Slides from a 2004 class on Race & Sport

1. Race & SportRace & Sport

2. Class FormatClass Format
 Overview of Sport Sociology/ Issues inOverview of Sport Sociology/ Issues in
SportSport
 Expand your perspectiveExpand your perspective

3. Sport SociologySport Sociology
 StackingStacking
 Participation TrendsParticipation Trends
 Employment TrendsEmployment Trends
 Participation BenefitsParticipation Benefits
 OppressionOppression
 Is sport a microcosm of society?Is sport a microcosm of society?

4. The BeginningThe Beginning
V.
Yale Princeto
n

6. Scalp SongScalp Song
 Simpson CollegeSimpson College
 Miami University (Ohio)Miami University (Ohio)
 StanfordStanford

7. Indians on the GridironIndians on the Gridiron

8. Jim Crow & SportJim Crow & Sport
 Gentleman’s AgreementGentleman’s Agreement
 1939 Cotton Bowl1939 Cotton Bowl
 1940 NYU v. U. of Missouri1940 NYU v. U. of Missouri

9. Irony?Irony?

10. Euro-AmericansEuro-Americans
 SpectatorsSpectators
 CoachesCoaches
 AdministratorsAdministrators
 JournalistJournalist
 AthletesAthletes
 Performance isn’t normally marked byPerformance isn’t normally marked by
racerace

11. Sports & RecollectionSports & Recollection
 Recalling events is synonymous with sportRecalling events is synonymous with sport
 Events related to race and sport are oftenEvents related to race and sport are often
excluded or devoid of facts aboutexcluded or devoid of facts about
strugglesstruggles

12. Erasing ProcessErasing Process
 NCAA Hall of ChampionsNCAA Hall of Champions
 They do not address segregation orThey do not address segregation or
integrationintegration
 Athletes accomplishments are devoid ofAthletes accomplishments are devoid of
segregationsegregation

13. Erasing Process (cont.)Erasing Process (cont.)
 College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of Fame
 No attempts are made to clarify raceNo attempts are made to clarify race
 No discussion about the conditions theNo discussion about the conditions the
Native Americans excelled under, andNative Americans excelled under, and
how they disappearedhow they disappeared
 Fails to show the rise of the African-Fails to show the rise of the African-
American athleteAmerican athlete
 Bypasses topics of Native AmericanBypasses topics of Native American
mascots & Confederate mascotsmascots & Confederate mascots

14. Jack TriceJack Trice
 Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
rededicated theirrededicated their
stadium in his honorstadium in his honor
 One of the first BlackOne of the first Black
players at ISUplayers at ISU

15. Love/Hate the Black BodyLove/Hate the Black Body
 Black bodies have been seen asBlack bodies have been seen as
grotesquegrotesque
 Black bodies have been renderedBlack bodies have been rendered
aesthetically as superior in: strength,aesthetically as superior in: strength,
speed, & resiliencespeed, & resilience
 Black bodies signified deviance: sexuality,Black bodies signified deviance: sexuality,
style, presentation, criminalitystyle, presentation, criminality

16. Love/Hate the Black BodyLove/Hate the Black Body
 The body of the African-AmericanThe body of the African-American
athletes, as a site and source ofathletes, as a site and source of
exceptional ability, criminal deviance, andexceptional ability, criminal deviance, and
spectatorial, if not sexual pleasure,spectatorial, if not sexual pleasure,
simultaneously facilitates imagination andsimultaneously facilitates imagination and
exploitation. And as it entertains, inspires,exploitation. And as it entertains, inspires,
troubles, and revolts, it legitimates, if nottroubles, and revolts, it legitimates, if not
encourages, discipline, regulation andencourages, discipline, regulation and
control.control. (King & Springwood, 2001)(King & Springwood, 2001)

17. College or Pro?College or Pro?
 ImmatureImmature
 MaterialisticMaterialistic
 Disinterested in EducationDisinterested in Education
 Lacking DisciplineLacking Discipline
 Taking the Easy Way OutTaking the Easy Way Out
 Needs to Care for their FamiliesNeeds to Care for their Families

18. A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes
 Henson opted toHenson opted to
attend the Universityattend the University
of Michigan & playof Michigan & play
minor league baseballminor league baseball
in the summerin the summer
 Bryant decided toBryant decided to
play pro-basketballplay pro-basketball

19. A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes
 Phenomenal AthletesPhenomenal Athletes
 Middle-class familiesMiddle-class families
involved in sportinvolved in sport
 Approached byApproached by
professional teams inprofessional teams in
high schoolhigh school

20. A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes
 Bryant received a $10Bryant received a $10
million contractmillion contract
 NY Yankees openlyNY Yankees openly
courted Hensoncourted Henson
 Bryant “the nextBryant “the next
Michael Jordan”Michael Jordan”
 Henson “the nextHenson “the next
Michael Jordan of proMichael Jordan of pro
sports”sports”

