Sports
Sports also became a popular hobby during the early 20th century for people to participate in during their leisure time. The high interest of sports in America would eventually become a national sensation for being an important piece in American culture. The reason for the success of sports in America was because of the accessibility it had for all kinds of people from the lower class to the higher class, everyone was able to play sports for fun with friends and family. Sports and specifically baseball would not only be a major factor in contributing to the American entertainment but would develop a culture that would connect millions of Americans towards their love for sports whether if it's all loving a similar sport with friends to play or a favorite sports team, the introduction of sports would enhance the leisure experience for Americans and would eventually be a forefront for what defines the American life.
One of the first sports to create a big impact on the American culture was baseball, which was first introduced in America during the civil war as a way for those to past time, however, as people began to start living easier lives during the early 1900's, people started to find sports such as football and baseball as fun hobbies that all ages could play during their free time. Eventually, baseball became so popular amongst the American population that it would eventually become one of the leading activities for national entertainment and the creation of the MLB, the national league for baseball that would become one of the most viewed sports in American history. Not only would the actual sport become a noteworthy piece in American culture but also what it has created. Baseball has created many important staple items contributing to American culture such as the infamous "Take me out to the ballgame" which was inspired and an anthem for the sport. "Baseball was quickly becoming the national pastime. It had graduated from a gentleman's game to a form of mass entertainment." 1It has also made certain foods represent the American leisure lifestyle such as hotdogs and cotton candy which were popular amongst the audience. The culture of baseball became its own lifestyle that many people were actively involving themselves in especially in their free time and baseball would be so influential in later decades that it would be a common topic of discussion in the American household.
Football also became a rising sport during this time as well and just like baseball, this sport would also become a common interest for kids to adults and eventually would end up as a national favorite sport that would also define the modern American culture. Other spectator sports were also popular. "Football had a large following, particularly on the college level."1 Despite the early stages of Football being very dangerous and led to many deaths, people still very much enjoyed both playing the sport as well as watching it and together, both baseball and football were considered to be big forms of entertainment that many Amercans liked to both watch and play during their free and since then, both of these sports are still salient forms of leisure activities amongst the American society and it was all influenced through these shifts in the American lifestyle.
1 History, US. “Sports and Leisure.” ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 2022. https://www.ushistory.org/us/39b.asp.