The Untold History of Sports in America
The Untold History of Sports in America
Playlist by The Untold History of Sports in AmericaJoin celebrated history professor Matthew Andrews for discussions about sports from their earliest days in the colonies all the way to their present status as culture defining billion dollar industrie…Follow the podcast:
37 clip(s) in playlist
Inside the Olympic Prison [from Very Special Episodes]
In the winter of 1980, the world turned its eyes to Lake Placid, New York, host of the Winter Olympics. But behind the pageantry, another structure loomed in the Adirondack woods. Built to house 1,800 athletes, the Olympic Village looked less like a dormitory than a detention center — because that’…
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How to Make the Olympics (Without Supernatural Athletic Ability) [from Very Special Episodes]
Elizabeth Swaney fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an Olympian, defying all odds. But it wasn’t supernatural athletic ability that got her there. And by the time she made it to the 2018 Winter Olympics, a lot of people were rooting against her. Here's the incredible story of a woman who mad…
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Who Integrated the NFL? [from American History Hotline]
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball. That's a well known piece of history. But who integrated the NFL? Well, it's an amazing story with lots of binge drinking, miraculous comebacks and hot dog eating. Seriously. We called up David Fleming, author of A Big Mess in Texas: The Mira…
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American History Hotline: Are the Olympics an Appropriate Place for Protest?
You gotta keep 'em separated. That's a lot of people's opinion about mixing sports and politics. But as the world turns its eyes to Italy for the 2026 Winter Games, you have to wonder if this is the ideal place to make a political statement. To understand how acts of political activism have playe…
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Founding Son: Episode 6 - The Last of Earth
John Quincy Adams finally defeats the Gag rule, but his feud with Andrew Jackson lasts until the bitter end. And Congressman Abraham Lincoln witnesses from the House floor the dramatic final hours of Adams' life. Founding Son is a Curiosity Podcast and is a co-production of iHeartPodcasts and Sch…
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Founding Son: Episode 5 - Amistad
When the fates of the enslaved captives of the Amistad are put into the hands of the Supreme Court, John Quincy Adams feels it's his duty to represent them. Adams’ son and wife would have preferred he stayed away from the case altogether. Founding Son is a Curiosity Podcast and is a co-production…
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Taking A Knee: Athlete Activism
In our final episode, Matt Andrews explores how athletes have protested in the modern era, from Craig Hodges' direct plea to President Bush to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem. Those protests, just like similar ones before it, were criticized by some Americans who told thos…
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Patriotism's Role in Sports
Why do we sing the National Anthem at sporting events? Is patriotism part of sports? Matt Andrews explains how American sports have been intertwined with national tragedies over the last century, including September 11th.
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Cheating and Sports
Baseball, Cycling, Golf....why are we so obsessed with athletes cheating? Matt explores this question through the stories of Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods.
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Mia Hamm and the World Cup
Women's soccer began to take off in the U.S. in the 1990s, culminating in the frenzy surrounding the 1999 World Cup and one of the greatest female athletes, Mia Hamm. Matt tells that story and explains how a sports bra created a controversy.
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