HTS 2813 Syllabus - School of History, Technology & Society

HTS 2813
History of Sports in America
Tuesday/Thursday 12:05 – 1:25 - Instructional Center 205
Dr. Johnny Smith
Email: john.smith@hts.gatech.edu
Office: 137 Old Civil Engineering Building
Office Hours: T/R 2:00-3:30
Course Description
In this course we will examine the American sporting experience from the colonial period
through the 21 st century. We will focus especially on the rise of organized sports
institutions and how race, class, gender, ethnicity, and religion have shaped the
relationship between sport and society. Students will learn about the histories of boxing,
baseball, basketball, football, auto racing, horse racing, tennis, golf, college athletics, and
the modern Olympic games. This is not a course in sports trivia. Rather, the main goal
of the course is to use sports as a tool to better understand American history and how
sports have shaped American culture.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course students should be able to:
• Understand and explain the role of sport in the social construction of American
culture over time
• Understand and explain how various sports became integral American institutions
• Discuss how religion, race, ethnicity, class, and gender have shaped the meaning
of sports in America
• Critically examine primary and secondary historical sources
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Course Format
Since this is a large class, this course will be taught primarily through lecture with some
short discussions.
Required Readings
Sally Jenkins, The Real All-Americans: The Team that Changed a Game, a People, a
Nation (2007).
Randy Roberts, Joe Louis: Hard Times Man (2010).
Aram Goudouzian, King of the Court: Bill Russell and the Basketball Revolution (2010)
Attendance
I do not give points for attendance. However, your success in this course is dependent
upon your attendance. Since we are not using a traditional textbook, attending class is
the best way to prepare for exams. Class begins on time and tardiness will not be
tolerated. If you know in advance that you are going to be late or have to leave early,
please notify me.
Grading and Requirements:
Exams: Three (3) in-class exams will be given, each worth up to 100 points. Each exam
will include a multiple-choice section and an essay section. You are required to write
your essay answers in a blue book. Blue books can be purchased at the bookstore. On
the day of the exam students must bring a blue book, two number-two pencils, and their
student identification card.
It is a student’s responsibility to be in class for all exams. If you have a verifiable
medical emergency I will allow make-up exams within one week of the scheduled exam
time. You must have documentation of an emergency; otherwise I will not grant a makeup.
Grading Scale
In-Class Exams:
3 @ 100 points = 300 Total Points
A: 90-100%
B: 80 - 89%
C: 70 - 79%
D: 60 - 69%
F: 59% and below
Academic Honesty
Students in this class will be expected to abide by the Georgia Tech honor code.
Academic misconduct of any kind will not be tolerated. All students are responsible for
understanding and complying with Georgia Tech rules. For information see
http://www.honor.gatech.edu
General Courtesy Guidelines
I expect you to respect your classmates and me at all times. You are expected to be on
time for class, refrain from speaking out of turn, and turn off all electronic devices
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efore class begins. I will not tolerate sleeping in class, text messaging, or using your
computer for any purposes other than taking notes. If you choose to use a laptop for
notes, you are required to sit near the back of the room. If you engage in any kind of
distracting or inappropriate behavior I reserve the right to ask you to leave the class.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have
questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please
speak with me as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disability
Services, located in the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS). The ODS phone number
is 404-894-2563.
Weekly Class Schedule
Week 1:
January 8 – Course Introduction – What Is Sport History?
January 10 – Sports in Early America
Week 2:
January 15 – The Rise of Modern Sports in the 19 th Century
January 17 – The Boston Strong Boy: John L. Sullivan and the Gilded Age
Week 3:
January 22 – The National Pastime: Baseball in the Nineteenth Century
January 24 – The Origins of Intercollegiate Athletics
Week 4:
January 29 – Sport and Social Change During the Progressive Era
January 31 – Unforgiveable Blackness: Jack Johnson and the Color Line
Week 5:
February 5 – Georgia Sports Icons: Ty Cobb, Bobby Jones, & Theodore “Tiger” Flowers
February 7 – EXAM
Week 6:
February 12 – The Golden Age of Sports: The 1920s
February 14 – The Black Sox and the Babe: Glory and Scandal in Major League Baseball
Week 7:
February 19 – American Sports During the Great Depression & World War II
February 21 – The Buckeye Bullet & the Brown Bomber: Jesse Owens & Joe Louis
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Week 8:
February 26 – The Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and the National Pastime
February 28 – The Gentlemen’s Agreement: Race and Football at Georgia Tech
Week 9:
March 5 – Sports in the Fifties: Innocence and Corruption of America’s Youth
March 7 – America’s Game: The Rise of the National Football League
Week 10:
March 12 – It’s A Man’s World: The Emile Griffith Story
March 14 - EXAM
Week 11:
March 19 – No Class – Spring Break
March 21 – No Class – Spring Break
Week 12:
March 26 – Muhammad Ali and the Revolt of the Black Athlete
March 28 – The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, & the Growth of the NBA
Week 13:
April 2 – The Sons of Westwood: John Wooden and the UCLA Dynasty
April 4 – Game, Set, Match: Billie Jean King and the Women’s Revolution in Sports
Week 14:
April 9 – A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood and the Struggle for Free Agency
April 11 – Sport and the Cold War: The Politics of the Olympic Games
Week 15:
April 16 – The Dixie-faction of America: The Rise of NASCAR
April 18 – Georgia Tech Sport, Society, & Technology Summit
1:00 to 4:00 – Historic Academy of Medicine Theater
Week 16:
April 23 – Yo Adrian! Rocky’s America
April 25 – Showtime! Magic, Bird, and Air Jordan
FINAL EXAMS (April 29 – May 3)
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