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On this episode of Meadowlarkers, Howard Bryant, Kate Fagan, and Dr. Amy Bass, author of One Goal and Professor of Sport Studies at Manhattanville College discuss the Women's World Cup and the collapse and subsequent fallout of the USWNT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The NBA and NHL seasons are in full swing. March Madness and Major League Baseball are right around the corner... and don't forget the Premier League, XFL, tennis and golf! And then there is the rapid expansion of legal sports betting in the U.S. This is a great time to convene one of our semi-regular sports Vox Pops. Call in and talk some sports with us. 800-348-2551.
This morning on "Cail & Company LIVE" we welcome Amy Bass, an Emmy-award-winning writer and professor of sport studies, where her interests focus on sport, culture, and politics, and chair of the division of social science and communication.
Highlights this week. Interviews may be abbreviated. For the date and hour podcast to hear more, see the note (0:00) Dr. JoAnn di Filippo Board of Supes Preview: downtown unsafe and regional prosperity commission. (Oct 31, Hour 2) (12:53) Tucson autonomous trucking company TuSimple under investigation by multiple federal agencies. Another Tucson economic development success story. (Oct 31, Hour 1) (21:03) The Atlantic: Forgive and forget government & public health officials over bungled COVID response. Chris doesn
Local outlets are reporting on TPD's low staffing levels. Wake Up Tucson has been talking about this for years. Welcome to the party, everyone. Amy Bass, executive director of prevention PEPP (Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Inc). PEPP works to improve the qualtity rural life through a variety of education, health, housing, counseling services dating back to Bracero migrand farm workers. For more inforation visit ppep.org. Also check out the Amado chili cookoff and associated events Nov 12th in Amado to support the Amado Youth Center Building Fund. For details, directions, and schedule, check out amadochilicookoff.org
This week we present an encore program: WAMC’s Alan Chartock In Conversation with Dr. Amy Bass. Bass is a Professor of History and Director of the Honors Program at New Rochelle College and Author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together."Additionally, Bass is a WAMC commentator. Photo courtesy of Dr. Amy Bass.
March Madness is in full swing, Major League Baseball is right around the corner and the number one ranked women's tennis player just retired... at age 25! This is a great time to convene one of our semi-regular sports Vox Pops. Call in and talk some sports with us. 800-348-2551.
On this week's 51%, we're talking women in sports. Professor Amy Bass of Manhattanville College shares her thoughts on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. We speak with two-time Olympian Tricia Mangan as she heads to the slopes, and Ithaca College Professor Ellen Staurowsky discusses the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX. Guests: Dr. Amy Bass, Manhattanville College; Tricia Mangan, U.S. Alpine Ski Team; Ellen Staurowsky, Ithaca College 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King, our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. We've got a great lineup of interviews for you today. It's all about women in sports, and where else would we start besides the Olympics? We wrapped today's show just before competition launched for the Winter Games in Beijing. It's the second Games to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, after the Tokyo Olympics last summer — but it comes with its own challenges to navigate. Our first guest today is Dr. Amy Bass, a professor and author at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She's been a commentator for WAMC, but she won an Emmy for her work with NBC Olympic Sports on the London Olympics in 2012. Bass recently shared with me her thoughts about the latest edition of the Games. "I think that apprehension is affecting teams right now. I think that one of the things that we learned in Tokyo is that these athletes are incredibly isolated because of COVID protocols. They're not traveling with their families, they don't have their cheering crowds there, which fans are an important stakeholder in sports," says Bass. "So, I think some of the psychological tension that we saw around a star athlete like Simone Biles is something that I think we should be on the lookout for in Beijing, especially because we have some of those really intense pressure sports like figure skating where, if your head's not in the right place, your sport suddenly becomes very dangerous. Who should we be looking out for at these games? I think Nathan Chen is our is our headliner, always. He didn't do what he wanted to do in 2018 Pyeongchang, but I would also put the one and only Chloe Kim on that list. She took gold in Pyeongchang, took a break, I think she had a broken ankle. She tried college, and now she's back and she looks pretty unbeatable. I hate saying that in a sport as sort of crazy as halfpipe, but Chloe Kim is definitely someone to watch. Makaela Shiffrin is someone to watch. Obviously, she got two medals in Pyeongchang, she took a third overall World Cup title a year later. She's also had a lot of ups and downs: she lost her dad, she's been really forthcoming about managing grief, and managing grief in terms of its physical and mental impact on being a world-class skier. But she's awesome. You know, she's 26 years old. Now she's back for another Olympics, and I think that she's something amazing to watch. And the other thing that I would put up there is women's hockey. And we can talk about hockey. You know, it's just a great Olympic sport. Obviously, one of America's greatest sports moments is men's hockey in 1980, but the rivalry between the Canadian and American women, I think, is one of the great sports rivalries. I feel like they're the Yankees and Red Sox of the Olympic Games, and I'm all in for women's hockey. Last time they met who won? The US took gold and Canada got silver. Well, aside from COVID, what are some new things coming to the games this year? We're seeing new percentages this year, this will be the most women ever to compete in Winter Olympic Games. Up to 45 percent of the athletes are going to be female. Winter Games tend to have fewer women than their summer counterparts, but that is changing. The hockey tournament is actually one of the reasons, there are more men's teams who compete than women, so you've got, you know, 230 women's hockey players and some 300 men. We're going to see some new sports launched, we're going to see some newer sports. So things like team figure skating is actually something that I find fascinating to think about, men and women competing together for a team score for their nation. You know, those new twists on sports that we're familiar with. And I think that we also have the United States in a position to think about sports that they didn't used to be good at or that they didn't have a legacy. You know, in Pyeongchang we saw Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall win Team USA its first ever gold medal in cross country skiing. I think the Nordic events are super exciting, and more people should watch them. Jessie Diggins is back, let's see what she does. Kikkan has retired, but Diggins could become the first American to win more than one Olympic medal in cross country skiing, and that's a cool thing to keep our eye on. I think that we have an intense political atmosphere surrounding Beijing, we have a pretty widespread Western diplomatic boycott of these games. We have issues like Hong Kong and the Uyghurs and human rights in general front and center. We have China coming off of, you know, sort of a spectacular games in 2008, so what kind of presentation of the country, and of the city of Beijing, is going to come forward? And then we have [even more] new sports. And I think that new sports are always something that can be a game changer, because you may not know what the next big thing is going to be. There will be notable absences – the U.S. women who were the revolutionaries who got women's ski jump on the Olympic program, they didn't qualify. So now we get to see, you know, what is what is Germany going to do with the absence of the Americans? So I think that you have to wait and see, and you have to go with stories that pop up that you weren't expecting. There's going to be some stories that we know, again, Nathan Chen, men's figure skating, the return of someone like Shaun White – not as a favorite, but as someone who's just sort of trying to say goodbye to the sport that they helped build. You know, there will be new stars that we haven't even met yet. That was Dr. Amy Bass, professor of sports media and chair of the division of social science and communication at Manhattanville College. Our next guest actually spoke with me from Germany while awaiting her flight to Beijing. Tricia Mangan just competed at the Alpine Ski World Cup and is participating in her second straight Winter Games. In 2018, she took ninth in the alpine team event at Pyeongchang, and this time around she's slated to compete in at least the women's alpine combined. She's just 24 years old, but she started skiing near her home in Buffalo, New York at the age of 2. “I grew up skiing there with my five siblings and parents when I was pretty young, and started racing around 6. We skied at this little hill called HoliMont in Ellicottville New York. I just did a million sports when I was younger, but ultimately liked skiing the most, and have definitely skied on a lot bigger hills than HoliMont now,” says Mangan. “But I think that being from Buffalo is definitely a big part of my story, and it's kind of shaped my road to the World Cup a lot. And now heading into my second Olympics, I leaned on my community a lot for support this year. So it feels really nice to be able to achieve this goal and to share that with all of them as well.” When did you know that you wanted to pursue skiing professionally as an athlete? People always asked me this question, and I don't know. Never when I was younger was I like, “I'm going to be an Olympian,” or like, “I want to be in the U.S. Ski Team.” I didn't even know what the U.S. Ski Team was, I really was just focused on trying to beat my twin brother and just get a little bit faster. There was never like, these big, huge goals. I think I've always been a little bit hard on myself. So maybe I was like, “I'm not good enough for that.” But I've always worked really hard, so I think that I just put in little steps. And then over the years, it's like, “I did this. That's cool.” And then it's like, “Oh, I made it this far!” And then yeah, here I am today. This year I'm actually focused on the speed events, which are downhill and Super G. And then at the Olympics, there's also the combined, which is one run of downhill, and one run of slalom, What is Super G, for those who don't know? So for the speed events, downhill is like the straightest – not that many turns, you're in your tuck a lot of the time. And then Super G is also the speed event, but there's a couple more turns. So it's not just like going straight down. It's a little bit more technical. What's the processes of preparing for that? That must be some insane work. Yeah. Preparing for