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Full-Text Articles in History
Football Obsession, Richard C. Crepeau
Football Obsession, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
While watching more and more college football in the last few days as the season comes to its close, I have been struck by what seems to be an increase in the frequency and intensity of the hits received by the players. Some players are knocked out and have concussions; some sustain fractures, while others experience lesser trauma across the body. As the speed and size of football players has increased over the past three decades, the collisions on the football field have become more violent.
The Protopopovs, Richard C. Crepeau
The Protopopovs, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
Just about a week ago, the Russian Skating Federation announced the death of Oleg Protopopov. He and his wife, Ludmila Belusova, who died in 2017, were the first of the many great Russian pairs figure skaters who came out of the Soviet Union to initiate the international Soviet dominance in pairs figure skating. The Protopopovs elevated pairs skating to new levels of artistry, consistently performing as near to perfection as humanly possible.
Bobby Knight, Richard C. Crepeau
Bobby Knight, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
Late last week, the news of the death of Robert Montgomery Knight was announced. I have let this news settle while traveling and also because I didn’t want to make too hasty a response. Those who have read this column over several years may be familiar with my views on the late great basketball coach. Over the last few days, I have been reading obituaries and tributes, as well as going back to read my own writing on Bobby Knight that dates back into the late 1990s. My last piece on his legacy was written when Knight retired from coaching …
Coco Gauff, Richard C. Crepeau
Coco Gauff, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
It seems to me that the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, played at the end of the summer each year, has consistently produced some of the greatest sports highlights of the year. I have been particularly conscious of this since I started writing these essays over thirty years ago. Almost every September, I have been inspired by something at the Open that prompted me to produce one of these essays. Looking at my records, I see that the second essay on Sport and Society that I ever wrote was in September of 1991. It had as its subject the contrast between …
Big 10, Richard C. Crepeau
Big 10, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
Over the past several weeks the world of college sports has gone into overdrive in an attempt to milk the public for as much cash as is humanly possible. The money game this time around has centered on conferences seeking to expand their membership, which mathematically means shrinking the size of the membership of other conferences or, even better, wiping out the conference competition entirely.
A Constant In Sport, Richard C. Crepeau
A Constant In Sport, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
The mid-summer glamor events are now history. Wimbledon offered two record-setting championship runs. The All-Star Game was one of the more exciting in recent history, as it opened with two excellent catches by the corner outfielders, both Cubans, who had once roomed together. It ended with a tight finish and the winning home run was hit by a player, not a household name, who blossomed relatively late in his career. The Open also provided some golf excellence as it always does, even though it was without a dramatic finish.
Jim Brown, Richard C. Crepeau
Jim Brown, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
Over the past few days, the sports media have been filled with commentary and tributes to Jim Brown, superstar running back of the Cleveland Browns and leader in the battle against racism in the NFL, in Sport, in the United States, and across the world. Brown died last week at 87 having set all sorts of records in the NFL and having played an important leadership role in the fight for Civil Rights.
Florida Politics, Richard C. Crepeau
Florida Politics, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
For those who think that sport and politics are separate entities, I offer a look at the strange world of Florida politics and the presidential aspirations of the governor of Florida. I do this as a historian and, in particular, a sport historian; as a Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Central Florida; and as a citizen of Florida and the United States.
Damar Hamlin's Cardic Arrest, Richard C. Crepeau
Damar Hamlin's Cardic Arrest, Richard C. Crepeau
On Sport and Society
The exact cause of Damar Hamlin’s collapse following a tackle in Monday’s night’s NFL game between Cincinnati and Buffalo is not known. He remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Millions of football fans watched this tragedy unfold on television along with all those in the Stadium. Millions more have seen replays and listened to discussions and reactions to the incident. What is known is that Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest and is now fighting for his life.