21. A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes
 Bryant: School’s OutBryant: School’s Out
 Henson: Golden Boy:Henson: Golden Boy:
Michigan-BoundMichigan-Bound
Quarterback andQuarterback and
Yankee Bonus ByYankee Bonus By
Drew Henson—WhoDrew Henson—Who
Also Averaged 22Also Averaged 22
Points in BasketballPoints in Basketball
and 4.0 in theand 4.0 in the
Classroom Is AlmostClassroom Is Almost
Too Good to Be TrueToo Good to Be True

22. A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes
 Bryant’s physical andBryant’s physical and
emotional maturity wasemotional maturity was
debated in the mediadebated in the media
 Did he have theDid he have the
necessary experience ornecessary experience or
strength?strength?
 Could he handle theCould he handle the
pressure?pressure?
 College would refine him,College would refine him,
grant him the opportunitygrant him the opportunity
to earn a diploma and toto earn a diploma and to
improve his gameimprove his game

23. A Tale of Two AthletesA Tale of Two Athletes
 Henson’s choices wereHenson’s choices were
celebratedcelebrated
 Yankees were very verbalYankees were very verbal
in the media they wantedin the media they wanted
him now!him now!
 No arguments aboutNo arguments about
maturitymaturity
 No assumptions about hisNo assumptions about his
physical abilityphysical ability
 No mention of the valueNo mention of the value
of a college degreeof a college degree

24. The Assumptions?The Assumptions?
 Bryant is lackingBryant is lacking
 Bryant is breaking theBryant is breaking the
“rules”“rules”
 Is there theIs there the
suggestion that Blacksuggestion that Black
athletes need training,athletes need training,
regulation, andregulation, and
discipline, but thatdiscipline, but that
their Euro-Americantheir Euro-American
counterparts do not?counterparts do not?

25. Problems with Kobe?Problems with Kobe?
 Than consider TigerThan consider Tiger
 Left Stanford beforeLeft Stanford before
graduatinggraduating
 Some backlash, atSome backlash, at
firstfirst

26. The Rules of SportThe Rules of Sport
Maria Sharapova
age 17 Robert Swift
age 19
Al Montoya
age 19
Dominique
Moceanu
age 13
Rick Nash
age 18

27. The Black Female AthleteThe Black Female Athlete
 Research about women in sport has beenResearch about women in sport has been
limitedlimited
 Large research studies about BlackLarge research studies about Black
women and sport were not conducted untilwomen and sport were not conducted until
the 1980’sthe 1980’s
 Contemporary research continues toContemporary research continues to
ignore Black womenignore Black women

28. The Black Female AthleteThe Black Female Athlete
 Black females at ALL levels ofBlack females at ALL levels of
competition, only account for 6-8% ofcompetition, only account for 6-8% of
athletesathletes
 Limited research suggest that there areLimited research suggest that there are
some similarities, but more differencessome similarities, but more differences
than Euro-American female athletesthan Euro-American female athletes

29. The Black Female AthleteThe Black Female Athlete
 Girls only with exceptional talent receiveGirls only with exceptional talent receive
encouragementencouragement
 Culture is more comfortable with femalesCulture is more comfortable with females
in traditional rolesin traditional roles
 Sports is still viewed as a predominatelySports is still viewed as a predominately
male activitymale activity

30. Additional ProblemsAdditional Problems
 Cultural differencesCultural differences
 Different set of valuesDifferent set of values
 Environments withEnvironments with
tension &tension &
misunderstandingmisunderstanding
 Lack of sensitivityLack of sensitivity
 Differences related toDifferences related to
commitment, ethics, faircommitment, ethics, fair
play, winningplay, winning
 Differences in style ofDifferences in style of
playplay

31. StackingStacking
 Describes the assumption that minorities
possess certain set of skills appropriate to
certain positions on teams (or specific
sports or events), and they will compete
among themselves for these positions

32. Nontraditional SportsNontraditional Sports
 Exclusionary clubs and leaguesExclusionary clubs and leagues
 Lack of minority role modelsLack of minority role models
 Lack of accessibility to facilities orLack of accessibility to facilities or
coachingcoaching

33. Misc. TopicsMisc. Topics
 What’s in a name?What’s in a name?
– First name v. last nameFirst name v. last name
 Success when the playing field is even?Success when the playing field is even?

34. ConclusionConclusion
 “…“…it is important to acknowledge that,it is important to acknowledge that,
despite problems, sports can be sites fordespite problems, sports can be sites for
challenging race logic and transformingchallenging race logic and transforming
racial and ethnic relations”racial and ethnic relations” (Coakley, 2001).(Coakley, 2001).