In the darkest days of the war, when the world was in commotion, fuel and food were scarce, and people took to sports to lift their morale. The role of sports played a huge role to keep the world’s civility intact. Below are the sports the thrived during World War 2.
Boxing
Boxing was hugely popular. Joe Louis won a rematch against heavyweight champion German Max Schmeling in 1938. Joe Louis was drafted and spent the war giving boxing exhibitions in bases around the country.
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| Image source: wwiimemories.co.uk |
Baseball
During the war, American sports took a huge hit. Months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, automobile sports like racing were suspended to save on gas and rubber rationing.
Major League Baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw asked President Roosevelt if the sport will be cancelled as well. To maintain good public morale, Roosevelt decided to continue funding the sport. There were many top talented players that lost their lives during the war, but many more stepped up.
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| Image source: slate.com |
Football
During this time, college football was more popular than the professional game. Thousands of college players, though, got drafted to serve the whole country instead of just their alma mater.
Hi I’m John Eilermann. I love sports. My father served in the military during WW2. Visit my Twitter page to know more about me.
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