The Beginnings Of Modern Sport In 19th Century England And Colonial Australia

The Beginnings Of Modern Sport In 19th Century England And Colonial Australia

  • Links with manliness, patriotism and character
  • The meaning of amateur and professional sport
  • Women’s historical participation in sport

Links with Manliness, Patriotism and Character

  • Victory against England at sport gave colonial Australia a sense of identity and also contributed to developing patriotism.
  • Participating in sports imposed the notion of manliness in individuals as perceived by the society.
  • Sporting events would require participants to engage skills specific to the requirement of that sport (courage, strength, decision-making).

The Meaning of Amateur and Professional Sport

  • The key difference between amateur and professional sport was in terms of financial remuneration.
  • Amateur sporting events were free of cost, while professionals were paid to play.
  • During the 19th century, a professional sport career was mostly pursued by the then lower class.

Women’s Historical Participation in Sport

  • In the 19th century, sports was overtly considered as a “male only” activity.
  • Social constraints against clothing and reproductive health restricted women from participating in sporting events.
  • A change was brought about during the latter part of the 19th century when in the 1912 Olympic games, Australian swimmers Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie became the first female Australian gold medallists in history.