Sports in the 1920s: depiction of the changes sports, and sports figures, went through in the 1920s

The 1920’s better known as the roaring twenties was a period of dramatic social, and political change. Throughout history the roaring twenties was the first time most Americans lived in cities than farms. After the years of World War I this was a period where America and the public wanted to separate themselves from other parts of the world, foreign countries .

Another part of sports in the 1920s was discrimination and prejudice. Alchin said in paragraph 20 of American sports of the 1920s “Racial prejudice against African Americans were prevalent as was discrimination from

Babe Ruth, baseball's “superslugger” was drafted by the Yankees for the most paid player in the league. New York paid Harry Frazee, from Boston $125,000. He caused a huge upset in the national game by batting out twenty-nine home runs. People believed that the Yankee manager would offer him a new contract. President Ruppert said Ruth would probably play right field for the Yankees. He played in left field for the Red Sox , and had the highest fielding average of all the outfielders, he only made two mistakes during the season. While he was on the Pacific Coast, Manager Huggins also tried to sign Duffy Lewis, who was one of Ruth's partners in the outfield at the Polo Grounds.

The day that the Red Sox sold George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. to the New York Yankees is the same day that one of the greatest teams in baseball history was created. Babe Ruth started learning baseball around the age of seven and ever since he was signed by the Boston Red Sox he started to become a legend. In 1918, Babe was bought by the New York Yankees for around $425,000 with a contract that had a salary stated at $10,000 a year. Knowing his worth Babe asked for a raise in his salary, the team owners agreed to the raise in order to keep their new player happy. At the start of the season, Babe lived up to his salary raise. He beat his own homerun record with 54 home runs, which he soon beat again in the year 1921 with 59 home runs. With Babe

The New York Yankees of 1927 were a high-powered machine lead by some of the greats of all time in baseball. This baseball team was composed of seven Hall of Famers, six players including: Earle Combs, George Herman (Babe Ruth), Lou Gehrig, Herb Pennock, Tony, Lazzeri, and Waite Hoyt, and their Manager, Miller Higgins. (New York Yankees Hall of Fame Register, 70) The team had a no-mercy philosophy and had a sense of confidence exceptionally high noted by Babe Ruth: "It was murder, we never even worried five or six runs behind. Wham! Wham! Wham! And wham! No matter who was pitching." The 1920's were an "economic boom for Americans. Now people had more time on their hands with the inventions such as the car and other household

During the Gilded age many social class, racial walls and gender bias developed lines walls and boundaries for people. The funny thing about that is as new boundaries, walls and limitations were being built sports and the development of it broke them down or found new ways for the different genders and races to find ways to use sports as an outlet. Women were constantly fighting for their right to be involved in sports and pushing the limits as to what social norm deemed acceptable for them to be allowed to play. Working class women started to compete professionally in rowing competitions; they played crocket and played lawn tennis. The American pastime of baseball was well on its way and all though baseball had a huge racial division as to who could play mainly African Americans not being accepted, but they developed their own league and contrary to the belief that Jackie Robinson was the first pro ball player there was another before him by the name of Moses Fleetwood Walker. Moses was the product of a inter racial relations with a black dad and white mom he also attended college at University of Michigan and was the first African American Pro Baseball player. After that he would venture into entrepreneurism, be a newspaper editor, author as well as an inventor. He was quite the Renaissance man living the "American Dream" despite social and racial ideologies. Collegiate level sporting really started to take off during this time and the development of another

After completing school, George Jr. signed with the Baltimore Orioles (then a minor league team) in 1914. George Jr. earned the nickname Babe from his teammates while he was in Baltimore. Later in 1914, Babe Ruth was sold to the Boston Red Sox. While playing with the Red Sox, Babe was a pitcher. Ruth’s pitching record was 94-46 (.671 pct) with a 2.28 ERA. In 1920, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth for $125,000 to finance a production called No, No Nanette. After Ruth was sold the Red Sox went on a eighty-six year drought of winning a World Series finally ending in 2004. In New York, Babe started as the Yankees’ right fielder instead of pitching. In his first season with the Yankees, Babe hit fifty-four total home runs that year which was a record at that point. A year later Ruth broke his record with fifty-four home runs. That same year Ruth hit his first World Series home run. Later on October 6, 1926, Ruth was the first player to hit three home runs in a single World Series

In the 1919 baseball season, he knew that he should increase his salary earnings, and wanted Harry Frazee to sell him to the Yankees. Babe told everyone he knew the day was coming and that it was one that changed his life forever. He said on December 26, 1919 was the day he was sold to the New York Yankees. Frazee was offered $100,000 cash for Babe, and Frazee accepted. He also was also given 3 promissory notes of $25,000 each at 6% interest (ESPN).

