Chapter 2 to me was similar to chapter 1 in the sense of the Puritans and Quakers and their views on sports. I think it would be really neat to see firsthand why these people felt that relaxation and idle enjoyment were such bad pastimes.
It is amazing to me to see a culture that went from that way of thinking to the culture we live in now where people work more than 40 hours a week just to make enough money so they can idly enjoy a vacation or some other mindless activity. I enjoyed reading about the opposition culture of the Victorians because they were the ones who went against society and norms to relax and play games of their own free will. I am still sickened that not that long ago in the late 1800’s men were still paying to see dogs fight or dogs kill rats in enclosed areas.
Although some might argue that saloons were a place where men went to do immoral or idle activities I would say that they were able to enjoy and talk about sport while socially drinking and being with other male companions (although I would have agreed more had it been a place for both men and women to congregate). As baseball grew in popularity I find it funny that there were those who pushed to convince people of its moral value which “teaches a love of order, discipline, and fair play” (33) to the Victorian culture.
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You bring up an interesting contrast between the society in which the Puritans and Quakers were opposed to sport, and the later counter-culture in which 'blood sports' were practiced. The main goal of the early Puritans was to literally create heaven on earth. So anything that was opposed to that purpose was forbidden. The ironic thing about the Puritans coming to the colonies in search of religious freedom was that they often sought to deny that same freedom to others. Perhaps that contributed to the later counter-culture that had such brutal practices. One author wrote that the Puritans were not opposed to 'blood sports' because they wanted to protect animals, but rather because they did not want the colonists to take pleasure in sport. Apparently there are parts of the world today where things like cock fighting still occur.
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