College Football and the Strenuous Life

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to the evolution of college football and its cultural significance in early America.

Mob Football

An early form of football in England with no rules, considered more violent than a sport.

Bloody Monday

A term referring to a violent tradition associated with football games, especially during hazing.

• at Harvard

• Sophomores used this to haze the freshman and try to hurt them

• established 1827

Crisis of Manliness

A concept referring to the anxiety among men regarding their masculinity in changing social conditions.

• middle and upper-class men weren’t feeling like men anymore

Strenuous Life

A philosophy promoted by Theodore Roosevelt emphasizing hard work and vigorous living.

• all-male life

• created fraternities to run away from women in college

• body building

• violent sport of football

Walter Camp

Known as the 'Father of American Football' for his significant contributions to the game.

• Played at yale

Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Established in 1906 to reform college football and enhance player safety.

Rugby

A sport from which American football evolved, characterized by its physicality and team play.

Forward Pass

A significant rule change in football introduced in 1906 to reduce injuries and improve gameplay.

NCAA

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, formed to regulate college sports after the reform of college football.

Gridiron

Refers to the football field or to the game itself, representing tactical plays and strategy.

Flying Wedge

A formation used in football to advance the ball down the field, often associated with violent plays.

Bloody Mary

A term used to describe the intense competitiveness and roughness of early football games.

Eugene Sandow

A bodybuilder who embodied the ideals of physical strength and masculinity at the turn of the century.

The Blitz

A term borrowed from military strategies applied in football to describe aggressive defensive plays.

The Bomb

A deep passing play in football aimed at covering significant yardage quickly.

Militarism

The belief in the importance of military power, closely tied to the cultural context of football.

Why shift towards football?

• Changing nature of work

• Rise of the “Public women” (men became anxious)

• Post-civil war malaise

• Closing of the western Frontier (used to be a place where men could find themselves)