The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), by Thomas Eakins, 1871. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Alfred N. Punnett Endowment Fund and George D. Pratt Gift, 1934.

Sports & Games

Volume III, Number 3 | summer 2010

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Field of Dreams

By Lewis H. Lapham

Play is the making of civilization—how one plays the game more to the point than whether the game is won or lost.

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The Great Game

By Caroline Alexander

For the British recruits of the Great War, war was sport and sport was war.

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Map

Playing Grounds

On the track, in the ring, around the table, and at the target.

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c. 1580 | Delhi

Great Balls of Fire

Akbar lights up the polo field.More

c. 190 | Rome

Shooting Gallery

Emperor Commodus and his menagerie of death.More

c. 500 | Wallingford

Staging a Tournament

Chrétien de Troyes on jousting for King Arthur.More

Charts & Graphs

Casualties of the College Culture Wars

Offensive mascots who got sidelined.

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Lewis Lapham at his desk

Cuban chess player José Raúl Capablanca.

Black and white photograph of John Crowley sitting on a porch.

Author and journalist Caroline Alexander.

We cannot say what the woman might be physically, if the girl were not allowed all the freedom of the boy in romping, climbing, swimming, playing whoop and ball.

—Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1848

Missing contributor image silhouette

Dutch historian Johan Huizinga.

Bacchylides & Johan Huizinga

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