Sports as a Symbol of their City

May I introduce to you the St. Louis Cardinals, the greatest baseball team in the MLB and the world.

However, it is not only this stellar team that led me to Busch Stadium in St. Louis, but the skyline that Busch proudly accentuates in the background. It provides a view of the Gateway Arch, the Old Courthouse, and buildings such as Met Life, AT&T and Bank of America that create a spectacular night time skyline visible for everyone to enjoy along with a baseball game. All of this is available for a relatively low price (unless you want a seat close up).

But before you understand the importance of the skyline in connection with the stadium, you must first understand why baseball (and all professional sports) became popular. The reason is pretty simple; the games were cheap and entertaining. As the 1800's came to an end the sprawling new cities created new patterns of recreation and leisure. The congestion and disease of city life led many people to seek participation in outdoor recreation. People sought places within the city to escape the tenements, factories and offices, so they turned to parks where others had set up croquet or tennis clubs.

Working poor could not afford to join a croquet club and did not have as much free time as the affluent, but they too wanted recreation, leisure and fellowship. They found this in gymnastics clubs, amusements parks, and spectator sports such as professional BASEBALL!

People from all social classes (mostly men) attended the games, with ethnic immigrants being among the most faithful fans. Cheering for their baseball and other sports teams, the rich upper class and the downtrodden lower working class found a common loyalty which gave a sense of belonging to uprooted people.

In short, the excitement of rooting for the home team united all fans. So not only were they getting inexpensive entertainment (and most of the time free as you can see in the picture above. Man, can you imagine the World Series being a
free game?), an escape from reality and a passion that they could pursue, but more importantly this all took place in an environment where they were equal to the upper class: their bosses -- the Rockefellers, the Mellons and the Carnegies.

When I went to watch the Cardinals, earlier this year, I noticed that outside the stadium tickets were being sold for a relatively good price that dropped as time went by. As we enjoyed the game, we naturally began socializing with the fans sitting around us and discussed our common interest: the Cardinals, hunting, etc. This was especially interesting when I realized that the the
family sitting behind me was an inner-city family and in front of me sat a family from an upper-middle class suburb. After the game, as I walked through the stadium, I ran into a mass of people from all different social standings, ethnicities, and (probably) financial statuses, the perfect example of unintended social integration.

I was with my dad, and it was an extremely exciting and entertaining game. The Cardinals were trailing the entire game by two when the home-town hero, Albert Pujols, stepped up to the plate with two outs and drove in two runs to send the game into extra innings. All this entertainment for only $20!

As sports have grown up they have not only kept this connection with all social classes, but have grown even more intimate and essential to the city and the people, serving as symbols of their respective cities. It became quite clear to me the other night when the announcer of the game stated, "The city of St.Louis can sleep sound tonight," after the Cardinals beat the Phillies to tie the NLDS 2-2. This was just a sign that teams such as the Cardinals are not just economically tied into the life of the city, but emotionally and symbolically tied to it. When someone talks about a team, they always use the name of the city, for example: Tampa Bay beat Boston. The pride that people experience from a team winning is akin to nationalism -- people live and die by

their teams. One Chicago Cubs fan goes into this more deeply, "...to me, and to so many others, they [the Cubs] are more because they symbolize something greater: hope, loyalty, endurance, love, pride, tenacity, the strength to carry-on, the ability to keep a dream alive, and my city...
EVERYTHING that I hold near and dear to my heart, that makes me who I am, that signifies all that I believe in...."

In a recent Chrysler commercial (this link will bring you to YouTube) where they flash various symbols of the Detroit, (at 0:48) they show a man wearing the Detroit Tigers baseball shirt. It is just another example of how sports team are symbols of their cities.

Many stadiums are tied in with the city that they represent. The most recognizable symbol of St. Louis, the Gateway Arch, is emblazoned across the outfield (as seen in the picture to the right). In some cities the stadium is an integral part of downtown. I snapped this picture as our plane curved around downtown St. Louis. As you can see, Busch Stadium is a large part of the downtown with the Rams football stadium, the Edward D. Jones Dome, on the other

side. Similar to this, the Staples Center, home of the Laker, Clippers and Kings, is surrounded by downtown Los Angeles right off one of the main streets. These two stadiums, and many like them, became integral parts of their respective downtown landscapes. Their constant association with the city makes the people
feel that the teams represent the city.

One can see all of this (the social classes coming together and a team symbolizing of the city) in the article A Fan's Perspective: What the New York Yankees Mean to Me. He talks about how during 9/11 he felt as if the city rested on the weight of its sports teams. He remembers seeing the "Mayor of America," Rudy Giuliani sitting with the masses and cheering on his favorite team.

The picture of Busch Stadium, at the top of the post, offers more than just a scenic view. It is the perfect symbol of how a team can symbolize a city, can bring together all social classes and can give them all equal entertainment and common ground -- it is a symbol to the fans of all the city has to offer.

