An Analysis of the American Outdoor Sport Facility: Developing an Ideal Type on the Evolution of Professional Baseball and Football Structures
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AN ANALYSIS OF THE AMERICAN OUTDOOR SPORT FACILITY: DEVELOPING AN IDEAL TYPE ON THE EVOLUTION OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL STRUCTURES DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Chad S. Seifried, B.S., M.Ed. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2005 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Donna Pastore, Advisor Professor Melvin Adelman _________________________________ Professor Janet Fink Advisor College of Education Copyright by Chad Seifried 2005 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to analyze the physical layout of the American baseball and football professional sport facility from 1850 to present and design an ideal-type appropriate for its evolution. Specifically, this study attempts to establish a logical expansion and adaptation of Bale’s Four-Stage Ideal-type on the Evolution of the Modern English Soccer Stadium appropriate for the history of professional baseball and football and that predicts future changes in American sport facilities. In essence, it is the author’s intention to provide a more coherent and comprehensive account of the evolving professional baseball and football sport facility and where it appears to be headed. This investigation concludes eight stages exist concerning the evolution of the professional baseball and football sport facility. Stages one through four primarily appeared before the beginning of the 20th century and existed as temporary structures which were small and cheaply built. Stages five and six materialize as the first permanent professional baseball and football facilities. Stage seven surfaces as a multi-purpose facility which attempted to accommodate both professional football and baseball equally. Finally, stage eight demonstrates a breaking away from the multi- purpose facility back to the single-purpose structure. ii This work proposes professional baseball and football sport facilities were limited in some manner by their location. However, economic goals mainly drove the professional sport facility to evolve. Thus, professional sport facilities transformed from temporary to permanent structures into magnificent theatres once baseball and football matured and sport entrepreneurs could depend on people spending more of their disposable income and leisure time within them. Finally, this work holds professional sport facilities grew to accommodate larger crowds and incurred modifications which made them into highly effective selling machines. Ultimately, this piece demonstrates the history of professional sport facility development, in essence, is the story of man’s eager search to make human interaction easier and more pleasurable in a permanent environment. Future professional sport facilities will likely continue these trends but should pay attention to other considerations such as reducing the massive costs associated with the increasingly growing structures. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to first thank my advisor, Dr. Donna Pastore for all the educational, social, and emotional support over the past few years, which made this work possible. I cannot imagine completing my studies with another advisor. Your enthusiasm and patience are qualities all researchers and teachers should strive to obtain and appreciate but I believe it is your great sense of humor, lightheartedness, and dedication to your profession, which I admire most. Truly, you stand out among all the remarkable people this profession encompasses. I also thank Dr. Melvin Adelman for all his scholarly help in producing this manuscript. I genuinely believe you are one of the greatest lecturers I ever had the pleasure of listening too in my many years of study. I often was marveled by your ability to connect various events or themes of history to social and physical changes in society. You have no idea how much my writing and conceptual thinking were influenced or opened up by the time I engaged in reading your own work and selected others, listening to your lectures, and participating with you in class discussions. To Dr. Janet Fink, I offer many thanks for all your support and attention to detail, which was gladly welcomed in this paper. Truthfully, you are one of the greatest “teachers” this great university has to offer. Your classes were always fun and full of energy much like your personality and scholarly guidance. Please know I iv learned a great deal from you and that I am grateful for the time you allowed me to be one of your students. Go Bucks! I also would like to thank Dr. Chelladurai and my fellow doctoral colleagues for your support during this truly extraordinary process. Dr. Chelladurai, you provided me with an outstanding example of what a researcher is and should