1.

Describe the impact the Carnegie Commission report of 1920 and the 1951 gambling scandal
had on college sports.
In 1926, the Carnegie Foundation funded a study that reached its climate in publication
according to the text. It quotes, “Apparently the ethical bearing of intercollegiate football
contests and their scholastic aspects are of secondary importance to the winning of victories and
financial success.” (page 176) There was a serious investigation on it as well. On page 177 it
talks about how was intended to be used in all of college athletics but football became the sport
that kept its attention. Football became number one to schools are university over its reputation.
Winning was all people wanted. Page 178 goes on to talk about how even though the economy
was falling down in the 1930’s, Football was always growing. “Nothing will be accomplished
until college presidents take aggressive action in cracking down on irregularities in their athletic
departments.” That is a quote from the passage stating the gambling problem in college sports
won’t be fixed until actions are taken from the people at the top.

2. What was the impact of the career of Tex Rickard upon the structure of American sports?
Tex Rickard was very successful in sports, most defiantly boxing. He was focused on
certain abilities in boxers which he could promote and take very far. It starts with him losing
money on a ranch in Paraguay. Once he lost all his money he flew back to America and started
promoting boxing matches. This is when he found boxer Jack Dempsey. Dempsey went on to be
one of the greatest boxers of all time, and Rickard was right beside him promoting him all the
way. Dempsey beat all of the greatest boxers and became the champion. He went to beak boxer
Jess Willard and gained the name “Jack the Giant Killer”. Tex Rickard became so well known
for his promotions of Dempsey he landed a job with Madison Square Garden to be the lead
representative in the promotional department for professional boxing. If he would have never
experienced losing his money in Paraguay he would have never moved back to America and
became the man he is known as today.

3. How did organized baseball try to survive during the 1930s? Were these innovations
successful?
In the beginning of the 1930’s baseball was at a record high. Sadly when the depression
hit it fell to a all time low. According to the text they went from making 10.1 million to a
41 percent drop in 1933. 1933 was described to be one of the worst times during the
depression. One of the major things that helped baseball stay relevant in this time was
they players that we're in the league. Some of the best players in baseball we in their
“twilight” year when all this was occurring. This group of players we're referred to as the
“warrior club”. St. Louis cardinals were one of the teams that kept in they eyes of the
public. “Despite their entertaining antics and a close pennant race, only 335,000 fans
turned out in Depression-riddled St Louis to see the Cardinals play 77 home games.”
(page 152) Players like Joe DiMaggio had a big impact on the game as well. Games such
as the all-star game helped people stay excited about the game. Broadcasting also helped
tremendously with keeping people up to speed with everything going on. Even though the
economy was down, baseball was always on the rise.
Citation:
Davies, Richard O. Sports In American Life. Blackwell, 2007.