'20s Sports Facts: What Did People Play Back Then? Find Out!

Sports during the '20s were a transition period and flourished with great publicity.

The invention of the radio in this era further promoted the popularity of sports. People from all parts of the world could listen to the ongoing game and cheer for their favorite team.

The major sports that happened in the '20s were baseball, boxing, football, and basketball. It was called the 'golden age of sports', especially in the United States, because of the construction of a multitude of new stadiums and gymnasiums.

The strong economy of the country contributed to the development of these massive playing grounds for American sports. With more leisure time, workers were able to engage themselves in sports and test their physical abilities.

Additionally, sports were a good source of income. For instance, the professional football players of the time earned anywhere between $100-$300 per game.

Along with the introduction of the radio, the media also played an important role in attracting the attention of people to the different games. Newspapers published at that time left no stone unturned to spread the melange of gossip regarding sportspersons, thereby increasing sports coverage in their columns.

The state of sports in the 1920s was burgeoning with immense fame.

The increased economy contributed to the development of transport systems for the players to travel to different parts of the cities in less time. Americans have begun to pay exorbitant fees to watch their favourite athletes compete.

Read on to learn about the different sports of the '20s.

Are you enjoying the read? Then don't forget to check out '20s radio facts and '20s fashion facts, here on Kidadl.

Fun Facts About '20s Sports

A plethora of games became popular in the '20s. Among them, the baseball fandom in this era, particularly in North Carolina, is worth mentioning.

Several minor league games came into being in the communities. One such league was the Piedmont League, the teams of which were present in Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston, Durham, and High Point. The South Atlantic League, or the Sally League, had baseball teams in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The players from the local communities came to play baseball, and the ones who excelled in their game were selected to play in the major leagues. With fierce rivalries, large crowds from neighboring cities like Raleigh and Durham came to watch this spectator game on holidays or weekends.

Due to its enormous popularity, many baseball groups are sponsored by businesses. People engage themselves in baseball games after a long day of work.

The renowned baseball player of America, who was part of the Major League, used to help his family on their farm in Greensboro after practicing. His awesome playing skills got him voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

George Herman Ruth, popularly called Babe Ruth, was the most famous baseball player in the '20s. His daring lifestyle and mind-blowing skillset made him the most influential player at that time, who always created a buzz in the media.

College football was also popular in the '20s. Kenan Stadium was built by the University of North Carolina in 1927. The Wallace Wade Stadium was built by Duke University in 1929.

Students still use these stadiums and engage themselves in college football. Many local football teams used to play against teams from Yale or Michigan. In fact, college football gained more popularity than professional football at that time.

The Michigan Stadium was worth $950,000 with a capacity of 72,000. The Ohio Stadium, with a capacity of 66,210, cost $1.49 million and was completed in 1922. Apart from these, there were several other stadiums in use, like Neyland and Tiger stadiums, which were constructed in the early '20s.

College basketball was at the initial stage of growth in the '20s. The basketball courts were much smaller at that time.

The first college basketball team to host a basketball game against an outside opponent, the local YMCA, was Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Nat Holman, Barney Sedran, and Howard Cann were the best basketball players of the '20s.

The University of North Carolina had the best college basketball team of this era, and they were impossible to defeat. One of Durham's sporting stars was Jack Cobb.

The basketball coach of Duke University in the '20s was Eddie Cameron, after whose name the Cameron Indoor Stadium was opened. They were the first college basketball teams to play against each other during this period.

Facts About '20s Summer Olympics

The '20s Summer Olympics were held in Antwerp, Belgium. Certain countries, like Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire, were excluded from participating in the games.

On the other hand, the Soviet Union of Russia did not become participants in the Olympics by themselves. Gold medal winners were mostly from the United States, with a total of 41 gold medals.

The winners from the United States were followed by the sporting stars of Finland, Sweden, Belgium, and Great Britain. Most of the sports stars at the Olympics were from France and Belgium.