the World Cup or the Olympics in particular? I guess both! Well, that's good insight, because most people are like, “Oh, my gosh, it's crazy to prepare for the Olympics.” But in reality, the World Cup, like our season regular, is probably actually a little bit harder, because there's more girls there then there'll be at the Olympics. So there's been a lot of work that's gotten into this year. There's a lot of training, a lot of physical conditioning, a lot of time on snow, lots of travel. I've definitely this year tried to focus more on my consistency, because my top level speed is good, but in order to perform on the World Cup, you need to be fast all the time, for the whole run. So yeah, consistency has been a big thing for me. What's it like returning to the Olympics this year? Is it a little less nerve racking, maybe? Yeah, it will definitely be very different. My aunt told me the other day, she was like, “People who get to the Olympics twice, or like the Super Bowl or something big like that, they always say that the first time is a blur, and they don't remember anything. And then the second time, they're able to enjoy more.” And I think that will probably be the case, because the first time it was so much like, “Oh my gosh,” like there's so much pressure, and it's really stressful. Or it was for me, last time. And then this time, I definitely know to kind of appreciate being there and take in everything and enjoy the moment a little bit more. And I think that you can still do that while working really hard, which maybe I didn't know last time. Are there ways in which you see your sport changing? Oh, that's a great question. I hope that it changes, change is always good. I think that there are changes with events, like there are more parallel events where people compete next to each other. And I think that is to attract more viewership and to make it a little bit more exciting, which is great, because the more popular the sport will be, the better for athletes, because more sponsorships and deals and everything. Yeah, I think that everyone's always pushing the limits of sports, so it's definitely progressing. You mentioned that Buffalo shaped a big part of your story. Can you go into that a little bit more for me? Coming from Buffalo, even when I was really young, I always knew that there were the states like Vermont and Colorado, California, where the racers trained so much more. I think that this definitely added to me not really thinking like I was ever going to be – or not really thinking that I was very good, and I just kept the focus on working hard. I definitely had an underdog mindset when I started to compete more nationally, and I think this really fueled me, because it kind of took away expectations. Because I was like, “Oh, I'm from New York, nobody thinks I'm gonna do well,” but like, I know how hard I've worked. So I definitely think that was a really big part of my success when I was younger. That underdog mindset has been a big part in my ski racing career so far. Was there a first competition that you did, where you realized, “Oh, I'm really good?” Yeah, yeah. So I went to U16 nationals. I had won, like, a couple Super Gs for the eastern region – but even then, I was like, “Oh it's just this one run, who knows?” And then I went to U16 nationals, and I got absolutely crushed. And then I remember thinking like, “I want to come back the next year, and like, actually do well.” And I really ramped up the training that year. And then I went back the next year and did really well. I remember, I got fourth into GS. And after coming down the first round, I was kind of in shock. And then the next day, I kept doing well and ended up second, and then that's when I qualified for like the junior national team. So that was definitely a very big turning point. I was like, “Wow, I didn't know I was going to do that well.” So yeah, I think that was a big turning point in my career. Lastly, for people who maybe want to get into skiing, or for younger people who are looking about how they can get into the sport, what is your advice for them? I think that there are so many race programs, so I would just say don't be discouraged if you're starting even with a small ski resort race program. It's so much fun. And most of all, the community that skiing has is super, super special, and really unique. So I think that is a great reason to join it. And hopefully they love it. It's an awesome sport, so I would encourage anyone to try it out. Of course, it's not just the Olympics driving headlines this time of year: Ash Barty just became the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open since 1978, the Super Bowl is set, and college basketball championships are just around the corner. In case you missed it, February 2 was the Women's Sports Foundation's 36th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day. To celebrate, hundreds of community programs, schools, and professional sports teams across the country are hosting events to get people active and recognize the achievements of women in sports. This year, the Foundation itself is hosting a virtual 5K throughout the month of February, as well as a 50-mile challenge stretching to the 50th anniversary of Title IX on June 23. Title IX, of course, is the federal civil rights law that — from the court, to the campus, to the classroom — prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school that receives funding from the federal government. So how is Title IX holding up, 50 years on? To learn more, I spoke with Ithaca College professor and author Ellen Staurowsky, who has co-written a number of reports on Title IX, gender equity, and more for organizations like the Women's Sports Foundation and the National College Players Association. How does Title IX look, 50 years later? In terms of women, 50 years is a terrific time. You come into your own, you gain more power, you look ahead to see how you can take the wisdom of the previous 50 years and really mobilize it to do good in the future. And I think, in a lot of ways, that this anniversary gives us an opportunity to think about that. At the same time, just looking at the state of gender equity in school sports and in college and university athletics, there are all kinds of signs that show that we are not fulfilling the gender equity mandate, and that there's still a great deal of work to be done. I was going to ask about that. Like how do you feel that Title IX is being enforced? What are some of the ways that you feel there's a gap in equity in college sports? I think we're seeing it across the board and every in every area of athletics. Whether we're looking at proportional opportunities available to female athletes relative to their enrollment – we're seeing very large gaps in terms of how many opportunities female athletes could have. We're seeing tremendous gaps that still remain. If we look over the span of 50 years, and we go back to the 25th anniversary, or we go back to 40th anniversary, the spending on recruiting has largely remained unchanged over that entire span of time. In terms of athletic scholarships, there's an expectation that schools are going to offer athletic scholarship support that is proportional to the number of female athletes in an athletic program within 1 percent. There are many schools, in their EADA reports – the EADA report being that public document that people can go to see how spending occurs in athletic departments – and what we're seeing in those documents is that there are many schools that are really quite off the mark from that 1 percent. We do see that some schools are closer in terms of their gender equity patterns. If we look at non-football playing schools versus football-playing schools, junior colleges compared to NCAA institutions, for example, there are some sectors where we're seeing something that looks closer to what it should look like. But there's tremendous work that needs to be done. How do we go about implementing some changes to make sure that these things are better monitored and enforced? I think one of the number one things is to make sure that the enforcement mechanism that's supposed to be in place in colleges and universities and in high schools, to make sure that mechanism is working. It was very interesting to me to find reports from the federal government that were showing that there were still schools, maybe just four years ago, that still were not designating Title IX coordinators at their schools. You know, this was a requirement that was expected in the 1970s. And to think that we still have some schools that have not even designated a Title IX coordinator – and then along with that, we have large percentages of employees who still don't know who their Title IX coordinator is – that really is a sign that the commitment to enforcing Title IX on the ground, in schools, is just not happening the way that it should. And even in places where Title IX coordinators are designated, there remains a large amount of either misinformation or lack of information about what Title IX requires, and what it doesn't require. A wonderful former student of mine who's in law school at Drexel, we did a study of Division I Title IX athletics coordinators – and just large portions of that sector, they're not educating people about how to read an EADA, coaches and athletes are not receiving Title IX education. All of those things are things that add up, because you can't hold an institution accountable to what they should be doing under Title IX, if you just have people closest to the action, closest to the athletic department, that don't know what their rights are and what their obligations are. Broadening the subject a little bit, how do you view the overall playing field for women in sports right now? The expression, “It's the best of times and the worst of times” probably applies. Because there's absolutely no question, if you think about the opportunities that were available for girls and women in the early 1970s – we've just seen tremendous growth in all areas of athletics for girls and women. At the same time, we have so many places [that need improvement], and I think if we reflect back, just for a moment, in terms of the NCAA men's and women's tournament last year, and those very stark contrasts in terms of unfair treatment – and this is the nation's premier women's basketball tournament. For that kind of inequity to exist, and then also to have the NCAA external reports reveal that that the women's basketball tournament was not the only tournament, but in fact, there was systemic gender inequities across the entire system – that's really a wake up call for everybody. And then along with that, though, not all people, and not all women, are served equally within the gains that are made. So if we look, for example, through a racial lens, African American women have been largely invisible within the overall scheme of full opportunities in sports. Like basketball and track and field, we've seen that kind of growth, but we have not seen that kind of growth across the board in terms of the large array of other sports that are available. And this is very much in keeping nationally with the fact that women of color, and African American women, have less access to sport opportunities overall. So that's an area that we really, futuristically, need to be addressing. We know that girls typically enter sports later and exit sooner than