Sports and Leisure
A concept foreign to modern Americans, most of life for the larger part of 1940s was dominated by the ongoing war. As all able-bodied men ages 18 to 26 were expected to serve in the military, many athletes missed what is generally considered the peak of their athletic ability. Most supplies which would have been used for sports (such as rubber and wood) went to supporting the war effort. Nonetheless, President Roosevelt strongly encouraged professional sports to continue, for he believed that they were important for the morale of troops. Despite more than half of professional baseball players in the U.S. enrolling in the armed forces in 1943, the league carried on. Many of football’s modern rules were developed during the 1940s. Basketball was least affected by the war because the height of the players often made them ineligible for service. But most of all, boxing dominated the 1940s. Boxers such as Joe Louis, Willie Pep, and Sugar Ray Robinson arose from the 40s, and many supported the war effort. Louis enrolled in the war and donated over $100,000 to war relief efforts. The sport attracted big money because of the gambling market surrounding it. When the war ended, the development of television allowed for tremendous growth of the sports market. In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first black professional baseball player. Also there was NASCAR. The World Cup was not played in 1942 or 1946 because of the war.
As for entertainment, music was dominated by big bands and some dreary women singing. Theater was a major form of entertainment. In the 40s, it turned largely to abstractionism. This decade gave rise to celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Katharine Hepburn, and produced masterpieces such as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Citizen Kane.
As for entertainment, music was dominated by big bands and some dreary women singing. Theater was a major form of entertainment. In the 40s, it turned largely to abstractionism. This decade gave rise to celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Katharine Hepburn, and produced masterpieces such as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Citizen Kane.