The world, and
especially the United States, went sports crazy in the 1920s. As the decade
began, Babe Ruth signed baseball's first $100,000-plus contract--and became
an idol more admired and loved than the President. American professional
football got underway, and Illinois superstar recruit Harold "Red" Grange
attracted huge crowds to the new leagues.
Walter Hagen
was helping bring the U.S. to world dominance in golfing and aiding the
growth of professional golf, but Bobby Jones' amazing links prowess kept
eyes equally glued to the amateur ranks. Heavyweight Jack Dempsey,
despite his menacing nickname, "The Manassah Mauler," was as loved by the
public as any movie star. Dempsey's fights were among the most violent
in fight history, and his matches with Gene Tunney are legendary.
The 1927 New York Yankees, champions of baseball, were and still are, considered
the greatest team lineup in history, with the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig
and Tony Lazzeri.
Olympic sports were popular as well, aided by the record-breaking feats
of track star Paavo Nurmi and swimming great Johnny Weissmuller. The sports
mania of the twenties helped spawn many other individual feats of endurance.
Gertrude Ederle became famous as the first woman to swim the English Channel. |
1920s
On the National Sports Scene.. .
1920
The American Professional Football Association ( in 22 became
the NFL), founded in Canton, Ohio.
1921
Sixty-two colleges compete in the first NCAA Track and Field Championship
at the Univ. of Chicago.
1921 Pittsburgh
radio station KDKA broadcasts the first major league game between the Pirates
and Phillies.
1924 First
Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France.
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Babe Ruth by Kevin Jeakle
"Red" Grange by Holly Reed
Bobby Jones by Aaron Jeanguenat
Gertrude Ederle by Melissa Grawburg
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