boys. What do you see as some of the obstacles for girls getting into sports? And how can we address them, particularly for girls of color? We need to be looking at our financial models, and really adopting principles of equity and fairness. You know, it's one thing to sort of have an idea of fairness. I think it's something entirely different when you begin to make decisions and hold yourself accountable, to really see whether or not you're actually doing that on the ledger. And that's really where having principles of gender equity that are written down, and having specific goals about what you want to achieve in a three- and five-year period of time [helps]. I think there is a bit of a disconnection between general support – you know, Title IX has become sort of synonymous with gender equity, it also pulls on our general sense of fairness. So you know, the vast majority of people that you talk to would say that they are relatively supportive of what Title IX's goals are. But what I found, and where I think the conversation needs to happen, is that female athletes in athletic departments – I think their experience is actually different than that broad narrative. I think they notice that they don't get the same kinds of meals. They notice that their gear isn't as good, or the way in which fundraising happens for their programs is different, and that it oftentimes puts more of a burden on them than some of their male colleagues. And certainly, I think one of the areas where we're going to see much more increased scrutiny is in the area of marketing, in the area of television contracts, in the area of promotion, and athletic communications. That whole area of publicity is something that has been in the regulations from the 1970s forward, but I don't think that it's really gotten the kind of scrutiny that I would suspect that we're going to be seeing in the years ahead. And the reason why that becomes so important is that, you know, just as a matter of media exposure – if you don't see female teams regularly, you don't know who to follow. And we've seen all kinds of evidence, from women's gymnastics to women's basketball, to women's volleyball to women's softball, and many, many other sports where, when audiences get exposed to those sports, there are audiences for them. But the mechanism to market those programs within colleges and universities has largely continued to be operating on a 20th Century model, rather than on a 21st Century model. In terms of girls and women of color, you know, within communities, creating safe spaces for girls and women to access sports opportunities is incredibly important. Being able to preserve sport programs within high schools is very important. Trying to have them publicly funded rather than pay-for-play models is incredibly important. There are other kinds of things we could talk about, but those are some of the things that really need to be addressed. Lastly, what are some of the benefits for women of playing sports? We can never underestimate the power of joy. I think all of us who have sport as a passion, we can all relate to the fact that, at some level, we all got bitten by sport joy. So that would be number one. Number two, what we know from the research is a woman's life is incredibly affected over the long term by her participation in sport. We know in terms of long-term health, we know in terms of cognitive functioning, we know in terms of social life, that being able to participate in sport can be incredibly important as a quality of life issue. So all of those things are things that we should take into account. You know, the nation has a stake in this, from the standpoint of the health of our girls and women. Ellen Staurowsky is a professor of sports media at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York and the author of books including: College Athletes for Hire: The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA Amateur Myth and Women and Sport: A Continuing Journey from Liberation to Celebration. You can learn more about her work at the college's website. To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, find a National Girls & Women in Sports Day near you — or to register for the Foundation's virtual 5K and 50-mile challenge — go to womenssportsfoundation.org. That's a wrap on this week's 51%. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by me, Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is “Lolita” by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. A big thanks to Amy Bass, Tricia Mangan, and Ellen Staurowsky for participating in this week's episode. You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @51percentradio. Let us know how we're doing, and if you have a story you'd like to share as well. Until next week, I'm Jesse King for 51%.
On this week's 51%, we're talking women in sports. Professor Amy Bass of Manhattanville College shares her thoughts on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. We speak with two-time Olympian Tricia Mangan as she heads to the slopes, and Ithaca College Professor Ellen Staurowsky discusses the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX. Guests: Dr. Amy Bass, Manhattanville College; Tricia Mangan, U.S. Alpine Ski Team; Ellen Staurowsky, Ithaca College 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It’s produced by Jesse King, our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is “Lolita” by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. We've got a great lineup of interviews for you today. It's all about women in sports, and where else would we start besides the Olympics? We wrapped today’s show just before competition launched for the Winter Games in Beijing. It's the second Games to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, after the Tokyo Olympics last summer — but it comes with its own challenges to navigate. Our first guest today is Dr. Amy Bass, a professor and author at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She's been a commentator for WAMC, but she won an Emmy for her work with NBC Olympic Sports on the London Olympics in 2012. Bass recently shared with me her thoughts about the latest edition of the Games. “I think that apprehension is affecting teams right now. I think that one of the things that we learned in Tokyo is that these athletes are incredibly isolated because of COVID protocols. They’re not traveling with their families, they don’t have their cheering crowds there, which fans are an important stakeholder in sports,” says Bass. “So, I think some of the psychological tension that we saw around a star athlete like Simone Biles is something that I think we should be on the lookout for in Beijing, especially because we have some of those really intense pressure sports like figure skating where, if your head’s not in the right place, your sport suddenly becomes very dangerous. Amy Bass Who should we be looking out for at these games? I think Nathan Chen is our is our headliner, always. He didn’t do what he wanted to do in 2018 Pyeongchang, but I would also put the one and only Chloe Kim on that list. She took gold in Pyeongchang, took a break, I think she had a broken ankle. She tried college, and now she’s back and she looks pretty unbeatable. I hate saying that in a sport as sort of crazy as halfpipe, but Chloe Kim i
On this week's 51%, we're talking women in sports. Professor Amy Bass of Manhattanville College shares her thoughts on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. We speak with two-time Olympian Tricia Mangan as she heads to the slopes, and Ithaca College Professor Ellen Staurowsky discusses the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX. Guests: Dr. Amy Bass, Manhattanville College; Tricia Mangan, U.S. Alpine Ski Team; Ellen Staurowsky, Ithaca College 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King, our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. We've got a great lineup of interviews for you today. It's all about women in sports, and where else would we start besides the Olympics? We wrapped today's show just before competition launched for the Winter Games in Beijing. It's the second Games to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, after the Tokyo Olympics last summer — but it comes with its own challenges to navigate. Our first guest today is Dr. Amy Bass, a professor and author at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She's been a commentator for WAMC, but she won an Emmy for her work with NBC Olympic Sports on the London Olympics in 2012. Bass recently shared with me her thoughts about the latest edition of the Games. "I think that apprehension is affecting teams right now. I think that one of the things that we learned in Tokyo is that these athletes are incredibly isolated because of COVID protocols. They're not traveling with their families, they don't have their cheering crowds there, which fans are an important stakeholder in sports," says Bass. "So, I think some of the psychological tension that we saw around a star athlete like Simone Biles is something that I think we should be on the lookout for in Beijing, especially because we have some of those really intense pressure sports like figure skating where, if your head's not in the right place, your sport suddenly becomes very dangerous. Who should we be looking out for at these games? I think Nathan Chen is our is our headliner, always. He didn't do what he wanted to do in 2018 Pyeongchang, but I would also put the one and only Chloe Kim on that list. She took gold in Pyeongchang, took a break, I think she had a broken ankle. She tried college, and now she's back and she looks pretty unbeatable. I hate saying that in a sport as sort of crazy as halfpipe, but Chloe Kim is definitely someone to watch. Makaela Shiffrin is someone to watch. Obviously, she got two medals in Pyeongchang, she took a third overall World Cup title a year later. She's also had a lot of ups and downs: she lost her dad, she's been really forthcoming about managing grief, and managing grief in terms of its physical and mental impact on being a world-class skier. But she's awesome. You know, she's 26 years old. Now she's back for another Olympics, and I think that she's something amazing to watch. And the other thing that I would put up there is women's hockey. And we can talk about hockey. You know, it's just a great Olympic sport. Obviously, one of America's greatest sports moments is men's hockey in 1980, but the rivalry between the Canadian and American women, I think, is one of the great sports rivalries. I feel like they're the Yankees and Red Sox of the Olympic Games, and I'm all in for women's hockey. Last time they met who won? The US took gold and Canada got silver. Well, aside from COVID, what are some new things coming to the games this year? We're seeing new percentages this year, this will be the most women ever to compete in Winter Olympic Games. Up to 45 percent of the athletes are going to be female. Winter Games tend to have fewer women than their summer counterparts, but that is changing. The hockey tournament is actually one of the reasons, there are more men's teams who compete than women, so you've got, you know, 230 women's hockey players and some 300 men. We're going to see some new sports launched, we're going to see some newer sports. So things like team figure skating is actually something that I find fascinating to think about, men