Student Question
What were the main sports of the 1910s?
Quick answer:
In the 1910s, baseball was the most significant professional sport in the United States, with Major League Baseball gaining popularity. College football was also popular, surpassing early professional football, which wouldn't fully develop until the NFL's founding in 1920. Boxing was a leading sport, especially with stars like Jack Dempsey. Horse racing was popular for its gambling appeal, while tennis, golf, and track and field gained amateur interest.
I'm going to guess that you are talking about American sports, so...
Major league baseball was still in its infancy, but the sport was beginning to thrive. The National League (founded 1876) and the American League (1901) were in the midst of their early rivalry, and some of the stars of the era--pitchers Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson; and hitters such as Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb--were beginning to bring fans to the stands and solidify the game as the national sport. Attendance doubled between 1905 and 1920. But it was still the "dead ball" era, and home runs were rare; pitching still dominated. Babe Ruth would make his first appearance in 1914 as a pitcher, but his bat would soon change the face of the game.
College football was very popular, and it dominated the sport long after professional football came into existence. There was some regional professional football being played in the early 20th century, but what is now known as the NFL didn't begin until 1920.
Basketball was the least popular of the three sports, having first gotten started in the 1890s.
Boxing was one of the most popular sports in American during the first two decades of the 20th century and became the "preeminent sport in the United States" between 1920-1940. One of the best and most popular boxers ever, Jack Dempsey, won his first world title in 1919.
By far the most important professional sport in the United States in this decade was baseball. Baseball was the only truly popular professional team sport in the US at this time. Boxing was also very popular, although it was banned in many parts of the US. Finally, horse racing was a major spectator sport in the US at this time. It provided a major legal way to gamble and was popular in large part due to this.
During the 1910s, tennis and golf became more popular for the masses. In addition to these, the major amateur sport of the time was track and field.
Compared to today, the 1910s were not a big time for sports. There were few professional sports and college sports were not nearly as important as they are now.
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