Lecture 6 Flashcards
who was Ned Hanlan
sports superstar in rowing
first canadian sports superstar
at a time when rowing was very popular
he was best rower in world for a period of time
what year was Ned Hanlan the best
1870s-1880s
what were the things that Ned Hanlan’s career highlighted
- was a showboat
- developed team around him so he could focus exclusively on his sport
- takes advantage of new technologies that give him huge leg up over competition
- was a working class irishman
examples of ned hanlan showboating
he would get really far ahead and pretend to fall asleep, lay his paddles down and blow kisses to crowd
why was neds showboating interesting
- goes directly against prevailing norms of sport at the time, and more broadly canadian sporting norms
- not supposed to show off, be humble, play right way, not too excited when win)
why was ned hanlan still loved even though he violated norms
loved for it because if you’re exceptional at your sport, the rules dont apply to you
what did hanlan developing team around him show
- benefit of professionalization
- gave him huge advantage over people who didn’t have this
- train rest train rest
- everything taken care of for him
what did Ned hanlans team doing everything for him allow him to do
win multiple world championships
what gave hanlan a huge advantage
new technologies
- brief period it gave him huge advantage
- advantage was short-lived, everyone started doing it
what 2 things can happen there’s huge technological advances
everyone starts using it and becomes norm for sport or they ban it
why was ned hanlan excepted even though he was a working class irishman, not a popular ethnicity to be in canada
if very successful at sport people will accept you regardless of race or class
how many people did Hanlan row infront of one time
100,000 people
what did louis rubenstein do
figure skater
what are 4 interesting things about louis rubensteins career
- how sports can dramatically evolve
- people who know the sport are going to have advantage over people who pick it up later
- he was jewish
- sports can become gendered
how was figure skating completely different
would skate patterns, making figures in ice with skates, judges would come on ice and look at figures
what was louis rubenstein known for
would champion at making figures
why did rubenstein have advantage
he made the figures up
he made the rule books for figures that could be drawn
why was there a problem he was jewish
antisemitism has been very prevalent part of canadian history since the beginning
who went to russia to compete and russia tried to stop him from competing because he was jewish
louis rubenstein
so good they embraced him during
Was figure skating gendered when rubenstein partook
when he was skating it was not viewed as feminine, it became feminine later
what was louis cyr
strongmen
all about doing feats of strength
example of louis cyr doing strongmen
he would grab 2 ropes and horses would pull in both directions
3 important parts of Louis Cyr’s career
- he was french canadian
- cyr is an entrepreneur
- cyr dies young
why was Cyr being french canadian important
First french canadian sport hero
reflects prevailing values of french canadian society (emphasizes strength)
what did Louis Cyr represent
Bush masculinity
french canadians were made up of difficult factory workers, miners, lumber
cyr embodies this
what did louis cyr do to become an entrepreneur
- as simply the star he learns he has limited power, more power and money if controlling revenue stream
- buys bar and people pay to come see him do crazy things
what would louis cyr do at his bar
challenge people
would draw crowds to watch and generate income
why may louis cyr have died
- athletics at highest level can take powerful toll on the body (especially violent ones)
- his lifestyle and things he did to maintain strength did not help his longevity
what tends to happen to professional athletes in sports that emphasize violence
tend not to live that long and not be in good shape once they hit 60s
what was barbara ann Scott
world champion figure skater
what did women athletes face
a way higher bar then male athletes
- beauty and femininity attached to female athletes
what criteria did barbara fit into
she was most famous for being beautiful
what did people who knew barbara say about her
- unbelievable work ethic
- trained crazy hours, won olympic championships and world championships
what ideal did Barbara ann scott embody
beautiful, demure, quiet, conservative
embodied this ideal at the time time that it was embraced by canadian society
who was Maurice Rocket Richard
one of greatest hockey players who ever lived
what is the maurice richard award
most goals in NHL
What were important things about maurice richard’s career
- similar to cyr, represents hard working ideal of french canadian society
- during deep tensions between english adn french canada, montrela and toronto would play and it would be like a game between french and english canada
- Richard riot
how did Maurice represent hard working ideal of french canadians
not just goal scorer, he was very tough
what did montreal represent at time of maurice
french canada
drafted all french players
what was maurice on the montreal team
the best players
representing an entire nation, french canada
how many people came to maurice richard’s funeral
100,000
how many stanley cups did montreal win
24
what was maurice richard best known for
richard riot
- represented french vs english canada
- got suspended for punching a ref and the man who suspended him came to the game he was suspended form
- riot started
- one of reasons he is hero
ben johnson
sprinter for canada who won gold in 1988 Seoul olympics in 100m dash
what happened to ben johnson
stripped of his olympic medal for steroid use
why was Ben johnson’s event so important
- main event of summer (100m)
- everyone cares about, who is fastest person alive
- in build up he was gold medal favorite and in marquee summer event when we are not good at summer olympics
what was the other reason Ben Johnson’s story so enticing
- had an american rival, Carl lewis
