HST 306: Sports in United States History

Summer 2015
B Session (July 1- August 11)
iCourse (Online)
SLN #45663
Instructor: Victoria Jackson
Victoria.Jackson@asu.edu
Required Texts:
**Books available at Sun Devil Campus Stores, Course Reader at Alpha Graphics**
1. Bloom, John and Michael Nevin Willard, eds. Sports Matters: Race, Recreation, and
Culture. New York: New York University Press, 2002.
2. Grundy, Pamela. Learning to Win: Sports, Education, and Social Change in Twentieth
Century North Carolina. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001.
3. Ware, Susan. Title IX: A Brief History with Documents. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press,
Inc., 2014.
4. **Course Reader** Available at Alpha Graphics
(http://www.alphagraphics.com/centers/tempe-arizona-us004/)
(See below for additional required online media and Course Reader bibliography)
iCourse Description:
This online course focuses on major themes in sports history, organized topically around
spring/summer sports. Themes in the course encourage students to think critically about
relationships between sport and culture, politics, community, identity, media, and
education. Video lectures, discussion boards, readings, and films explore class, race, gender, and
sexuality as categories of analysis, with a special focus on the role of sport in constructing ideas
along gender and racial lines. The course also highlights social justice issues in sport as well as
athlete activism throughout the twentieth century. We will explore the ways in which the
participation of Black, Latino/a, and Native American athletes has both mirrored and diverged
from Black, Latino/a, and Native American citizens participation in society throughout United
States history. We will also study the process through which the equal opportunity to participate
in school sports became defined as a civil right, and, more recently, a human right.
Guiding Questions:
1. How has sport served as a progressive influence on race and gender relations throughout
United States history, and how has sport remained a conservative bastion?
2. How has sport been defined historically as play, education, labor, and entertainment?
3. Why have some athletes and sports commentators throughout history asserted sport to be
an apolitical institution while others have argued for the inherent political nature of sport?

Course Requirements:
Students are responsible for all required texts, and are expected to complete readings, video
lectures, films, and assignments by 11:59 PM Arizona time on the date next to which they are
listed under Class Schedule (pages 5-6) and in Blackboard. The course includes two papers
and four discussion boards. Students are expected to regularly check their emails and the course
Blackboard site, which will be updated frequently. An email will be sent to the class every time
Blackboard has been updated.
Grading Scale:
A+
97-100
A
93-96
A90-92
B+
87-89
B
83-86
B80-82
C+
77-79
C
70-76
D
60-69
E
0-59
Grading:
Discussion Boards (4)
400
Paper 1
300
Paper 2
300
____________________________________
Total
1000 points

Papers:
Students are required to write two papers (4-6 pages), worth 300 points each, on Learning to
Win and the topic of baseball, in response to questions posed in a prompt for each paper. The
prompts will be distributed two weeks prior to each papers due date, and will include a grading
rubric and instructions for formatting, citations, and submission through Safe Assignment in
Blackboard. Late assignments will receive a 10-percent reduction in grade per day (24-hour
period).
Discussion Board Assignments:
There are four discussion board (DB) assignments in this course, worth 100 points each. For
each DB assignment, students are required to write two posts, an original post in response to a
prompt and a second post in response to another students post. Prompts will be distributed one
week before the original post is due. The second post is due 48 hours after the first
deadline. Late assignments will receive a 10-percent reduction in grade per day (24-hour
period). A note about anonymity in this online class: Please remember, although we do not meet
in person, students in this class are people. All ideas are welcome if they concern the course
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material and are respectful of others. Intellectual debate is encouraged and must remain
respectful.
Interacting with the Instructor:
My purpose is to be a resource for you as you proceed on your intellectual journey as an ASU
student. I am happy to answer questions pertaining to the content of the course. If you have
questions about assignments or the structure of the course, please consult the syllabus and course
Blackboard site before emailing me; you may be able to find the answer on your own. I will
respond to all emails within 24 hours.
Students with Disabilities:
The University has resources to assist students with disabilities. For more information please see
the Matthews Center (Disability Resource Center) or visit the
website: http://asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc/index.htm. The DRC keeps all correspondence
confidential. Do not wait to visit the DRC if you need support for any of your ASU classes. The
DRC office will meet with you to determine accommodations based on appropriate
documentation. Therefore, faculty members are not authorized to provide or approve any
accommodations for students without instructions from the DRC office.
Academic Integrity Policy and Plagiarism:
This course has a zero tolerance policy for academic cheating and plagiarism. Penalties range
from a 0 on the assignment to an E or XE in the course. Academic cheating will be reported to
university officials. Violations of academic integrity include copying another students work,
using unauthorized aids during exams, copying internet sources, failing to acknowledge
intellectual debts, and representing someone elses work as your own. For more information on
ASUs Academic Integrity Policy, please visit: https://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity.
Technology Issues and Problem Shooting:
The university provides many resources for you if you encounter technological problems. Visit
the ASU Help Center, https://contact.asu.edu/, for assistance. If there is an issue with the course
Blackboard site or assigned online media, please alert me to the issue.
Course Reader Bibliography (in order of appearance):
Polley, Martin. Warm-up Exercises, Chapters 1-2, in Sports History: A Practical
Guide. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
Zirin, Dave. Jackie Robinson and the Politics of Stealing Home, in Whats My Name,
Fool? Sports and Resistance in the United States. Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2005.
Runstedtler, Theresa. Introduction: Jack Johnson, Rebel Sojourner, Jack Johnson,
Rebel Sojourner: Boxing in the Shadow of the Global Color Line. Berkeley: University
of California Press, 2012.
Cayleff, Susan E. A Sportswriters Dream: Beautiful Sports, Manly Sports, and Muscle Molls,
in Babe: The Life and Legend of Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Urbana: University of Illinois
Press, 1995.
Carlos, John with Dave Zirin. The Medal Stand, in The John Carlos Story. Chicago:
Haymarket Books, 2001.
Zirin, Dave. Bisbol: How the Major Leagues Eat Their Young, in Welcome to the
Terrordome: The Pain, Politics, and Promise of Sports. Chicago: Haymarket Books,
2007.
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Films (in order of appearance):