and women competing together for a team score for their nation. You know, those new twists on sports that we're familiar with. And I think that we also have the United States in a position to think about sports that they didn't used to be good at or that they didn't have a legacy. You know, in Pyeongchang we saw Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall win Team USA its first ever gold medal in cross country skiing. I think the Nordic events are super exciting, and more people should watch them. Jessie Diggins is back, let's see what she does. Kikkan has retired, but Diggins could become the first American to win more than one Olympic medal in cross country skiing, and that's a cool thing to keep our eye on. I think that we have an intense political atmosphere surrounding Beijing, we have a pretty widespread Western diplomatic boycott of these games. We have issues like Hong Kong and the Uyghurs and human rights in general front and center. We have China coming off of, you know, sort of a spectacular games in 2008, so what kind of presentation of the country, and of the city of Beijing, is going to come forward? And then we have [even more] new sports. And I think that new sports are always something that can be a game changer, because you may not know what the next big thing is going to be. There will be notable absences – the U.S. women who were the revolutionaries who got women's ski jump on the Olympic program, they didn't qualify. So now we get to see, you know, what is what is Germany going to do with the absence of the Americans? So I think that you have to wait and see, and you have to go with stories that pop up that you weren't expecting. There's going to be some stories that we know, again, Nathan Chen, men's figure skating, the return of someone like Shaun White – not as a favorite, but as someone who's just sort of trying to say goodbye to the sport that they helped build. You know, there will be new stars that we haven't even met yet. That was Dr. Amy Bass, professor of sports media and chair of the division of social science and communication at Manhattanville College. Our next guest actually spoke with me from Germany while awaiting her flight to Beijing. Tricia Mangan just competed at the Alpine Ski World Cup and is participating in her second straight Winter Games. In 2018, she took ninth in the alpine team event at Pyeongchang, and this time around she's slated to compete in at least the women's alpine combined. She's just 24 years old, but she started skiing near her home in Buffalo, New York at the age of 2. “I grew up skiing there with my five siblings and parents when I was pretty young, and started racing around 6. We skied at this little hill called HoliMont in Ellicottville New York. I just did a million sports when I was younger, but ultimately liked skiing the most, and have definitely skied on a lot bigger hills than HoliMont now,” says Mangan. “But I think that being from Buffalo is definitely a big part of my story, and it's kind of shaped my road to the World Cup a lot. And now heading into my second Olympics, I leaned on my community a lot for support this year. So it feels really nice to be able to achieve this goal and to share that with all of them as well.” When did you know that you wanted to pursue skiing professionally as an athlete? People always asked me this question, and I don't know. Never when I was younger was I like, “I'm going to be an Olympian,” or like, “I want to be in the U.S. Ski Team.” I didn't even know what the U.S. Ski Team was, I really was just focused on trying to beat my twin brother and just get a little bit faster. There was never like, these big, huge goals. I think I've always been a little bit hard on myself. So maybe I was like, “I'm not good enough for that.” But I've always worked really hard, so I think that I just put in little steps. And then over the years, it's like, “I did this. That's cool.” And then it's like, “Oh, I made it this far!” And then yeah, here I am today. This year I'm actually focused on the speed events, which are downhill and Super G. And then at the Olympics, there's also the combined, which is one run of downhill, and one run of slalom, What is Super G, for those who don't know? So for the speed events, downhill is like the straightest – not that many turns, you're in your tuck a lot of the time. And then Super G is also the speed event, but there's a couple more turns. So it's not just like going straight down. It's a little bit more technical. What's the processes of preparing for that? That must be some insane work. Yeah. Preparing for the World Cup or the Olympics in particular? I guess both! Well, that's good insight, because most people are like, “Oh, my gosh, it's crazy to prepare for the Olympics.” But in reality, the World Cup, like our season regular, is probably actually a little bit harder, because there's more girls there then there'll be at the Olympics. So there's been a lot of work that's gotten into this year. There's a lot of training, a lot of physical conditioning, a lot of time on snow, lots of travel. I've definitely this year tried to focus more on my consistency, because my top level speed is good, but in order to perform on the World Cup, you need to be fast all the time, for the whole run. So yeah, consistency has been a big thing for me. What's it like returning to the Olympics this year? Is it a little less nerve racking, maybe? Yeah, it will definitely be very different. My aunt told me the other day, she was like, “People who get to the Olympics twice, or like the Super Bowl or something big like that, they always say that the first time is a blur, and they don't remember anything. And then the second time, they're able to enjoy more.” And I think that will probably be the case, because the first time it was so much like, “Oh my gosh,” like there's so much pressure, and it's really stressful. Or it was for me, last time. And then this time, I definitely know to kind of appreciate being there and take in everything and enjoy the moment a little bit more. And I think that you can still do that while working really hard, which maybe I didn't know last time. Are there ways in which you see your sport changing? Oh, that's a great question. I hope that it changes, change is always good. I think that there are changes with events, like there are more parallel events where people compete next to each other. And I think that is to attract more viewership and to make it a little bit more exciting, which is great, because the more popular the sport will be, the better for athletes, because more sponsorships and deals and everything. Yeah, I think that everyone's always pushing the limits of sports, so it's definitely progressing. You mentioned that Buffalo shaped a big part of your story. Can you go into that a little bit more for me? Coming from Buffalo, even when I was really young, I always knew that there were the states like Vermont and Colorado, California, where the racers trained so much more. I think that this definitely added to me not really thinking like I was ever going to be – or not really thinking that I was very good, and I just kept the focus on working hard. I definitely had an underdog mindset when I started to compete more nationally, and I think this really fueled me, because it kind of took away expectations. Because I was like, “Oh, I'm from New York, nobody thinks I'm gonna do well,” but like, I know how hard I've worked. So I definitely think that was a really big part of my success when I was younger. That underdog mindset has been a big part in my ski racing career so far. Was there a first competition that you did, where you realized, “Oh, I'm really good?” Yeah, yeah. So I went to U16 nationals. I had won, like, a couple Super Gs for the eastern region – but even then, I was like, “Oh it's just this one run, who knows?” And then I went to U16 nationals, and I got absolutely crushed. And then I remember thinking like, “I want to come back the next year, and like, actually do well.” And I really ramped up the training that year. And then I went back the next year and did really well. I remember, I got fourth into GS. And after coming down the first round, I was kind of in shock. And then the next day, I kept doing well and ended up second, and then that's when I qualified for like the junior national team. So that was definitely a very big turning point. I was like, “Wow, I didn't know I was going to do that well.” So yeah, I think that was a big turning point in my career. Lastly, for people who maybe want to get into skiing, or for younger people who are looking about how they can get into the sport, what is your advice for them? I think that there are so many race programs, so I would just say don't be discouraged if you're starting even with a small ski resort race program. It's so much fun. And most of all, the community that skiing has is super, super special, and really unique. So I think that is a great reason to join it. And hopefully they love it. It's an awesome sport, so I would encourage anyone to try it out. Of course, it's not just the Olympics driving headlines this time of year: Ash Barty just became the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open since 1978, the Super Bowl is set, and college basketball championships are just around the corner. In case you missed it, February 2 was the Women's Sports Foundation's 36th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day. To celebrate, hundreds of community programs, schools, and professional sports teams across the country are hosting events to get people active and recognize the achievements of women in sports. This year, the Foundation itself is hosting a virtual 5K throughout the month of February, as well as a 50-mile challenge stretching to the 50th anniversary of Title IX on June 23. Title IX, of course, is the federal civil rights law that — from the court, to the campus, to the classroom — prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school that receives funding from the federal government. So how is Title IX holding up, 50 years on? To learn more, I spoke with Ithaca College professor and author Ellen Staurowsky, who has co-written a number of reports on Title IX, gender equity, and more for organizations like the Women's Sports Foundation and the National College Players Association. How does Title IX look, 50 years later? In terms of women, 50 years is a terrific time. You come into your own, you gain more power, you look ahead to see how you can take the wisdom of the previous 50 years and really mobilize it to do good in the future. And I think, in a lot of ways, that this anniversary gives us an opportunity to think about that. At the same time, just looking at the state of gender equity in school sports and in college and university athletics, there are all kinds of signs that show that we are not fulfilling the gender equity mandate, and that there's still a great deal of work to be done. I was going to ask about that. Like how do you feel that Title IX is being enforced? What are some of the ways that you feel there's a gap in equity in college sports? I think we're seeing it across the board and every in every area of athletics. Whether we're looking at proportional opportunities available to female athletes relative to their enrollment – we're seeing very large gaps in terms of how many opportunities female athletes