Sociology Research Applications
Sport and Society

Overview: Each group will be assigned a sports story from the top 100 stories of the 20^th century. Your job is to summarize the story and present the information to the class. 

Time Period: When did the story take place?

Sport: Identify the sport at the center of the article

Historical Background: What was the US like during this time period

Issue addressed: What social issue(s) was addressed in the story

People Involved: Who were the major players in the story?

Impact on Society: What impact did the sporting event have on history?

Provide 2 Anecdotes: Interesting pieces of information about the story

CASE #1: Owens spoils Hitler’s party - Jesse Owens breaks records, debunks Aryan superiority (1936) 

Digital copy of article:  Owens spoils Hitler's party

TEAM MEMBERS:  (Period #6)Archibold, Freitag, Padula, Small, Wade  (Period #7) Austin, Herrick, Lyons, Piombino, Whalen  

Wiki Page #1  JesseOwens6
Wiki Page #2  Jesse Owens7

CASE #2 Joe Louis' KO of Max Schmeling bridges color barriers in America (1938)

Digital copy of article: Louis pounds German, Nazis

TEAM MEMBERS : (Period #6)  Bormann, Gardiner, Pascuito, Speck (Period #7)  

Wiki Page #1  JoeLouis6
Wiki Page #2  JoeLouis7       

CASE #3 A Foot in the Door - Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in Baseball (1947) 

Digital copy of article: A foot in the door

TEAM MEMBERS:  Braun, Gibson, Pastore, Spensieri, (Period #6);  Crozier, Irwin, May, Santoire, Wilcox (Period #7)

Wiki Page #1: JackieRobinson6
Wiki Page #2: JackieRobinson7

CASE STUDY #4   Althea Gibson becomes first black to take Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles (1957) 

Digital copy of article: Gibson breaks racial barriers with tennis wins

TEAM MEMBERS:    (Period #6); Cappa, Gray, Potter, Stone (Period #7) Curtiss, Johnson, McKenzie, Spoor, Yager   

Wiki Page #1  AltheaGibson6
Wiki Page #2  AltheaGibson7

CASE STUDY #5 : Black sprinters and Civil Rights  Tommie Smith's medal was gold (1968)

Digital copy of article: Black sprinters raise fists for civil rights

TEAM MEMBERS:   Carbonare, Howe,  Rector, Vandepas (Period #6) Farrar, Kaczanowicz, Menzie, Sutton (Period #7)
 

Wiki Page #1  Tommie Smith6
Wiki Page #2  TommieSmith7

CASE STUDY #6   King wins Battle of the Sexes (1974)

Digital copy of article:King wins tennis' Battle of Sexes

TEAM MEMBERS:   deFilippo, Lunde, Simmons, Vogel (Period #6);  Ferron, Leslie, Miter, Teal (Period #7)

Wiki Page#1   BillieJeanKing6
Wiki Page#2   BillieJeanKing7