The Story of Worker Sport

Although sport historians and sociologists have researched the worldwide economic and political impact of sport, there is a vital part of the history of sport that`s never been completely told. . .until now! >The Story of Worker Sport> is the first book published in English to cover, in-depth, the history of the worker sport movement.Worker sport became prominent during the years between WWI and WWII, fostered by the development of communism and socialism. In >The Story of Worker Sport,> sport and labor history experts from 10 countries discuss the development, fall, and economic effects of worker sport in their own countries. Here are some of the worker countries:--Germany. Dominated by both worker and bourgeouis Turner movements, which believed in creating well-prepared, well-rounded athletes until outlawed by Hitler before WWII.-France. Worker isolation and fragmentation kept worker sport from the success of other economically-advanced countries.-The former Soviet Union. Early experiments in creating a new proletarian sports system and the involvement of the Communist International and Red Sport International organizations affected attitudes of workers to sport and politics between the world wars.-Finland. The creation of and conflict between the Finnish Gymnastics and Sports Federation (SVUL) and the Finnish Worker Sport Federation (TUL) from 1906 until today.-Austria. Movement based on the cultural concept of Austro-Marxism, which is unique in all worker sport. After WWII, the organization was used to integrate workers into existing society rather than to further political aims and it remains today the strongest organization of the Austrian labor movement.-Israel. Hapoel, formed in 1926, is the largest and strongest sport organization in Israel and the only worker sport organization actually controlling its country`s sport despite a continuing debate over the organization`s ideals.Because these and other worker sport movements affected most economically-developed countries, the book also briefly surveys 18 other countries and their experiences with worker sport. It also includes over 100 photos and facsimilies of original documents to help illustrate the worker sport movement`s vital role in the history of sport.