could have. We're seeing tremendous gaps that still remain. If we look over the span of 50 years, and we go back to the 25th anniversary, or we go back to 40th anniversary, the spending on recruiting has largely remained unchanged over that entire span of time. In terms of athletic scholarships, there's an expectation that schools are going to offer athletic scholarship support that is proportional to the number of female athletes in an athletic program within 1 percent. There are many schools, in their EADA reports – the EADA report being that public document that people can go to see how spending occurs in athletic departments – and what we're seeing in those documents is that there are many schools that are really quite off the mark from that 1 percent. We do see that some schools are closer in terms of their gender equity patterns. If we look at non-football playing schools versus football-playing schools, junior colleges compared to NCAA institutions, for example, there are some sectors where we're seeing something that looks closer to what it should look like. But there's tremendous work that needs to be done. How do we go about implementing some changes to make sure that these things are better monitored and enforced? I think one of the number one things is to make sure that the enforcement mechanism that's supposed to be in place in colleges and universities and in high schools, to make sure that mechanism is working. It was very interesting to me to find reports from the federal government that were showing that there were still schools, maybe just four years ago, that still were not designating Title IX coordinators at their schools. You know, this was a requirement that was expected in the 1970s. And to think that we still have some schools that have not even designated a Title IX coordinator – and then along with that, we have large percentages of employees who still don't know who their Title IX coordinator is – that really is a sign that the commitment to enforcing Title IX on the ground, in schools, is just not happening the way that it should. And even in places where Title IX coordinators are designated, there remains a large amount of either misinformation or lack of information about what Title IX requires, and what it doesn't require. A wonderful former student of mine who's in law school at Drexel, we did a study of Division I Title IX athletics coordinators – and just large portions of that sector, they're not educating people about how to read an EADA, coaches and athletes are not receiving Title IX education. All of those things are things that add up, because you can't hold an institution accountable to what they should be doing under Title IX, if you just have people closest to the action, closest to the athletic department, that don't know what their rights are and what their obligations are. Broadening the subject a little bit, how do you view the overall playing field for women in sports right now? The expression, “It's the best of times and the worst of times” probably applies. Because there's absolutely no question, if you think about the opportunities that were available for girls and women in the early 1970s – we've just seen tremendous growth in all areas of athletics for girls and women. At the same time, we have so many places [that need improvement], and I think if we reflect back, just for a moment, in terms of the NCAA men's and women's tournament last year, and those very stark contrasts in terms of unfair treatment – and this is the nation's premier women's basketball tournament. For that kind of inequity to exist, and then also to have the NCAA external reports reveal that that the women's basketball tournament was not the only tournament, but in fact, there was systemic gender inequities across the entire system – that's really a wake up call for everybody. And then along with that, though, not all people, and not all women, are served equally within the gains that are made. So if we look, for example, through a racial lens, African American women have been largely invisible within the overall scheme of full opportunities in sports. Like basketball and track and field, we've seen that kind of growth, but we have not seen that kind of growth across the board in terms of the large array of other sports that are available. And this is very much in keeping nationally with the fact that women of color, and African American women, have less access to sport opportunities overall. So that's an area that we really, futuristically, need to be addressing. We know that girls typically enter sports later and exit sooner than boys. What do you see as some of the obstacles for girls getting into sports? And how can we address them, particularly for girls of color? We need to be looking at our financial models, and really adopting principles of equity and fairness. You know, it's one thing to sort of have an idea of fairness. I think it's something entirely different when you begin to make decisions and hold yourself accountable, to really see whether or not you're actually doing that on the ledger. And that's really where having principles of gender equity that are written down, and having specific goals about what you want to achieve in a three- and five-year period of time [helps]. I think there is a bit of a disconnection between general support – you know, Title IX has become sort of synonymous with gender equity, it also pulls on our general sense of fairness. So you know, the vast majority of people that you talk to would say that they are relatively supportive of what Title IX's goals are. But what I found, and where I think the conversation needs to happen, is that female athletes in athletic departments – I think their experience is actually different than that broad narrative. I think they notice that they don't get the same kinds of meals. They notice that their gear isn't as good, or the way in which fundraising happens for their programs is different, and that it oftentimes puts more of a burden on them than some of their male colleagues. And certainly, I think one of the areas where we're going to see much more increased scrutiny is in the area of marketing, in the area of television contracts, in the area of promotion, and athletic communications. That whole area of publicity is something that has been in the regulations from the 1970s forward, but I don't think that it's really gotten the kind of scrutiny that I would suspect that we're going to be seeing in the years ahead. And the reason why that becomes so important is that, you know, just as a matter of media exposure – if you don't see female teams regularly, you don't know who to follow. And we've seen all kinds of evidence, from women's gymnastics to women's basketball, to women's volleyball to women's softball, and many, many other sports where, when audiences get exposed to those sports, there are audiences for them. But the mechanism to market those programs within colleges and universities has largely continued to be operating on a 20th Century model, rather than on a 21st Century model. In terms of girls and women of color, you know, within communities, creating safe spaces for girls and women to access sports opportunities is incredibly important. Being able to preserve sport programs within high schools is very important. Trying to have them publicly funded rather than pay-for-play models is incredibly important. There are other kinds of things we could talk about, but those are some of the things that really need to be addressed. Lastly, what are some of the benefits for women of playing sports? We can never underestimate the power of joy. I think all of us who have sport as a passion, we can all relate to the fact that, at some level, we all got bitten by sport joy. So that would be number one. Number two, what we know from the research is a woman's life is incredibly affected over the long term by her participation in sport. We know in terms of long-term health, we know in terms of cognitive functioning, we know in terms of social life, that being able to participate in sport can be incredibly important as a quality of life issue. So all of those things are things that we should take into account. You know, the nation has a stake in this, from the standpoint of the health of our girls and women. Ellen Staurowsky is a professor of sports media at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York and the author of books including: College Athletes for Hire: The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA Amateur Myth and Women and Sport: A Continuing Journey from Liberation to Celebration. You can learn more about her work at the college's website. To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, find a National Girls & Women in Sports Day near you — or to register for the Foundation's virtual 5K and 50-mile challenge — go to womenssportsfoundation.org. That's a wrap on this week's 51%. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by me, Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is “Lolita” by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. A big thanks to Amy Bass, Tricia Mangan, and Ellen Staurowsky for participating in this week's episode. You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @51percentradio. Let us know how we're doing, and if you have a story you'd like to share as well. Until next week, I'm Jesse King for 51%.
Baseball's World Series is underway, the Major League Soccer season is nearing the finish line and heading for the playoffs. College and pro football seasons are rolling and so is basketball, hockey and others. This is a great time to convene one of our semi-regular sports Vox Pops. Call in and join the chat. 800-348-2551.
Return of the Great White Hope In the 1980s, many white Americans invested their emotions in a handful of white athletes—athletes both real and fictional. In the last episode of Season One, we explore the popularity of Larry Bird, Gerry Cooney, and Rocky Balboa in the 1980s—three “Great White Hopes” competing in professional sports that were dominated by black Americans. Bibliography: Todd Boyd, Young, Black, Rich, and Famous: The Rise of the NBA, the Hip Hop Invasion, and the Transformation of American Culture (New York: Doubleday, 2003). J. Anthony Lukas, Common Ground: A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families (New York: Vintage, 1985). Carlo Rotella, “The Stepping Stone: Larry Holmes, Gerry Cooney, and Rocky,” in Amy Bass, ed., In the Game: Race, Identity, and Sports in the Twentieth Century (New York:” Palgrave, 2005).
Return of the Great White Hope In the 1980s, many white Americans invested their emotions in a handful of white athletes—athletes both real and fictional. In the last episode of Season One, we explore the popularity of Larry Bird, Gerry Cooney, and Rocky Balboa in the 1980s—three “Great White Hopes” competing in professional sports that were dominated by black Americans. Bibliography: Todd Boyd, Young, Black, Rich, and Famous: The Rise of the NBA, the Hip Hop Invasion, and the Transformation of American Culture (New York: Doubleday, 2003). J. Anthony Lukas, Common Ground: A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families (New York: Vintage, 1985). Carlo Rotella, “The Stepping Stone: Larry Holmes, Gerry Cooney, and Rocky,” in Amy Bass, ed., In the Game: Race, Identity, and Sports in the Twentieth Century (New York:” Palgrave, 2005).
