• SPORTS TRADITIONS IN NORTH AMERICA BEFORE THE 19TH CENTURY

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

• AGRARIAN SOCIETIES AND SPORTS

• MESOAMERICAN BALL GAME

• BALL & STICK TRADITIONS

• NATIVE AMERICAN SPORTS

• SOUTHWESTERN HISPANIC SPORTS TRADITIONS

• COMMON FEATURES IN PREINDUSTRIAL SPORTS ACTIVITIES

AGRARIAN SOCIETIES AND AGRARIAN SOCIETIES AND SPORTSSPORTS

• PHYSICAL COMPETITIONS IN PREINDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES WERE CONSISTENTLY CONNECTED TO RELIGIOUS FESTIVITIES AND RITUALS

• SPORTS EVENTS IN AGRARIAN ENVIRONMENTS WERE CONSIDERED PART OF RELIGIOUS RITUALS AND TOOK PLACE AS A WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN A SACRED TRADITION

SPORTS TRADITIONS IN THE SPORTS TRADITIONS IN THE AMERICASAMERICAS

• NATIVE AMERICAN PARTICIPATED IN PHYSICAL COMPETITIONS ON REGULAR BASIS, AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH RELIGIOUS FESTIVITIES, MANLINESS AND TRAINING FOR BATTLE.

• NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIETIES HAD A WIDE VARIETY OF SPORTING COMPETITIONS INVOLVING “STICK & BALL” COLLECTIVE GAMES.

NATIVE AMERICAN SPORTSNATIVE AMERICAN SPORTS

• THE MOST IMPORTANT TEAM SPORT IN THE AMERICAS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF EUROPEANS WAS THE MESOAMERICAN BALL GAME.

• THE MESOAMERICAN BALL GAME WAS PLAYED IN WHAT IS TODAY MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA AND PARTS OF THE U.S. SOUTHWEST. IT WAS A FULLY ORGANIZED TEAM SPORT

• MAYA, TOLTEC, AZTEC URBAN CENTERS HAD FIELDS TO PLAY THE GAME. THE MOST IMPORTANT CITIES PARTICIPATED: CHICHEN-ITZA, TEOTIHUACAN, TIKAL, PALENQUE.

• IT WAS ALSO SEEN AS A RITUAL CONTEST , I-SHAPED FIELD, RUBBER BALL, VERTICAL BASKET-RING, REFEREES, TEAMS, UNIFORMS, TOURNAMENTS.

• PHYSICAL CONTEST AS RITUAL RECREATION TO IMITATE THE DIVINE CREATION OF THE WORLD

• GAMBLING PURPOSES, MERCHANTS, NOBLE CLASSES• PARTICIPATION RESERVED FOR THE WARRIOR CLASS• DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS, WINNERS SACRIFICED SOMETIMES.

MESOAMERICAN BALL GAMEMESOAMERICAN BALL GAME

• CREATION OF THE WORLD: INTERACTION BETWEEN DIFFERENT AND OPPOSITE CREATIVE GODS.

• BALL GAME: TO RECREATE, COMMEMORATE THE ORIGINS OF THE WORLD.

• WINNERS, CHOSEN BY THE CREATIVE DEITIES.

• GAME: RITUAL/RELIGIOUS/PHYSICAL CONTEST.

MESOAMERICAN BALL GAMEMESOAMERICAN BALL GAME

• URBAN AREAS ORGANIZED TOURNAMENTS ACCORDING TO RELIGIOUS CALENDAR

• ON THE MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVITIES SOME OF THE PLAYERS COULD BE SACRIFICED AFTER THE GAME

• MANY VARIATIONS OF THE SPORT CAN STILL BE FOUND IN PRESENT DAY MEXICO

STICK AND BALL SPORTSSTICK AND BALL SPORTS

• IN THE REST OF NORTH AMERICA MANY OTHER SPORTS WERE ALSO PRACTICED ON REGULAR BASIS

• LACROSSE WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT• HOCKEY IS ALSO CONSIDERED A NATIVE AMERICAN

TRADITION• SOME HISTORIANS THINK BASEBALL COULD ALSO BE

CONSIDERED A VARIATION OF THESE NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONS

• THESE SPORTS WERE PLAYED UNDER MULTIPLE VARIATIONS OF THE BALL&STICK TRADITION

• PLAYERS PERFORMED RITUAL/RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE GAMES.

OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN SPORTSSPORTS

• FOOT RACES• WRESTLING• STICK FIGHTS

• COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:• RITUAL MEANING• RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES• SACRED SPACES• COMMUNITY/TRIBAL ORIENTED• SEPARATE MEN FROM BOYS.

SOUTHWESTERN HISPANIC SOUTHWESTERN HISPANIC TRADITIONSTRADITIONS

• MANY SPORTS TRADITIONS WERE PRACTICED IN THE AREA BEFORE ITS ANNEXATION TO THE U.S. IN 1845-1848

• BULLFIGHTING WAS A COMMON EVENT IN FESTIVALS IN THE URBAN AREAS

• RODEO WAS A FAVORITE ACTIVITY• COCKFIGHTING WAS ALSO PRESENT• HORSERACES WERE EXTREMELY POPULAR• FRONTON (HANDBALL)• GREASED POLE

SOUTHWESTERN HISPANIC SOUTHWESTERN HISPANIC TRADITIONSTRADITIONS

• COMMUNITY FESTIVITIES FOLLOWING THE CATHOLIC LITURGY CALENDAR

• SAINT’S DAY, CHRISTMAS, EASTER

• REGIONAL FAIRS

• BULLFIGTHERS, FRONTON PLAYERS, RODEO COWBOYS, COULD BECOME SEMIPROFESSIONAL/FULL TIME OCCUPATIONS

CLASS ACTIVITY: CLASS ACTIVITY:

• THINK OF TEN EXAMPLES OF RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES ON PRESENT-DAY PROFESSIONAL AND COLLEGE SPORTS.