Muscular Christianity: Manhood and Sports in Protestant America 1880-1920 - Historical Study of Religion & Masculinity in Sports Culture

I really enjoyed this book. It describes the entwining of athletics and religion from the 1850's to the mid-twentieth century.The movement began with 19th century men's dissatisfaction with the church. They felt it was far too "feminized" and wanted a more virile religion. At the same time many believed that city-dwellers were weak and unhealthy. The cure for all of this was organized sports and camping for young men. The history of the YMCA and other clubs are well described. The term "Muscular Christianity" was coined in the 1850's, but it was not until the late 19th century that the ideal of the Muscular Christian was embodied in Theodore Roosevelt. This was mostly a white, middle- to upper-class phenomenon, but the book does touch on some African-American clubs and even a bit on "Strenuous Women".This is an interesting and easy read. You don't have to be a scholar or a sports fanatic to enjoy it.