Category Archives: sports history

April 25, 2018

Q&A with Jesse Berrett, author of “Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics”

Posted by michael
in american history, author commentary, sports history, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Q&A with Jesse Berrett, author of “Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics”

Jesse Berrett earned a PhD in History at the University of California, Berkeley. He has worked as a rock critic, television columnist, and book reviewer. He teaches history at University High School in San Francisco. He recently answered some questions about … Continue reading →

April 16, 2018

All Things Sports

Posted by michael
in american history, sports history, The Callout, Uncategorized | Comments Off on All Things Sports

Even the discerning reader may not associate an academic press with sports. But what occurs in a sports venue—whether stadium or gym, track or sandlot—contests far more than results on a scoreboard. Race. Gender. Money. Politics. Power. Triumph. Tragedy. Each plays … Continue reading →

November 27, 2017

Holiday Gift Guide 2017

Posted by michael
in Christmas, food, holiday sale, music, nature, sports history, Uncategorized, women, women's history | Comments Off on Holiday Gift Guide 2017

Everyone knows that books make the best gifts. Especially for yourself! Stock up on these books for all your gift giving needs this holiday season. Now through December 1, 2017, use code WINTER17 on our site to get 30% off!  For … Continue reading →

September 27, 2017

Cheating for more than just NCAA basketball recruits

Posted by rkcunningham
in sports history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Cheating for more than just NCAA basketball recruits

It would be easy to call a significant part of the NCAA basketball landscape a cesspool of cheating, money, and other sins. Indeed, an oft-alleged mariner on those dark waters was told to hit the showers just this morning and takes … Continue reading →

August 7, 2017

Helen Jacobs and the wearing of shorts

Posted by rkcunningham
in gay/lesbian, sports history, women's history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Helen Jacobs and the wearing of shorts

Yesterday marked the birthday of tennis champion Helen Jacobs. Born in 1908, Jacobs learned her trade in Berkeley, California before going on to a term as the world’s top-ranked player and the winner of nine Grand Slams. Jacobs was best … Continue reading →

May 16, 2017

Harry Edwards on fighting for black athletes and coaches, whether they like it or not

Posted by rkcunningham
in African American Studies, Olympic history, politics, sports history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harry Edwards on fighting for black athletes and coaches, whether they like it or not

An excerpt from the new introduction to The Revolt of the Black Athlete: 50th Anniversary Edition, by Harry Edwards. I believe that over the last fifty years, the facts, the relationships, and the conclusions drawn from them as portrayed in the … Continue reading →

April 28, 2017

Q&A with Debra Shattuck, Author of “Bloomer Girls”

Posted by michael
in american history, author commentary, authors, baseball, sports history, women, women's history | Comments Off on Q&A with Debra Shattuck, Author of “Bloomer Girls”

Debra A. Shattuck is Provost and Associate Professor of History at John Witherspoon College. She recently answered some questions regarding Bloomer Girls: Women Baseball Pioneers.                                       … Continue reading →

April 6, 2017

Backlist Bop: Lifters and jaffas and twin killings and homers

Posted by rkcunningham
in sports history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Backlist Bop: Lifters and jaffas and twin killings and homers

I once tried to explain baseball to a British friend while we watched a Cubs game. By the sixth inning, after going aground on the dropped third strike and tagging up on a fly ball, I said that baseball, like … Continue reading →

January 19, 2017

Backlist Bop: Snobs, not so many slobs

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in sports history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Backlist Bop: Snobs, not so many slobs

              Outsiders, in general, consider January off-season for golf in the northern United States. The intemperate weather replaces the pond and sand trap with real hazards like frostbite and packs of ravening wolves. The … Continue reading →

January 13, 2017

UIP authors around the Internet

Posted by rkcunningham
in american history, author commentary, authors, labor history, politics, sports history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on UIP authors around the Internet

A roundup of recent media activity by Press authors: Michael J. Socolow , author of Six Minutes in Berlin, contributed to an in-depth Only a Game piece on pioneering sportswriter Ted Husing and his secret effort at helping a Jewish family … Continue reading →