Tom Caron, a Lewiston, Maine native, went from wanting to be a sportswriter to the pre-and post-game host for the Boston Red Sox on NESN. Listen to his career journey in this episode. Find out how Tom's favorite sport has changed over the years, why football is now America's favorite pastime and why he thinks baseball will make a comeback after the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn how Tom has built his personal brand and make sure to follow him on Instagram. 2:44 – Tom talks about how he wanted to be a sportswriter but fell in love with television. 4:36 – Nancy and Tom reminisce about how they met. 11:45 – Tom describes his role in Red Sox Nation. 17:20 – Tom explains how his favorite sport has changed over the years. 20:19 – Tom talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted him and his family. 23:01 – Tom expresses his concern that football is now America's favorite pastime instead of baseball. 25:54 – Nancy and Tom talk about personal branding. 32:45 – Tom describes what he loves about Maine. 38:14 – Tom talks about how the Red Sox have been doing during the pandemic. 40:26 – Nancy explains her connection to the Citgo sign. 42:04 – Tom looks forward to broadcasting on Jersey Street. 43:41 – Tom describes some book genres he likes to read. Quote “I look at myself as kind of the guy who brings everybody around the campfire. I don't need to lead the conversation, but I make sure we're having the conversation. I use that expression a lot because I'm from Maine and I sat around a lot of campfires as a kid but also there's something communal about that.”- Tom Caron, host and reporter for NESN Links: NESN: https://nesn.com/ Maine Sports Hall of Fame: https://www.mshof.com/ Red Sox Foundation: https://www.redsoxfoundation.org/ One Goal by Amy Bass: https://www.amazon.com/One-Goal-Brought-Divided-Together/dp/0316396540 Town of Bridgeton: https://bridgtonmaine.org/ Shawnee Peak: https://www.shawneepeak.com/ Grow Your Audience, Grow Your Brand: https://growyouraudiencegrowyourbrand.com/ MLB Film Room: https://www.mlb.com/video/search The Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/ The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/ The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/ The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/ Boston Sports Journal: https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/ TC and Jerry Podcast: https://nesn.com/tc-and-jerry-podcast/ Faithful by Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King: https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Diehard-Boston-Chronicle-Historic/dp/0743267532 Listen to Bill Green's episode. Activate the PR Maven® Flash Briefing on your Alexa Device. Join the PR Maven® Facebook group page. About the guest: Entering his 20th season as a member of NESN's Red Sox broadcasts and his 18th season as host of the pre-and post-game shows, Tom Caron, a Lewiston, Maine, native joined NESN in 1995 and has served as a Red Sox field reporter, studio host for Boston Bruins hockey, and play-by-play announcer for the Beanpot and Hockey East. Prior to NESN, Caron was the play-by-play voice of the Portland Pirates of the AHL and was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2014. An eight-time New England Emmy Award winner, Caron has been awarded New England's Favorite Local TV Sports Personality seven times by Channel Media Sports Research's New England Sports Survey. Caron is involved in many local and regional charities, including Mass Mentoring; Good Sports, Inc.; the Run to Home Base Program; and the Red Sox Foundation. Looking to connect: Twitter: @tomcaron Instagram: @reallytc
We talk sports today with Amy Bass and Howard Herman! WAMC's Ray Graf hosts.
Amy Bass, a professor of sports studies at Manhattanville College, joins Brian to do a deep dive into the writing and reporting of her book, “One Goal.”Amy talks about how she first learned the story of the Lewiston High School soccer team and what drew her to it as a potential book. She talks about how she developed the trust of the coaching staff and of the Somali refugee community there. Amy describes her reporting style as “hanging out” and discusses what that logistically looks like. She also talks about how she took the results of all that hanging out and turned it into a book. Amy also talks about how sticking to sports means talking about politics, race, gender, etc.Episode LinksAmy BassAmy Bass on TwitterOne Goal by Amy BassThe Resisters by Gish JenTigerbelleCurveballThe Mighty OakThree-Ring CircusSubscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastGoogle PlayRSSSupportSupport Me on Ko-fi
www.amybass.net @bassab1 on IG & Twitter author of "One Goal": www.amybass.net/one-goal
Amy Bass, author of "One Goal: A Coach, a team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together". The town is Lewiston, Maine, and the game is high school soccer. In the early 2000s, Lewiston became home to thousands of refugees from Somalia and the integration was not without friction. The story is about the boys soccer team at Lewiston High School in 2015, which was made up of a majority of Somali students, and their quest for a state title.
Amy Bass, author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together,” relates how refugees from Somalia brought soccer to the town of Lewiston, Maine and changed it in remarkable ways. The soccer coach listened to the refugee community and showed empathy to make this transition happen, says Bass, a professor of sport studies at Manhattanville College. She touches on the importance of athletes serving as role models in troubling times.
Amy Bass, author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together,” relates how refugees from Somalia brought soccer to the town of Lewiston, Maine and changed it in remarkable ways. The soccer coach listened to the refugee community and showed empathy to make this transition happen, says Bass, a professor of sport studies at Manhattanville College. She touches on the importance of athletes serving as role models in troubling times.
Amy Bass, author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together,” relates how refugees from Somalia brought soccer to the town of Lewiston, Maine and changed it in remarkable ways. The soccer coach listened to the refugee community and showed empathy to make this transition happen, says Bass, a professor of sport studies at Manhattanville College. She touches on the importance of athletes serving as role models in troubling times.
Amy Bass, author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together,” relates how refugees from Somalia brought soccer to the town of Lewiston, Maine and changed it in remarkable ways. The soccer coach listened to the refugee community and showed empathy to make this transition happen, says Bass, a professor of sport studies at Manhattanville College. She touches on the importance of athletes serving as role models in troubling times.
On this week's 51% we speak with a sports studies professor, who says the COVID-19 pandemic is costly for women's sports in particular. We also hear about a study examining support for transgender service members and much more. Dr. Amy Bass is a sports studies professor at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She says […]
On this week’s 51% we speak with a sports studies professor, who says the COVID-19 pandemic is costly for women’s sports in particular. We also hear about a study examining support for transgender service members and much more. Dr. Amy Bass is a sports studies professor at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She says […]
Amy Bass, Steve Burns. Author and college professor Amy Bass tells us what life has been like in New Rochelle,NY, as they deal with Covid-19. Executive Producer Steve Burns fills us in on the new documentary, “Pompeii: Disaster Street”, now airing on Curiosity Stream.
Emmy-award winning sportswriter Amy Bass shares One Goal, the story of a high-school soccer team uniting the racially divided town of Lewiston, Maine. With many Somali refugees on the roster, this underdog team wins not one but two state championships! But to reach that level, both the team and the town have to flex in order to accommodate and embrace new talents, skills, religion, passion, and soccer styles. In the process, we see A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together. 00:15 Intro to Amy Bass, author and sportswriter 01:20 Multiple meanings of the title, “One Goal” 02:30 Bass has a personal connection to the town of Lewiston, Maine 03:30 She spends four undergraduate years at Bates College in Lewiston, unaware of the middle school across the street 04:45 At the beginning of the 21st century, Somali refugees slowly begin populating the town 05:10 The influx causes every group in town to face certain fears 05:55 The Somali diaspora includes some of today's 60 million displaced people 06:25 Demographic changes create fears about differences 07:00 Even the school cafeteria accommodates new diets 07:30 Refugees represent a particular kind of immigrant 08:30 Some immigrant stories about assimilation; this is a story of negotiation 08:50 Coach McGraw emphasizes the “advantage of the ball” and putting the game first 09:05 The very nature of the game enables everyone to work out dissimilarities, aiming for "one goal" 09:40 Tolerating vs. embracing differences 10:15 Lewiston team capitalizes on variations in how to play, talents, passion 10:30 Leveraging competitive advantages often creates the most successful teams 11:30 McGraw flexes to meet challenges 12:00 Team members’ challenges include PTSD, poverty, confusion, isolation, instability 13:00 Coach Mike McGraw, a legend in Lewiston, is a combo of both heart and head 14:45 While the players understand their parents’ sacrifices, they also want to win soccer games 15:55 Ironic forgetfulness pervasive among Quebecois immigrants, now long-settled in Lewiston 17:00 Somali refugees pour into Lewiston in an unplanned way 18:45 Coach McGraw deals with players' torn loyalties (between team and family) 20:00 Partnership of team is also a partnership with community = one goal 21:20 Understanding Islam; respecting Ramadan and commitment to daily prayers 22:10 Athletic Director Jason Fuller sets the bar high to accommodate athletes 23:10 Dealing with signing permission slips, getting physicals 24:00 All players learn team cheer (in Arabic and Swahili) 25:00 “Direct Soccer” (AKA “boot and scoot” or “kick and chase”) 25:50 “Possession Game” (played in Kenyan refugee camps) a sophisticated, unselfish style 27:00 Lewiston team just wins its third state championship! 27:30 Four players all help score the final goal (thanks to Lewiston Sun Journal) 28:55 “Soccer first” 29:05 U.S. only second only to China in kids participating in soccer 30:20 Sports are never just about sports; they involve many community members 31:30 Community is work! 32:30 Last-minute postscript includes the 2016 state-championship victory 34:45 Netflix owns movie rights to One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together 35:45: Recommendation: www.JustServe.org (volunteer website) BUY One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together Find volunteer opportunities at JustServe.org! Connect with Nonfiction4Life: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Website Special thanks… Music Credit Sound Editing Credit
An encore program today with WAMC’s Alan Chartock In Conversation with Dr. Amy Bass, Professor of History and Director of the Honors Program at New Rochelle College, and Author of One Goal: A Coach, A Team, And The Game That Brought A Divided Town Together.
An encore program today with WAMC’s Alan Chartock In Conversation with Dr. Amy Bass, Professor of History and Director of the Honors Program at New Rochelle College, and Author of One Goal: A Coach, A Team, And The Game That Brought A Divided Town Together.