**Instructions to access films are provided in Blackboard. Some films may cost a nominal fee to
stream online.
Not Just A Game. Northampton, MA: Media Education Foundation, 2010.
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. Part 1. PBS, 2005.
Rocks with Wings. Shiprock Productions and Oregon Public Broadcasting, 2002.
The 99ers. ESPN Films: Nine for IX, 2013.
Branded. ESPN Films: Nine for IX, 2013.
Sleeping Tigers: The Asahi Baseball Story. National Film Board of Canada, 2002.
Roberto Clemente. WGBH Educational Foundation and PBS Home Video, 2008.
Online Readings (in order of appearance):
**Instructions to access online readings are provided in Blackboard.
Brayboy, Tim. A League of Their Own: American Indian Basketball before Integration,
North Carolina Museum of History. Tar Heel Junior Historian, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Fall
2011).
Alou, Felipe. Latin-American Ballplayers Need a Bill of Rights. Sport Vol. 36, No. 5
(November 1963), 21, 76-79.

**Students are responsible for information in the syllabus, as well as college policies in the
college catalog and the student handbook. Students will be notified by the instructor of any
changes in the course requirements or policies.
Class Schedule (subject to change):
**Readings, video lectures, films, and assignments should be completed by 11:59 PM Arizona
time on the date under which they are listed.
**Note that work is due on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Week 1- Wednesday, July 1- Friday, July 3: Introduction and What is Sports History?
Video Lecture: What is Sports History?
Reading: Course Reader #1- Polley
Prompt for Discussion Board 1 distributed Wednesday.
Week 2- Monday, July 6- Friday, July 10: Sports and Politics
Video Lecture: Sports and Politics
Reading: Sports Matters- Introduction, Course Reader #2- Zirin
Film: Not Just A Game
Discussion Board 1 first post due Wednesday, July 8 (11:59 PM), second post due Friday,
July 10 (11:59 PM).
Prompt for Discussion Board 2 distributed Wednesday.
Prompt for Paper 1 distributed Friday.
Week 3, Part 1- Monday, July 13 and Wednesday, July 15: Jack Johnson & Babe Didrikson: Race
& Gender in the Early 20th C.
Video Lecture: Jack Johnson and Babe Didrikson
Video Lecture: Explaining Paper 1
Reading: Course Reader #3- Runstedtler, Course Reader #4- Cayleff
Film: Unforgivable Blackness (Part 1 only)
Discussion Board 2 first post due Wednesday, July 15 (11:59 PM), second post due Friday,
July 17 (11:59 PM).
Week 3, Part 2- Friday, July 17: Modern Sport in America
Video Lecture: Defining Modern Sport
Reading: Grundy, Learning to Win- Introduction, Chapters 1-2
Week 4- Monday, July 20- Friday, July 24: Basketball, Education, and Community-Building
Video Lecture: Basketball and Community in Indigenous America
Reading: Online Reading #1- Brayboy; Grundy, Learning to Win- Chapters 3-9, Epilogue
Film: Rocks with Wings
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**Paper 1 due Friday, July 24 (11:59 PM) through Safe Assignment in Blackboard.
Prompt for Discussion Board 3 distributed Wednesday.

Week 5, Part 1- Monday, July 27: Social Justice Activism in Track and Field
Video Lecture: The 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games
Reading: Course Reader #5- Carlos, Sports Matters- Chapter 8
Prompt for Paper 2 distributed Monday.
Prompt for Discussion Board 4 distributed Monday.
Week 5, Part 2- Wednesday, July 29 and Friday, July 31: Sport and Gender Equity
Video Lecture: Title IX
Video Lecture: Challenges Confronting Women in Sport
Reading: Ware, Title IX
Film: The 99ers
Film: Branded
Discussion Board 3 first post due Wednesday, July 29 (11:59 PM), second post due Friday,
July 31 (11:59 PM).
Week 6, Part 1- Monday, August 3 and Wednesday, August 5: Integrating America's Pastime
Video Lecture: Early Baseball and the Color Line
Reading: Sports Matters- Chapters 3 & 4; Online Reading #3- Alou; Course Reader #6- Zirin
Film: Sleeping Tigers
Discussion Board 4 first post due Monday, August 3 (11:59 PM), second post due
Wednesday, August 5 (11:59 PM).
Week 6, Part 2- Friday, August 7: Baseball and American Culture, Integrating America's Pastime
Continued
Video Lecture: Remembering the Past and Pastoral Nostalgia
Reading: Sports Matters- Chapters 5 & 7
Film: Roberto Clemente
**Paper 2 due Monday, August 10 by 11:59 PM through Safe Assignment in Blackboard.