The Olympic Oath was first voiced during this time. It was also the first Olympics that showcased the five rings of the flag, symbolizing unity. Additionally, the release of doves took place for the first time, which signified peace and prosperity.

The '20s Olympics also featured the winter games, with ice hockey making its debut at that time. Figure skating was also displayed, along with other spectator sports.

The best Italian fencer, Nedo Nadi, was the winner of five gold medals at the Olympics. The oldest Olympic winner was the Swedish shooter, Oscar Swahn, who won three golds. The Finnish runner, Paavo Nurmi, was only about 23 years old at that time, who took both gold and silver in the long and middle distance running, respectively.

The 328 ft (100 m) swimming champion was the Hawaiian swimmer, Duke Kahanamoku. The first gold medal in Brazil was won by the shooter Guilherme Paraense in the 1920s Olympics.

Boxing, cycling, archery, football, and polo were the different sporting events of that epoch. Tug of war, wrestling, tennis, and golf were also played. Baseball was nominated as the most popular spectator sport in the Olympics of that era.

Facts About Popular '20s Sports

In the '20s, sports were globally enjoyed. The most popular sports stars of that time were Red Grange and Knute Rockne in football, Glenna Collette and Bobby Jones in golf, and Helen Wills and Bill Tilden in tennis.

Baseball sporting giants were Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Lefty Grove, and Dazzy Vance. The heavyweight champion of the '20s was Jack Dempsey, who contributed a lot to boxing history. He was given several nicknames by his fans, like 'Manassa Mauler' and 'Kid Blackie.

The amazing careers of the football champions, Jimmy Conzelman and John 'Paddy' Driscoll inspired people from all over the world. Other National Football League players were Harold 'Red' Grange, Joe Guyon, Jim Thorpe, Earl 'Curly' Lambeau, and Ernie Nevers.

College basketball stars of the '20s were George Williams, George Gardner, Forrest DeBernardi, and Chuck Carney, whose contributions to the NCAA's men's basketball reached heights in this era. Many sports, like the air race, big wave surfing, bull riding, rugby, and other intimidating games, were also popular among the masses.

Tennis was loved by the women of the '20s. Just like golf, tennis was a fashionable sport at that time.

The female tennis sports stars were Helen Wills, Kitty McKane, Daphne Akhurst, and Suzanne Lenglen, who influenced the contemporary youth to take up this sport as their passion. Helen Wills, who has won about 31 Grand Slam tournament titles and 14 Women's Singles Championships, is the number one tennis champion to date.

Ankle-length dresses with long-sleeved blouses were their sports outfits in the early '20s.

Golf was also one of the most sought-after sports at that time. Walter Hagen was the most successful golfer in the '20s. He participated in almost all the tournaments and won four open championships. Button shirts with neckties and long trousers were worn by the golf players at that time.

Facts About the Significance of '20s Sports

Sports of the '20s are considered significant because of the contributions made by the players to the modern world. The players and athletes of that epoch influenced the youth to a great extent. The development of various games and activities has led to the ever-increasing participation of people in different kinds of sports.

Some of the most famous stadiums and gymnasiums were built during this era, and they are still used by people. Individual sports also became popular in the '20s and were played by people in their spare time.

The advancement of the entertainment industry was massive during that period. Newspapers, the media, and radio broadcasts flourished to a great extent with more coverage of sports.

It has become an important part of the American lifestyle. After a long day of hard work, people used to seek a sense of relief from sports broadcasts and also engage themselves in spectator sports.

The involvement of today's children in various games like football, baseball, and tennis is extremely crucial and has become a part of their extra-curricular activities. The incredible skillset and the phenomenal personalities of the players of the '20s inspire the kids and teenagers of today to take part in sports and bring out the best in them.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for '20s Sports facts: what did people play back then? find out! then why not take a look at 1920 automobiles facts or 1919 fun facts.