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The Organizing of Sport in Early Canada

The Organizing of Sport in Early Canada

THE CHANGING ROLE OF 'SPORT' FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Overview of Today's Class

  • Topics Covered:

    • Colonial North America

    • Organizing sport in 19th century Canada

    • Reading: “Transcending Colonialism? Rodeos and Racing in Lethbridge”

    • Women and sport in early Canada

Colonial North America

Early European Explorations

  • Motivations for European Explorers:

    • Save souls for the Church

    • Export fur for the European market

    • Search for gold and precious minerals

    • Find the Northwest passage to China/Asia

First Settlers and Samuel de Champlain

  • First Permanent Settlers:

    • Primarily fur traders

    • Notable figure: Samuel de Champlain (1604)

    • Spent winter in Port Royal; faced challenges including scurvy.

    • Instituted the “Order of Good Times” to protect men’s health.

Early Challenges in New France

  • Life in New France during the early 1600s:

    • Settlement faced struggles, with harsh physical demands.

    • Key survival skills were enduring harsh winters and land clearance.

    • Skills in hunting and fishing were learned from Indigenous peoples.

    • Europeans expressed fascination with First Nations cultures, including their sports and games.

Impact of Colonization

  • Effects of European Colonization on Indigenous Peoples:

    • Colonization led to significant loss of land and cultural identity for Indigenous peoples.

    • Concept of Settler Colonialism:

    • Involves the erasure of Indigenous peoples from their land.

    • Sport and physical activities often represented this erasure.

British North America (Post-1760)

  • Historical Context:

    • In 1760, the British defeated the French.

    • By 1790, the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada were established.

    • Government legislation began to regulate various activities including liquor, gambling, Sabbath, hunting, and bathing.

    • Formation of social clubs among elites laid the groundwork for organized sport.

Organized Sport

Development of Organized Sport in Montreal

  • Montreal:

    • Known as the cradle of Canadian sport.

    • Montreal Curling Club established in 1807.

    • 1820s saw the formation of cricket and hunt clubs catering to local elites and garrison officers.

    • Public school sports were introduced in Canada by garrison officers, gentlemen, and teachers.

Sport/Social Clubs

  • Purpose and Function:

    • Private venues for men to interact across politics, business, sport, and recreation, commonly referred to as gentlemen’s taverns.

    • Sport clubs operated outside public law constraints.

    • Taverns and sport clubs served as arenas where men could demonstrate their prowess and social standing.

Government-Sponsored Sport

  • Early 1800s:

    • Initially, sports were exclusive to local elites and gentlemen, focusing on activities like curling and cricket.

    • By the mid-1800s, with the return of British garrisons, government sponsorship expanded to include rifle shooting.

    • Sport began to reach lower classes, although it remained predominantly male-oriented.

Amateurs and Professionals in Sport

  • Late 19th Century Sport Dynamics (1870s-1890s):

    • Growth in club formations across the country.

    • Clubs were mostly amateur, excluding physically active working-class men.

    • Emergence of professional athletes in rowing and baseball contrasted with amateur organizations.

Canadian Nationalism and Sports

  • Late 19th and Early 20th Century:

    • Sport began to play a significant role in shaping national identity.

    • Lacrosse and hockey became prominent amateur sports promoting a distinct ‘Canadian’ masculinity.

Sport in Canada’s Colonial Prairies

  • Lethbridge and Calgary:

    • Organized sports, like lacrosse and hockey, were prevalent.

    • Sports connected to ranching and rural cultures, with horse racing being part of Indigenous traditions.

    • Rodeos and horse races in Lethbridge became sites for interaction between settler and Indigenous peoples.

Reading and Group Discussions

  • Reading:

    • Robert Kossuth's “Transcending Colonialism? Rodeos and Racing in Lethbridge”.

  • Facilitated Discussions:

    • Participants provide reviews/assessments of the discussion, including their names and the names of facilitators.

Women and Sport

Involvement of Women in Sport

  • Historical Context:

    • Women's participation in sport was minimal until the 1880s due to Victorian ideologies.

    • Medical opinions often labeled women as “naturally” weaker, while working-class women were found in labor-intensive fields and factories.

Medical Perspectives on Women and Exercise

  • Kingston Gazette (1812):

    • Advocated for exercise but cautioned against risks for delicate girls, emphasizing the hazards of activities like swinging in compromising conditions.

  • British Medical Journal (1867):

    • Medical professionals claimed to protect women’s interests while reinforcing their societal weakness, asserting men’s authority over women's physical activities.

Perspectives on Women’s Exercise

  • Frederick Barnjum, Montreal:

    • Criticized societal restrictions on girls' physical activity, advocating for opportunities leading to better health. Encouraged young women to engage in physical activities despite societal norms.

Organized Sport for Women

  • Resisting Medical Advice:

    • Some women began participating in sports despite societal constraints.

    • By the late 1880s, women were involved in sports like cycling, golf, tennis, swimming, hockey, and basketball.

    • Although advancements were noted by the early 1900s, women struggled against male-dominated sport organizations.

Historical Timeline of Sport

  • Prehistoric to Early Sport History:

    • Approximately 3000 BCE - Civilizations of China, India, Mesopotamia, and Egypt.

    • 2000-1200 BCE - Minoans and Myceneans.

    • 1000-100 BCE - Greece.

    • 500 BCE-500 CE - Rome.

    • 500-1000 CE - Dark Ages.

    • 1000s-1400s - Middle Ages.

    • 1500s-1700s - Colonial North America.

  • 1800s - Emergence of British Sport in Canada:

    • 1807 - Establishment of Montreal Curling Club (MCC).

    • 1870s-1890s - Growth of Sport Clubs in Canada, e.g., Lacrosse.

    • 1890s-1930s - Expansion of Women's Sport.

    • 1909 - Strathcona Trust establishment.

    • 1943 - National Physical Fitness Act (NPFA).

    • 1961 - Bill C-131 passing.

    • 1960s-1970s - Significant government involvement in sport.

    • 1970s-1990s - Establishment of Kinesiology programs.

Exam Preparation

  • Next Class Information:

    • Exam #1 scheduled for Wednesday, October 8th.

    • Following class on Wednesday, October 15th will introduce the Philosophy of Sport (Section 3).

    • Good luck to all students!