up the games -- from race to sex
>to capital vs. labor, advertising, and so on -- as well as dealing with
>the athletes and owners themselves. Anyone with any suggested sources or
>reading material may contact me on - or off-list.
>
>Thanks.
>
>DP
In the sociology of sports, there's some cool stuff showing how structural racism works (or worked, as it is changing its face albeit racism is just shapeshifting): players get racially segregated into the so-called "thinking" positions (center, quarterback, pitcher, catcher) vs. the "non-thinking" positions.
I think it's Michael Messner who has some great stuff about the difference between the way whites, blacks, latinos are socialized into sports so that black and latino men end up spending a lot more energy on sports--as it becomes THE major way to advance in their worlds--as opposed to even very talented whites who are encouraged to branch out a bit more and, therefore, don't get caught up in the pro sports meat grinders. it's great stuff and it definitely resonates around here, manifesting itself palpably in the differences i observe in the self-understanding and plans of poor and working class boys.
i didn't look up any of this stuff, but i will if you're at all interested.
I taught at Colgate for a couple of years. It's a swanky four year liberal arts collge where the kids had to be very competitive grade-wise, but they also had a large and competitive sports program. The material I used to teach sociology, as a consequence, zeroed in on sports since it was something they were all interested in and familiar with. When they see the stats on race and sports positions and, of course, on race and coaching/management/ownership it was a big eye-opener. they see all those black faces on the courts and the ball field and think there's no racism.
sorry this is disjointed. in a hurry but wanted to answer because, otherwise, i'd forget. too much going on.
k