Organized Sports Dbq Essay

Although it can be argued that unorganized sports had a greater role in Europe during the period from 1860 to 1940, organized sports had a huge role during this time period, and was much more largely perceived by Europeans of the time. The role of organized sports from 1860 to 1940 differed in definition depending on who was asked and from what country that European came from. Some believed that sports instilled a sense of nationalism in a country’s players as well as its citizens, whether the country competed in the modern Olympics or not. On the other hand, some Europeans saw greater value in the moral lessons to be learned through organized sports. On a larger note, European womankind took a large step towards equality by competing in organized

Instead, they saw the role of sports as a great vantage point for the strengthening of one’s morals. This is evident in Scouting for Boys by Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts of England (Doc 3). Powell says “Football in itself is a grand game for developing a lad physically and mentally, for he learns to play with good temper and unselfishness to play in his place and ‘play the game’…” Powell is highlighting the fact that sports do not exclusively reap physical benefits, but mental and moral benefits as well. Powell also says “…it is a vicious game when it draws crowds of lads away from playing the game…to be merely onlookers…There are thousands of boys… pale, narrow-chested, hunched up, miserable specimens…” Powell is expressing how bad the game of football can be if you watch instead of play. But, this statement may have been influenced by personal belief. Being that Powell was founder of the Boy Scouts of England, one of his goals would have been to guide the physical health of boys. Therefore, his point of view would have been skewed towards trying to make as many boys as he could play football instead of just watch. The moral benefits of organized sports are also mentioned in “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body”, a speech by an African delegate of a British colony in South Africa (Doc 4). The delegate states “Great moral lessons can be learned on the cricket and rugby fields… In a rugby game the players sometimes pack into one inseparable whole… and press forward with… a steadiness of purpose. There is perfect union.” In his speech, the delegate is expressing the use of teamwork in the sport of rugby, and how the sport itself teaches an important life lesson about cooperation. Another example of writing regarding the building of morals is found in “Tenth Anniversary of Soviet Medicine in Physical Education” by Nikolai Semashko (Doc 8), the first Soviet Health Minister. Semashko writes