be, forever. To my fellow doctoral colleagues, it was incredible to experience this journey with you. I wish you each the best success in the future. To The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Louisville, academically, I offer much credit because each of you continued to assist me towards this, my ultimate goal. The experiences I hold with each of you are very dear to me and were very valuable regarding the completion of this work. Thanks for leaving the lights on in the library. Specifically, at these institutions I would like to thank Dr. Ron Smith, Dr. James Thompson, and Dr. John Lucas of The Pennsylvania State University and Dr. Mary Hums, Prof. Anita Moorman, Dr. Dan Mahony, Chris Greenwell, and Kimberly Demling-Castelluzzo of the University of Louisville. To all my various friends at The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Louisville I offer my full appreciation for all the encouragement and support you bestowed upon me. Specifically, at these institutions I would like to thank Christian Appleman, Jerry Dunn, Chuck Swenson, Mike Boyd, Vince Taylor, Rick v Callahan, Michael Morse, all my teammates, and Deron Williams, glad you’re still here. You are all truly remarkable. To Dr. Greg Ferro, my social studies teacher at State College Area High School I offer thanks because it was you who first inspired me to get an advanced degree. I do not know how many students passed through that school over your many years there but please know at least one of us was listening. Finally, I would like to thank various members of my family. First, my mother Barbara, father Thomas S., and brother Thomas M. were great for their unconditional support and love. In my opinion you are the finest human beings on the planet. Next, I wish to give thanks to my extended family and especially those who are no longer with us. My grandmother Mary Bernadette Seifried and grandfather Carl E. Mathias, who I dedicate this project to and great grandparents Roy Mummaw and Minerva Mathias. No other boy could be so lucky. Thank you for everything. vi VITA November 19, 1974 . Born – Lancaster, Pennsylvania 1998 . B.S. Exercise and Sport Science, The Pennsylvania State University 2001 . M.Ed. Sport Administration, The University of Louisville 2002 - present. Graduate Teaching Associate, The Ohio State University PUBLICATIONS Research Publication 1. Seifried, C.S. (May/June 2005). Using Videotaped Athletic Contests Within Mosston’s Teaching Methods. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance, 76 (5), 36-38. 2. Seifried, C.S. (September/October 2004). Maximize Success in Basketball with a Complete Scouting Report. Strategies. 18 (1), 26-29. 3. Seifried, C.S. (November 2003). Producing a Basketball Recruiting Tape. Scholastic Coach and Administrator. 73 (4), 26-28. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Education vii TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …...………………………………………………… iv VITA ……………………………………………………………………………. vii LIST OF TABLES ………………………………………………………………. xi LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………………………… xiv CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………….. 1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………… 1 Purpose of Study ………………………………………………………………… 7 Research Questions ……………………………………………………………… 14 Outline of Chapters ……………………………………………………………… 15 Rationale for Subject Selection ………………………………………………….. 18 Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………………… 22 Significance ……………………………………………………………………… 26 Limitations ………………………………………………………………………. 33 CHAPTER 2- METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………… 36 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………... 36 Research Design and Methodology …………………………………………….. 38 Primary and Secondary Sources ………………………………………………… 40 Historical Criticism ……………………………………………………………... 43 Data Collection and Analysis …………………………………………………… 47 Ideal-type ………………………………………………………………………... 52 CHAPTER 3- TEMPORARY BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL FACILITIES … 61 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………… 61 The Earliest Areas of Play ……………………………………………………….. 66 Massachuesetts Townball and the New York Area’s Elysian Fields ……………. 69 The Introduction of Football …………………………………………………….. 76 Conclusion for Stage Two ……………………………………………………….. 80 Early Enclosures and Union Baseball Grounds ………………………………….. 83 The Cincinnati Red Stockings, Sport Entrepreneurs, and Professional Leagues … 88 Football Becomes Professional …………………………………………………… 94 viii Conclusion for Stage Three ………………………………………………………. 96 Increasing the Complexity: Expansion and Renovation Efforts ………………….. 102 Fires and Collapses ……………………………………………………………….. 105 Crowd Control …………………………………………………………………….. 108 Conclusion for Stage Four ………………………………………………………… 113 CHAPTER 4- THE FIRST PERMANENT SPORT FACILITIES: 1903-1952 ….. 117 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………….