The Lewiston Blue Devils huddle before a game. (Amy Bass) An unusual asylum case in Massachusetts has a woman suing the federal government. A program in Maine is providing mental health to police. In Vermont, a group of war veterans are helping their colleagues by getting into the whiskey business. Also a new book, One Goal, tells the story of Lewiston, Maine, a divided town with an influx of refugees which finds common ground through soccer. And we’ll reflect on the Boston Marathon bombings, which happened five years ago this week. It’s NEXT. The Future Of Asylum-Seekers In a February 2017 photo, ICE officials arrest a foreign national during a targeted enforcement operation. (Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) Recently, a Central American woman applying for Asylum in Boston showed up to an appointment and answered questions for an hour. But the official marked her as absent from the appointment. WBUR’s Shannon Dooling reports on what happened, and what it means for the future of asylum-seekers in Massachusetts. The Mental Trauma Facing Maine Police A Burlington Police Officer keeps watch outside a building. (Taylor Dobbs for VPR) Police officers have shorter lifespans than average citizens and are more prone to commit suicide. For years, a stoic police culture has made it difficult for many to admit they may struggle with mental health issues. Maine Public Radio’s Fred Bever reports first responders around Maine are getting some new tools to help improve their psychological well-being. Vermont Veterans Open Distillery Zac Fike (L) and Matt Kehaya (R) work on a batch of beer at 14th Star Brewing Company. 14th Star donates proceeds from every batch to local nonprofits. Courtesy of Danger Close Craft Distilling A group of Vermont veterans is joining the craft distilling business. They’re using it as an opportunity to give back to others who have served. Rebecca Sheir tells the story of this Vermont distillery. How A Soccer Team Saved A Changing New England Town Coach Mike McGraw and the Lewiston Blue Devils during practice. (Amy Bass) In the late 1990s, Lewiston, Maine was in the midst of an economic downturn. But that all changed in 2001 when thousands of Somali refugees began arriving in the city. Over the decade, 7,000 African immigrants moved to the city of 36,000. And Lewiston was not always welcoming. In 2002 the mayor wrote a letter to the Somali community urging them to tell their friends and families to stop coming. One student wrote “Go back to Africa” on a mirror at a Lewiston high school. But attitudes towards the refugee community began to change when Coach Mike McGraw discovered that many of the young immigrants had a talent for soccer. As these students began to join the team and win more games, the city began to accept the new population. Amy Bass tells the story of this team changed the town in her new book, One Goal: A Coach, A Team, And the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together. She joins us this week to tell us how the team is on a quest for their first state championship. Click here for an excerpt from Amy’s book and more photos of the Lewiston soccer team. 122nd Boston Marathon Runners pour over the Mass Pike overpass at mile 25 in the 2014 Boston Marathon. (Jesse Costa for WBUR) This weekend, the greater Boston area will compete in the 122nd Boston Marathon. This race marks five years since two bombs exploded at the finish line, killing 3 people and injuring many more. We speak with WBUR’s Alex Ashlock, who has been covering the race for 20 years to hear what we can expect from this year’s Marathon. While the bombing will always be remembered for the tragedy on Boylston Street, it has created an unexpected legacy for one survivor and an army veteran. WBUR’s Shira Springer tells the story of how the bombing changed their lives and created innovation in trauma medicine. About NEXT NEXT is produced at Connecticut Public Radio. Host: John Dankosky Produced with help this week from Lily Tyson, Ali Oshinskie Special thanks to Carlos Mejia Executive Producer: Catie Talarski Contributors to this episode: Shannon Dooling, Fred Bever, Rebecca Sheir, Alex Ashlock, Shira Springer Music: Todd Merrell, “New England” by Goodnight Blue Moon, “Green Mountain State” by Corinna Rose & The Rusty Horse Band, “Kala” by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, “A Million Reasons” by Lady Gaga, “Homeless California” by Monplaisir Stream every episode of NEXT. We appreciate your feedback! Send critiques, suggestions, questions, and ideas to next@wnpr.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Next time on NEXT… we’ll discuss why so many young people are leaving New England. We'd like to hear from you. Are you planning on leaving the region? Or maybe you just got settled? Tell us your story. Send a voice recording to NEXT at WNPR dot org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You're always from away,” and yet Lewiston's citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston's mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D'Angelo is working on his master's degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo's Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we talk with author and Bates alumna Amy Bass '92 about her book "One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together." Plus, we recap an impressive opening week for the softball team and we celebrate five All-America honors for the track and field program. All that and more, on the Bates Bobcast! Interviews this week: 1:05 -- Brett Allen, Women's Lacrosse Head Coach 3:35 -- Jay Hartshorn, Women's Track and Field Head Coach 14:54 -- Kirsten Pelletier '20, Softball (Female Bobcat of the Week) 20:40 -- Dan Trulli '19, Baseball 28:56 --Maisie Silverman '18, Women's Tennis 35:52 -- Andrew Berghuis '18, Men's Tennis 42:21 -- Amy Bass '92, Author: "One Goal"
Mar 5th - Amy Bass, James Purefoy
Mar 5th - Amy Bass, James Purefoy
The Way of Improvement Leads Home: American History, Religion, Politics, and Academic life.
As we wrap up the Winter Olympic season, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling return to a favorite subject, the power of sport. In this episode, John discusses the social good to be found in the history of athletic competition. They are joined by Emmy-winner Amy Bass, the author of the new book One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together, which explores the power of a high school soccer team made up of predominately Somali refugees as they quest for a Maine state championship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In Episode 42, Amira, Brenda, and Lindsay join forces to discuss their complicated feelings about the "woke" Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Is it empowering, exploitation, or both? Plus, we have two extra special interviews: Shireen talks with Keph Senett about the Pride House in Pyeongchang, and Brenda interviews Amy Bass about what happens behind the scenes in production at the Olympics. As always, there's a massive burn pile, and we hand out our own medals to our BAWOTW. To help support the Burn It All Down podcast, please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/burnitalldown For more info check our website: http://www.burnitalldownpod.com Timestamps -- Intro (5:38) Brenda interviews Amy Bass (17:27) Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue (35:21) Shireen interviews Keph Senett (45:13) Burn Pile (54:10) Bad Ass Woman of the Week (56:43) What’s Good (1:00:04) Outro
In The Past Lane - The Podcast About History and Why It Matters
This week at In The Past Lane, the history podcast, we look at the complicated history of black athletes in US history. I’ll speak with historian Louis Moore, author of two new books on African American athletes, I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915 (University of Illinois Press), and We Will Win The Day: The Civil Rights Movement, The Black Athlete, And The Quest For Equality (Praeger). In the first half of our conversation, we discuss the emergence of black boxers in the late nineteenth century. These men overcame poverty and racism to compete in the ring with fellow African Americans, but also white Americans. For black boxers, success in the ring earned them financial success and the opportunity to engage in a vibrant “sporting” culture. Their success also symbolized the African American quest for respect and equal rights. The most famous of these men was Jack Johnson who became heavy weight champion in 1908. His success, and his flashy lifestyle, in an a when Jim Crow was being imposed across the nation infuriated many white Americans. When no white boxer could defeat Johnson in the ring, federal authorities used the legal system to end his career. In the second half of our chat, Louis Moore walks us through the long history of African American athletes and the Civil Rights movement. He talks about the well-known incidents like John Carlos and Tommy Smith raising their fists in the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics, as well as many protests by people lost to history. Suffice it to say that Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem is part of a long tradition of black athletes and protest. Among the many things discussed in this episode: The emergence of African American boxers in the 19th century. How middle-class African Americans initially opposed black boxers but gradually came to embrace them as symbols of achievement. Why interracial boxing matches in the early 20th century, in large measure due to the dominance of black boxers over white opponents, were outlawed. How African American athletes were purged from many sports in the Jim Crow era. The rise and fall of the great African American boxer, Jack Johnson. Why riots broke out across the US when African American boxer Jack Johnson defeated Jim Jeffries in 1910. The long tradition of African American athletes using sports and protest to further Civil Rights. How protests and boycotts by the black community in cities like Washington, DC and New Orleans forced NFL franchises to bring on black players. How the NFL required cities like Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans to desegregate before awarding them a football franchise. Where Colin Kaepernick fits into the history of protest by African American athletes. More about Louis Moore - website Recommended reading: Louis Moore, I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915 (University of Illinois Press). Louis Moore, We Will Win The Day: The Civil Rights Movement, The Black Athlete, And The Quest For Equality (Praeger). Amy Bass, Not the Triumph But the Struggle: 1968 Olympics and the Making of the Black Athlete (2002). Harry Edwards, The Revolt of the Black Athlete (2017) Douglas Hartmann, Race, Culture, and the Revolt of the Black Athlete: The 1968 Olympic Protests and Their Aftermath (2004) William C. Rhoden, Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete (2006). Geoffrey C. Ward, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004). Music for This Episode Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (JayGMusic.com) Kevin McCleod, “Impact Moderato” (Free Music Archive) Ketsa, “Escape the Profane” (Free Music Archive) Andy G. Cohen, “A Human Being” (Free Music Archive) Jon Luc Hefferman, “Winter Trek” (Free Music Archive) The Bell, “I Am History” (Free Music Archive) Production Credits Executive Producer: Lulu Spencer Technical Advisors: Holly Hunt and Jesse Anderson Podcasting Consultant: Darrell Darnell of Pro Podcast Solutions Photographer: John Buckingham Graphic Designer: Maggie Cellucci Website by: ERI Design Legal services: Tippecanoe and Tyler Too Social Media management: The Pony Express Risk Assessment: Little Big Horn Associates Growth strategies: 54 40 or Fight © In The Past Lane, 2018
The Way of Improvement Leads Home: American History, Religion, Politics, and Academic life.
