Sport and American Society Exceptionalism, Insularity, ‘Imperialism’

A special issue of the International Journal of the History of Sport, this collection of provocative essays explores the many faces of sport in America. Drawing upon insights from anthropology, history, philosophy and sociology and with reference throughout to politics and economics, the contributors outline the story of how American sport has contributed to a climate of insularity, exceptionalism and imperialism, from a symbolic rejection of British rule and British sports to the current status of all-American sports such as baseball and basketball in the face of globalization.

1. Prologue James Mangan 2. Benevolent America: Rural women, physical recreation, sport and health reform in ante-bellum New England Linda Borish 3. Aggressive America: Media nationalism and the ‘War’ over Olympic pictures in sport’s 'golden age' Mark Dyreson 4. Insular America: The NBA began in Akron? The midwest conference in the 1930s Murray R. Nelson 5. Integrating America: Jackie Robinson, critical events and baseball black and white John Kelly 5.Exclusionary America:Jackie Robinson, decolonization and baseballnot black and white John Kelly 6. Reformist America: ‘The oberlin experiment -The limits of Jack Scott’s ‘athletic revolution’ in post-1960s America Tim Elcombe 7. Community America: Who owns Wrigley Field? Holly Swyers 8. Exceptionalist America: American sports fans’ reaction to internationalization Sean Frederick Brown 9. Rejected America: Adolfo Luque, American interventionism and 'Cubanidad' Benjamin Eastman 10. Challenged America: China and America– women and sport, past, present and future Susan Brownell 11. Epilogue Mark Dyreson

Mark Dyreson is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at Pennsylvania State University J. A. Mangan is Emeritus Professor at the University of Strathclyde