- rivalries was the narrative and our greatest rival are americans
- ever since loyalists arrived we have had strong anti-americanism, seen in sports
what else was carl lewis other than american
- he was an asshole, embodies typical american traits that we look down on
how popular was ben johnsons race
one of most watched sporting event of that time
how did the news get released about ben Johnson’s steroid use
- couple hours later word gets out he may have been taking steroids
- then it was confirmed and he was stripped of medal
what was popular in 1980’s, during time of Ben johnson
- everyone was using steroids
what was ben johnsons race called
- the dirtiest race in history
- 6 out of 8 busted for steroids
how do canadians react to ben johnson using steroids
- incredibly bad
- becomes national pariah
- hated and vilified in canada
- we overreact and make the strictest drug testing rules in the world
what happens to ben johson after
he never recovers
- we charge him and he has to do community service
what is the ratial aspect of ben Johnsons story
- immigrant from jamaica
- when first start in canada, decribed as jamaican canadian
- whne starts winning jamaican disappears
- whne he gets busted it went back to jamaican canadian
what was a big part of our overreaction for ben johnson
- heightened expectations and it violated our canadian norms
what happens in 1996 when Donovan Bailey wins gold in 100m dash for canada
- shouldve been redemption but always lingering doubt
- doubted he was clean because of ben johnson
- got tested so often, randomly every week
wayne gretzky
- has record for most records
- not big or buff guy, not particularly athletic
- had most amazing vision of anyone who ever played
why was gretzky able to play 20 season and never got concussions until end
- had goon that protected him, enforcer
- toughest guy would pummel anyone who touched gretzki
nowadays what has changed in hockey from having enforcers
- instigator rule in 90s changed things for players like gretzki
- penalty to start fight
- he was now fair game
why did they create instigator rule
- wanted bettman to expand hockey into US because everytime new franchise opens, owners get a cut
- problem was hockey was not popular in US
- thought problem was it was too violent
- wanted to reduce fighting
what era of hockey did gretzky play in
era when you could play open hockey
what was another part of the open hockey era
- up until 90s nutrition played very little role in professional sports
- athletes got tired way easier
- did not train or eat same way
- when you passed someone they would not follow you
what did gretzki embody
- canadian sport values
- humble, apolitical, he never over celebrated
how popular was gretzki
- was in saturday morning cartoon
- his wedding was closest thing to canadian royal wedding
why was gretzki traded in 1988
- owner of edmonton oilers was so broke
- they told him that he was going to be shopping him around
where was gretzki traded
LA for money
Even though the best player was traded what happened when he returned form LA to edmonton
11 minute standing ovation
how good were the oilers when gretzki was traded
had just won stanley cup for 4th time in 5 years
middle of dynastic run
why was gretzkis wife significant in the trade
- janet jones, an actress
- he gets married then traded to LA, hometown of wife
- when he found out he was going to be traded he requested that trade for his wife
what would happen if gretzki would have requested that trade today
- alot of hard feelings because he turned his back on his country
- not with him, everyone loved him
Gretzkis juxtaposition to ben Johnson
- with gretzki he can do no wrong, to ben Johnson there was a monstrous overreaction to what he did
- happened in same year
why should ben johnson have been rehabilitated
- initally claimed he was set up
- evidence suggests an american friend of carl lewis spiked his drink
- nothing has helped his legacy
- guy admitted to spiking but story got no traction
Mark tewksbury
swimmer who won gold in barcelona olympics in 1992
what are two aspects of mark tewksbury’s story
mental health and homosexuality
Why was homosexuality important to mark tewkbury’s story
- gay at time when it was not acceptable for male athletes to be gay
- men sport has dramatically lagged behind rest of society when it comes to accepting things
- major stigma still exists in male sport
- comes out afterwards and shines light on this
what else did mark tewksbury shine a light on
- mental health
- talks openly about struggle and stress he dealt with
- acceptance of mental health in mens sport also lags behind society
what took years to discover about sports
that there is a mental aspect
- athletes having mental health issues still not talked about as should be
christine sinclair
greatest woman soccer player in history
what has christine sinclair won
- everything there is to win
- except world cup
- record for most goals in womens soccer history
what was christine sinclair in candian soccer
- we have been good but not great
- she was the difference between good team hanging in and beating way better teams
What is the biggest thing that causes christine to not be a huge sports celebrity
- attitudes towards women sports in this country
- part is she also doesnt seek limelight
despite enormous success of womens soccer in canada
christine sinclair is barely mentioned
why is sidney crosby tied to gretzki
- continual quest to find next gretzki
- he was first player who came and had sustained success
- inability to live up to the image
- damned by his comparison
what is the most famous goal of crosby
vancouver olympics 2010
- one of most important hockey goals since summit series
- one of most watched sporting event in canadian sports history
why is it impossible to contrast different hockey eras
- sport is different, rules different, players different
what was the profound impact on crosby
profound effect on players who are trying to pick up torch after profound era
what will happen eventually to this comparison
it will pass and people will appreciate newer players
