“This superbly written volume will appeal to sports and physical education students; researchers in foreign policy, gender studies, history, politics, sociology, and technology; and general high school and college readers who enjoy the odd sports history factoid.” – Library Journal Sports have become an international spectacle that influences nations’ foreign policy, world economies, and regional morale. Hundreds of billions of dollars are at stake as governments and multinational corporations rush to make sure they have a place at the table. And yet, sports come from humble beginnings. We are fascinated by who can run the fastest, lift the most weight, jump the highest, swim the farthest, and act with the most precision. The history of sports is the history of the world. Each chapter features one sport and details that sport’s origins, global migration, economic forces, media influences, political environment, pop-culture inspirations, scandalous moments, and key individuals. Sports history is a tapestry of sociological variables; this text weaves them together to create a unique history book that explains not only where humanity has been, but where it might be going.