Spectator Sports In The 1940s

The nightmare years and the decade of war are both names people have given to the 1940s with good reason. In the 1940s, it was a time of change and war, but a very successful year for spectator sports, even with all the effects war had on American culture, sports was still a topic that thrived. Since WWII was going on, and Japan had just attacked Pearl Harbor, many expected sports to disappear until the conflicts with other countries were resolved, but the sports industry only got bigger.
The 1940s was a time of change and with many men gone to war, women, children, and leftover men had to adjust to the war conditions. One factor that had to be adapted to was the happening of the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. “December 7, 1941: The USS Arizona blows up in Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack.” (Barber 7) The biggest factor that Americans had to adapt to was the World War II (WWII) going on in Germany that involved 61 countries including America. “As the decade dawned, …show more content…
Women playing golf became so big they eventually got their own Organizations. “The two most well known organizations for golf were the Women’s Professional Golf Association (WPGA), and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), established in 1949.” (Gray 4) Basketball was also a spectator sport that became one of the most popular sports in the 1940s. “Two big organizations were established in the 1940s, the Basketball Association of America (BAA), established in 1946, and the National Basketball League (NBL), established in 1949, the went on to make the National Basketball Association (NBA).” (Gray 2) People also started to care about football and the safety of the players by changing the gear to help protect the players from injury. “For instance, the padding on the legs, a more protective helmet, bigger shoulder pads, and abdominal protection.” (Gray 2) Therefore, this was a great decade for all sports fans, players, and