In 1914, Babe Ruth made a major debut for the Boston Red Sox. Babe Ruth pitched in 4 out of 5 games in the 1914 baseball season. In 1916, The Red Sox won the World Series. In 1918, instead of being the pitcher, Babe Ruth played in the outfield. In the World Series of 1918, Babe Ruth pitched in Game 1. In Game 4, he pitched eight innings. In just six games, The Red Sox won the World Series. In 1919, Babe Ruth wanted a raise in his salary. Frazee, the owner of The Red Sox refused to raise it. Babe Ruth had to be

“Baseball was still struggling to recover from a devastating scandal.” “Eight members of the Chicago White Sox had been indicted for accepting bribes to lose the World Series in the episode known as the Black Sox Scandal. One sportswriter credited Ruth with single handedly bringing baseball back into public favor after the scandal.” (Hanson 90). “During his first season with the Yankees, Ruth hit fifty-four home runs, restoring America’s interest in the all-American sport of baseball. Ruth in effect created a new way of playing baseball and made baseball players into start through his unique ability to hit long distances, as well as his larger-than-life personality. Left handed he could hit, pitch, and run with equal skill.” (Hanson 90). According to “Topics in Chronicling America,” “In 1918, The Red Sox won the World Series. The Red Sox had also won the World Series in 1915 and 1916, but Ruth had been held hitless in both Series. In 1919, Ruth demanded a salary increase from $10,000 to $20,000, even though he had two years remaining on his contract. He refused to play the 1920 season in Boston unless his demands are met.” “Although Ruth was an outstanding hitter he failed around two out of every three times he came to bat. He failed around eleven out of every twelve times for hitting home runs at bat. He failed much more often than people think but he is

Sports went through many changes in the time period known as the roaring twenties. Sports, movies, and jazz became big in the recreational times of the 1920s. There are now over a million movie theaters, a ton of different sports leagues and teams, an uncountable number of golf courses and players, and plenty types of music. One finds this amazing how this all originated, in the Roaring Twenties.

He was the most famous athlete in the United States in the 1920’s. Ruth saved baseball with 54 swings of his bat, making 54 home runs. Ruth broke into the major leagues in 1914 for the Boston Red Sox. His teammates called him “baby” and then later started calling him “babe”. Since Ruth was like a big kid, the name stuck and he became known as Babe Ruth to the baseball world.

Base on the book “The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs” by Bill Jenkinson, In February 1914 when Ruth was nineteen, Jack Dunn a player for several major-league teams and the owner of the minor league Baltimore Orioles offered a $600 contract for one season and he accepted so, in February 27, Ruth left St. as a professional baseball player, and on April 22 he

        One man who has greatly influenced society and the game of golf, is superstar Tiger Woods.  When he joined the PGA tour people jumped on the golf bandwagon in increasing numbers.  Golf has began more popular to the American people.  People from all over the country have gained interest in the game of golf.  Stossel states that the number of golfers went up by seven percent in 1997 alone (2).  Golf has become a high source for weekend entertainment for Americans.  More than six million Americans enjoy watching golf on weekends (Stossel 2).  Not only are people watching the sport, they are reading magazines like Golf, Golf World, Golf Digest and Links.  Also for entertainment there have been movies such as Tin Cup and Happy Gilmore (Stossel 2).

In the 1960’s most sports hit a really big growth spurt. If it weren’t for the 1960’s baseball, football, and boxing would not be the same as they are today. These sports caught almost everyone's attention on game days. People tried to be like the players and be as good as them, that pushed people to do better at athletic things that made them healthier. Sports like baseball, football, and boxing all provided role models that changed people’s lives in the 1960’s.