Publisher's Synopsis
Sport is a major social phenomenon of this century with political, cultural, economic, spiritual and aesthetic dimensions. Rowing, a minority sport compared with some, had managed to erect two controlling bodies by 1890, when sports and games began to be more organized. This organization was needed as an increasing number of people had more time to enjoy games and the greater ease of travel reinforced the need for everybody to accept agreed rules for whatever game it might be.;This study traces the sport's influences, its champions, and the history of the amateur-versus-professional debate. A belief in the virtues of amateurism and of the need to play a game for its own sake, the author argues, meant that professionalism was to be avoided because victory became its own reward and the means often used - fouling and cheating - were to be resisted.
