The stadium An American history of politics, protest, and play

"The stadium America's public square," according to this captivating study. Historian Guridy (The Sports Revolution) traces how, since the country's first stadiums were built in 1860s, America's political divisions have played out in and around them. He begins with a fascinating overview of stadium history (the first American stadiums were all "ballparks" for local baseball teams, but he also traces the modern stadium's origins to other forms of mass entertainment like circus tents and prizefights), then offers a series of snapshots of historical moments that highlight stadiums' political nature, including a KKK rally at Madison Square Garden in the 1920s and a 1941 Sugar Bowl game held at segregated Tulane University, which forced Boston College to bench their star running back because he was Black. Guridy's analysis, while it delves into moments of political resistance around stadiums, is most valuable for its insights into how the stadium's design and functions have fed into and exacerbated existing power structures. For instance, he explains that in the 1930s stadiums became "places to cultivate mass loyalty" with the introduction of rituals like first ball tosses and the singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner"; whereas at the turn of the 21st century, they became engines of gentrification in post-industrial cities. It's a sprawling history that ventures in many surprising directions. (Aug.)

A peoples' history of the irresistibility of stadiums as venues for political spectacle. Since the early 20th century, municipally and privately owned stadiums and indoor arenas have attracted both those involved in politics of resistance and advocates of white nationalism and "militarized patriotism." They offer places to congregate and a captive audience, and they reinforce social exclusions and preserve social hierarchies. Guridy, a professor of history and African American studies and the author of The Sports Revolution, spins a fascinating story of how stadiums are intertwined with political movements, the corporatization of professional sports, and reactionary forces acting in support of gender inequalities, white supremacy, and the military. After the mid-20th century, publicly owned, multipurpose stadiums served as spaces for grassroots mobilizations by Black civil rights groups, Native Americans, and gay and lesbian organizations. Throughout their history, in fact, sporting events have been sites of patriotic expression such as the singing of the national anthem and, post-9/11, admiration for the military, police, and first responders. The author educates readers on the basketball players who declared their support for the Black Lives Matter movement; the Gay Games held in San Francisco in 1982; a pro-Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden in 1939; the Wattstax '72 concert, which celebrated Black music at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Confederate-themed events at southern football stadiums; and an AIDS demonstration at Shea Stadium in 1988 by the women of ACT-UP. Guridy also considers the racial and gender diversity of sports audiences and the decline of income diversity in the 1980s as newly built stadiums became more single-purpose and heavily commercialized and tickets got more expensive. More than architecture, the author shows, stadiums are sites for both preserving and protesting the status quo. An astute reminder that democracy depends on public spaces where people can congregate and political action can occur. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.