The 'BIG 4' American Sports?

03-22-2009, 06:18 PM

What features from the majour American sports (Football, Ice Hockey, Baseball and Basketball) reflect American society and culture ??

Please answer this if you can. Since im English i have no idea but i need to know. thanks x

**stupid** · 03-22-2009, 06:19 PM

you can take hockey out, i think NASCAR has surpassed them in popularity

03-22-2009, 06:19 PM

Dear Peter since you are not American this is a uncharacteristic question to ask. Sports never reflect culture, Does soccer reflect your country's' culture? Some sports are suppose to be entertainment but alas some people go to far, taking sports too Serious. Blame this on the News media, building up hype. However I prefer college football. There seems to be more balance in the games. These athletes aren't suppose to get paid. So on a need to know basis none represent our culture or society. Were are not really that violent.

03-22-2009, 06:20 PM

The most important quality of these sports (well, all but Hockey at least) is that they are American made. Sure, Baseball and American football are obviously influenced by other sports (Rugby and Cricket/Rounders), but they are all consider "American," and are thus accepted by the masses. It isn't that we don't like foreign sports, but they are simply things that bring the many different ethnic backgrounds of the USA together as one. However, Ice Hockey is likely the fourth sport only in the North. In the south, Auto Racing is likely the fourth (or even third) most important spectator sport, while in the west I'd say soccer is higher than Ice Hockey. Also, certain regions (South, Midwest, Great Plains) care more about college sports than pro sports.

03-22-2009, 06:21 PM

Football was developed from rugby which was once played in American colleges. As the sport gained popularity a distinct set of rules developed and colleges started playing football against each other as well as rugby. Professional football started after college did and took many years to gain popularity. Baseball was for many years "The American Past time". Even during the War between the States in the 1860's, soldiers from both sides played baseball, a new American game, to pass time. Baseball was taken from cricket and developed into a different game. Basketball was invented in Massachusetts by a native Canadian, James Naismith, a YMCA Physical Education instructor. This is probably the only original American game of the four. Hockey is a Canadian sport which started becoming popular in the northern states where the winters are nearly as long and cold as southern Canada's.
I don't know how these games reflect our personality as a nation. It seems to me that different sports develop in different countries because of the isolation each country or continent had from one another, especially before modern technology. For instance, Ireland has hurling and curling and Irish Football. Mexico has Jai Alai. England has cricket. It's just a regional thing I guess.
By the way, I heard that in England 'darts' is a very popular sport and that thousands of people watch the championships. Is this true?