When the Chicago Cubs finally ended the “Curse of the Billy Goat,” they demonstrated just how historic “America's Pastime” truly is. When Michael Phelps won his 28th Olympic medal in Rio de Janeiro, he furthered his case for being known as the greatest Olympian history has ever known. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling once again tackle the history of sports, and are joined by Emmy award-winning sports historian, Amy Bass (@bassab1). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
I asked my wife if she knew who W. E. B. Du Bois was. She did, as would most Americans. I then asked her if she knew where Du Bois was born and raised. She did not, and most Americans wouldn’t either. The odd thing is that Du Bois, who was one of the founders of the American civil rights movement and perhaps the most famous black public intellectual of the 20th century, was born and raised a stone’s throw from where my wife grew up in Western Massachusetts. If you are from Illinois, you know it is the “Land of Lincoln.” If you are from Virginia, you know that Jefferson was a Virginian. If you are from Kansas (as I am), you know that Eisenhower is a native son (even though he’s not, really). But the people of Western Massachusetts forgot Du Bois was one of their own. Or did they just choose not to remember? Amy Bass explores this question in her challenging new book Those About Him Remained Silent: The Battle Over W. E. B. Du Bois (Minnesota UP, 2009). Those who wanted to commemorate Du Bois saw a deep thinker who had overcome racism and helped found the civil rights movement; those who did not want to remember him saw Du Bois the communist who had abandoned the United States for Africa. Du Bois was both and much, much more. But historical monuments cannot reflect such complexity; they are all about simplification through selective recollection. Du Bois, however, just couldn’t be made simple. So the battle was joined and, to some degree, is still going on today. Please become a fan of “New Books in History” on Facebook if you haven’t already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I asked my wife if she knew who W. E. B. Du Bois was. She did, as would most Americans. I then asked her if she knew where Du Bois was born and raised. She did not, and most Americans wouldn't either. The odd thing is that Du Bois, who was one of the founders of the American civil rights movement and perhaps the most famous black public intellectual of the 20th century, was born and raised a stone's throw from where my wife grew up in Western Massachusetts. If you are from Illinois, you know it is the “Land of Lincoln.” If you are from Virginia, you know that Jefferson was a Virginian. If you are from Kansas (as I am), you know that Eisenhower is a native son (even though he's not, really). But the people of Western Massachusetts forgot Du Bois was one of their own. Or did they just choose not to remember? Amy Bass explores this question in her challenging new book Those About Him Remained Silent: The Battle Over W. E. B. Du Bois (Minnesota UP, 2009). Those who wanted to commemorate Du Bois saw a deep thinker who had overcome racism and helped found the civil rights movement; those who did not want to remember him saw Du Bois the communist who had abandoned the United States for Africa. Du Bois was both and much, much more. But historical monuments cannot reflect such complexity; they are all about simplification through selective recollection. Du Bois, however, just couldn't be made simple. So the battle was joined and, to some degree, is still going on today. Please become a fan of “New Books in History” on Facebook if you haven't already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
I asked my wife if she knew who W. E. B. Du Bois was. She did, as would most Americans. I then asked her if she knew where Du Bois was born and raised. She did not, and most Americans wouldn’t either. The odd thing is that Du Bois, who was one of the founders of the American civil rights movement and perhaps the most famous black public intellectual of the 20th century, was born and raised a stone’s throw from where my wife grew up in Western Massachusetts. If you are from Illinois, you know it is the “Land of Lincoln.” If you are from Virginia, you know that Jefferson was a Virginian. If you are from Kansas (as I am), you know that Eisenhower is a native son (even though he’s not, really). But the people of Western Massachusetts forgot Du Bois was one of their own. Or did they just choose not to remember? Amy Bass explores this question in her challenging new book Those About Him Remained Silent: The Battle Over W. E. B. Du Bois (Minnesota UP, 2009). Those who wanted to commemorate Du Bois saw a deep thinker who had overcome racism and helped found the civil rights movement; those who did not want to remember him saw Du Bois the communist who had abandoned the United States for Africa. Du Bois was both and much, much more. But historical monuments cannot reflect such complexity; they are all about simplification through selective recollection. Du Bois, however, just couldn’t be made simple. So the battle was joined and, to some degree, is still going on today. Please become a fan of “New Books in History” on Facebook if you haven’t already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I asked my wife if she knew who W. E. B. Du Bois was. She did, as would most Americans. I then asked her if she knew where Du Bois was born and raised. She did not, and most Americans wouldn’t either. The odd thing is that Du Bois, who was one of the founders of the American civil rights movement and perhaps the most famous black public intellectual of the 20th century, was born and raised a stone’s throw from where my wife grew up in Western Massachusetts. If you are from Illinois, you know it is the “Land of Lincoln.” If you are from Virginia, you know that Jefferson was a Virginian. If you are from Kansas (as I am), you know that Eisenhower is a native son (even though he’s not, really). But the people of Western Massachusetts forgot Du Bois was one of their own. Or did they just choose not to remember? Amy Bass explores this question in her challenging new book Those About Him Remained Silent: The Battle Over W. E. B. Du Bois (Minnesota UP, 2009). Those who wanted to commemorate Du Bois saw a deep thinker who had overcome racism and helped found the civil rights movement; those who did not want to remember him saw Du Bois the communist who had abandoned the United States for Africa. Du Bois was both and much, much more. But historical monuments cannot reflect such complexity; they are all about simplification through selective recollection. Du Bois, however, just couldn’t be made simple. So the battle was joined and, to some degree, is still going on today. Please become a fan of “New Books in History” on Facebook if you haven’t already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's 51% we speak with a sports studies professor, who says the COVID-19 pandemic is costly for women's sports in particular. We also hear about a study examining support for transgender service members and much more. Dr. Amy Bass is a sports studies professor at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She says certain areas of sports will take bigger hits than others during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be especially costly for women's sports. A recent study from UCLA shows broad support among service members for transgender troops serving in the military. The Trump Administration bans transgender people from openly enlisting as such. Emily Elena Dugdale reports from Los Angeles for the American Homefront Project. Dr. Sharon Ufberg returns with her 51% segment “Force of Nature.” This time she interviews the founder of Interns 4-Good, Ellie Zimmerman, who will be a high-school senior, in Westchester County, New York. Zimmerman's non-profit provides high school students an opportunity to offer digital support to nonprofits through virtual, skill-based internships. And when the COVID-19 crisis hit, and students and teachers took to virtual learning, interest in virtual help with homework and tech support took off. Zimmerman tells Ufberg what inspired her to start Interns 4-Good. That's our show for this week. Thanks to Tina Renick for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. If you'd like to hear this show again, sign up for our podcast, or visit the 51% archives on our web site at wamc.org. And follow us on Twitter @51PercentRadio This week's show is #1614.
On this week's 51%, a sports studies professor discusses Major League Baseball's first female general manager, and more. Artist and Producer Ahri Golden returns to 51% with an audio portrait of Leah, a woman who embraces her life force, change, and community. It's part of Golden's Bending in 2020 series. You can find out more about her work at www.ahrigolden.com and follow her on Instagram @ahrigolden. In November, a woman who started her Major League Baseball career as an intern became the majors' highest-ranking woman in baseball operations when she was hired as general manager of the Miami Marlins. According to the Marlins, Kim Ng is believed to be the first female GM in the four major North American professional sports leagues. Dr. Amy Bass, professor of Sports Studies at Manhattanville College in Westchester County, New York, talks about this first. Dr. Bass is chair of the Division of Social Science & Communication. Her most recent book came out in 2018 — One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together. She's also an Emmy Award winner for her work with NBC-TV at the London Olympics in 2012. That's our show for this week. Thanks to Tina Renick for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. If you'd like to hear this show again, sign up for our podcast, or visit the 51% archives on our web site at wamc.org. And follow us on Twitter @51PercentRadio This week's show is #1637.
This week we present an encore program: WAMC's Alan Chartock In Conversation with Dr. Amy Bass. Bass is a Professor of History and Director of the Honors Program at New Rochelle College and Author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together."Additionally, Bass is a WAMC commentator. Photo courtesy of Dr. Amy Bass.
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