Figure 1.-- This is the Moncton Red Sox, from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The portrait was taken during the 1922-23 season. Almost unbeaten in 1922, just one loss! The boys all had French names. |
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The most popular sport in Canada is ice hockey and many Canadian boys play the sport. The Canadians maintain that ice hockey actually originated in Canada. Despite the fact that Canada was a British colony, Canadians appear to have pursued American sports like baseball, basketball, and football more than British sports like cricket and soccer. We notice both French-Canandian as well as English-Canadian boys playing sports like baseball. A Canadian reader writes, "Notice, that even at the height of the British Empire, Canada had North American sports." We do not know if there was any difference between the French and English community as to sports. We do not know if experiences such as Little League Baseball and beginning in the 1970s soccer leagues were also common in Canada. A Candian readerwrites, "Soccer has overtaken baseball in popularity as a summer sport in Canada in recent times. Rugby is also becoming very popular, being
played in most high schools. Even cricket is catching on a bit with the influx of Commonwealth immigrants into large Canadian cities such
as Vancouver and Toronto. Canada now has national rugby and cricket teams. However, hockey remains the number one sport." [Alcock] One sport that is uniquely Canadian is lacrosse. The origins of the came appear to be Native american. I am not sure to what extent lacrosse is played in Canada. It is played in America, but is primarily played in the northeast at the college level.
Guido
We have some limited information on specific sports.
Baseball appears to have been a very popular sport in Canada. We get the impression that after hockey, baseball has been the most popular sport in Canada. We are not sure when it first appeared, but we note it being played at the turn of the 20th century. Canada is one of the few countries outside of the United States and the Caribbean islands where the sport is popular. We are not sure how baseball spread to Canada. Dis Americans move to Canada or was it more because Caadians read American publications. We notice both French-Canandian as well as English-Canadian boys playing sports like baseball. We are not sure how youth baseball was organized in Canada. We note club sports at the turn of the 20th century, both for baseball and hockey.
Even cricket is catching on a bit with the influx of Commonwealth immigrants into large Canadian cities such as Vancouver and Toronto. Canada now has national rugby and cricket teams. However, hockey remains the number one sport." [Alcock]
The most popular sport in Canada is ice hockey and many Canadian boys play the sport. The Canadians maintain that ice hockey actually originated in Canada.
One sport that is uniquely Canadian is lacrosse. The origins of the came appear to be Native american. I am not sure to what extent lacrosse is played in Canada. It is played in America, but is primarily played in the northeast at the college level.
Guido
A Canadian reader tells us, "Rugby is also becoming very popular, being played in most high schools." [Alcock]
A Candian readerwrites, "Soccer has overtaken baseball in popularity as a summer sport in Canada in recent times." [Alcock]
Canadians are more known for ice sports (Skiing and hockey) than swimming. Here climate is a factor. Canadian children can only swim a few months out of the year. This ha, however, not stopped boys from swimming during the summer. There is a famous portrait of Toronto boys who got in trouble for swimming. I'm not precisely sure what the infraction is. Of course thdre are now indoor pools wher children can swim year round.
Despite the fact that Canada was a British colony, Canadians appear to have pursued American sports like baseball, basketball, and football more than British sports like cricket and soccer. We are not sure about differences between English anf French speaking Canadians. A Canadian reader writes, "Notice, that even at the height of the British Empire, Canada had North American sports." We do not know if there was any difference between the French and English community as to sports. We do not know if experiences such as Little League Baseball and beginning in the 1970s soccer leagues were also common in Canada.
Alcock, James. E-mail message, November 26, 2003
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