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California and the Making of Modern Sport book cover

1st Edition

California and the Making of Modern Sport

By Joel S. Franks Copyright 2026
300 Pages
by Routledge

300 Pages
by Routledge
Also available as eBook on:
This book examines the importance of California - a socio-cultural, economic and political powerhouse - in the history of modern sport. It argues that California has had a profound influence, for better or worse, on the way that not only America but also the wider world plays sport and spends money to watch others play. The book traces the history of sport in California from the mid-nineteenth... Read more

Introduction, 1. Making the California Playland through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 2. Organizing Recreation and Sport in California through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 3. Fun in the Sun: Recreational /Lifestyle Sports in California through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 4. Playing For Community through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 5. School Spirit: Secondary Schools and Junior/Community Colleges through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 6. Playing on Golden Campuses: Intercollegiate Sports through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 7. Elite Athletes and Individual Sports through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 8. The Not So Major Leagues: Minor and Outlier Teams and Leagues Through the Mid-Twentieth Century, 9. Big League California through the Mid-Twentieth Century,10. California and the Making of American and Global Sport Through the Mid-Twentieth Century, Epilogue: The California Dream and Modern Sport

 

Biography

Joel S. Franks is an emeritus professor at San José State University, US, where he taught Asian American, Ethnic, and American Studies. He is a leading authority on Asian American and Pacific Islander sport history, and is the author of nine books.

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