Roaring Twenties Sports

1. “Roaring
Twenties”
Sports Mania

2. Introduction
In the 1920’s America
introduced new laws limiting
working hours and increasing
leisure time. America turned to
sports to fill their leisure time
and they became a national
phenomenon. During this time
participation as well as spectator
interests soared to great
numbers in a short period of
time.

3. Baseball
•Considered the most popular sport during
this time and soon became known as
“America’s Pastime.”
•Players and teams such as Babe Ruth and
the New York Yankees were raised to
pedestals of heroism.
•Less known but just as talented players
included, Satchel Page, James Bell, and Josh
Gibson contributed to the diversity of the
game by starring in newly created Negro
Leagues.

4. 1927 New York Yankees
Lou Gehrig

5. Football
•Another popular sport during the time, but
with less popular players.
•Hero of the game was Harold “Red” Grange
who scored 5 consecutive touchdowns in a
collegiate battle against Michigan.
•Grange’s decision to go pro sparked the
establishment of football, the NFL, as a
professional sport.
•He was also the first athlete to make the
cover of Time Magazine.

6. Red Grange in his days of glory

7. Tennis
•One of the only sports of the time to feature
females as well as males.
•Suzanne Langlen, one of if not the best
female athlete of the time, brought attention
to the game through her exceptional play as
well as her daring outfits.
•In a era where women were very concealed,
Langlen wore dresses that left her ankles
and forearms exposed, a very daring and
soon accepted fashion statement.
•Bill Tilden, the male star of the time, was
the first nationally known tennis star in the
U.S., winning 10 majors, including the
Wimbledon and the age of 37

8. “Big” Bill Tilden,
left, in his match
versus Rene “ The
Crocodile” Lacoste,
right
Suzanne Langlen
and friends Grange
and Pile, left, out on
the town and one of
her opponents,
Helen Wills, right,
getting off a boat in
France

9. Hockey
•In the first half of the 20’s, the NHL
competed with rival leagues the PCHA and
the WCHA.
•Both of these leagues folded and soon the
NHL began to thrive with the introduction of
new rules to increase the game’s difficulty
and star players.
•Athletes like Frank Boucher and the Cook
brothers on the Rangers and Dit Clapper and
Eddie Shore on the Bruins brought new
excitement, interest, and popularity

10. The 1928-1929 Boston
Bruins, left, and the New
York Rangers, right, who
competed for the 1929
Stanley Cup
1929 series
MVP Cooney
Weiland of
the Boston
Bruins

11. Boxing
•With the end of so many violent wars, a
brutal sport like boxing had to fight it way to
become accepted by America.
•With a star just as big as Babe Ruth, Jack
Dempsey, this sometimes gruesome event
soon made its way into our hearts.
•The most famous fight in boxing history,
“The Long Count”, featured the rematch of
Dempsey versus Gene Tunney in 1927.
•Over 100,000 fans flocked to Soldier Field
and thousands more listened on the radio to
hear the outcome of the great fight.

12. Dempsey has
Tunney on the
ropes, thrashing
him with every
punch.
Regardless of his
valient effort his
opponent,
Tunney, ended up
keeping the title
of heavyweight
champion by way
of points.

13. Conclusion
The 1920’s sparked an up-rise in
sports mania throughout the
country. In addition to the more
popular sports were horse
racing, golf, and the world of
motor sports. Through this era
arose dedicated athletes as well
as spectators. Sports society
today has been greatly
influenced by the everlasting
impact of that decade.