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Now here is a cool
progression of the Cardinals' ballparks through the ages

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Robinson Field in 1907 (1893-1920) (an amusement park used to stand right

outside the park)

Sportsman Park in 1920 (1920-1966)

Busch Stadium in 2005 (1966-2005)

New Stadium can be seen at top of the post.

My Border Town City

Edinburg, Texas was a place abundant with orange trees and fields of cotton. Migrant farmers came and went with their families and a few small businesses flourished with the repeating faces of their customers. People tended to their ranches and the town was quiet and peaceful. All this change though when highway 281 was built! The quiet town became a connection between the border of Mexico to the larger cities of San Antonio and Houston. The small businesses in the city of Edinburg began to fade into the past while all the commotion of commerce migrated straight to the new areas surrounding this highway. Eventually the areas around 281 grew to be part of Edinburg and this transformed a quiet farm town into a city.

As a new city, Edinburg, like other towns along the Rio Grande border, began to experience a flood of people coming into its grasp. Not from the U.S, but rather from our neighboring country, Mexico. Attracted by jobs opening up, better schools for their kids, and the rights given to Americans, Mexican citizens along the border hopped the river like bunnies excited to be part of this growing city. The idea of a better life attracted so many people to the point where rules and restrictions had to be made and people in the hopes of being a part of the U.S didn’t have the money to follow them, so they found “other methods” (other methods led to terms like wetback…). Because of its history, Edinburg has grown to be defined by its population and the rich culture they bring to the table. The population is more than 80% Hispanic draping Edinburg with deep Hispanic and American traditions combined. The Spanish and English language slowly began to merge together presenting the city with Spanglish and imaginary words like “cagger (from the spanish word cagar), menso, wakala, sonso, watcha, and Welo.” These are some worlds that you can find only in the Rio Grande Valley(http://http://www.facebook.com/onlyinthevalley), but they drip off the tongues of Edinburg residents full of unique culture.

The food in Edinburg is also what makes the city unique. Restaurants paint the streets of Edinburg with their cheap prices and tasty cuisine. Most eateries in the area consist of family operated businesses sharing what they have to offer with the rest of the Edinburg population. Franchises pop up every now and then, but cannot compete against places that have been open and trusted since Highway 281 fell from the sky and blessed the small town. Panera Bread couldn’t compete against a panaderia’s 4 donuts for $1 and assortment of tasty treats for less than 15 cents each. Mexican food in Edinburg is like the smell of weed at ACL, It is everywhere. Streets give birth to Taquerias, Tamale places, and barbacoa restaurants as if it were trying to save a species. The problem is though and it is plastered all throughout the City is that Mexican Food = obesity. Mexican food tends to be layered in grease and fat that it has shaped the Edinburg population, therefore shaping the city. People are less active and tend to be lazy in the city partially because of obesity.
Part of the population that cannot be left out is the illegal population. They have probably shaped the City of Edinburg more so then anyone else who decided to play with clay and build a city. They provide the town with affordable food because they work and collect it for cheap. Lawns are always maintained and tidy because they are willing to cut half an acre of grass for 10 dollars including trimming trees. House keepers are easy to find because 80$ a week keeps your house clean every day. They do the jobs people don’t want to do themselves and it contributes to the city positively.

Like any other City, Edinburg has downsides. As the population grew, gangs moved into the city originally from Mexico. Theft occurs often because people can just take your belongings across the border and/ or sell them at a nearby flea market a.k.a la pulga. Being close to the border, means the drug trade is right under the cities nose. The United States demand for illegal substances from Mexico affects the City of Edinburg in so many ways bringing violence to areas. Teen pregnancies are high because not all families can afford T.V’s and the high school dropout rate is still an issue as families struggle to meet ends meet. Edinburg may have some chaos, but what’s a city without azucar, latino spice, and everything nice.

London (Bridge) is Falling Down

Most people are familiar with the song called "Our House" by Madness as a happy goofy pop song from the early 1980s. And it is. But, a lot of the music that came out of England from that period was more critical of London and the British Government. Songs from groups like the Clash, The Jam, and even the Sex Pistols, better illustrate the unrest and dissatisfaction among England's working class. These songs identify many of the conditions that made young people in London and other cities in England feel so alienated.

In the 1970s, England like many other countries, including the US, experienced a recession. Unemployment, inflation, and prices were high, which especially affected middle and lower class workers. Whole sections of London had become run down and even abandoned. An influx of immigrants from former British colonies, such as India and Pakistan, added to racial tensions. The general feeling in London was that England's best days were behind her and that she had little to offer younger generations.

In "London Calling," the Clash mentions that "Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust," meaning that the pride England might have felt about the Beatles can no longer cover up the country's real problems. The song lists some of these problems as clashes between police and youth, the decline of manufacturing jobs, drugs, and the fear of nuclear war. The singer's refrain that "I have no fear/'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river" is an ironic acknowledgement of how few options existed for many young people in London in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Children of Migrant Workers in Beijing

Beijing, a global city with almost 20 millions of residents, is one of the most populous cities in the world. It is the heart of China's politic, culture, and military; more significantly, it serves as the nation's educational center. As the home of more than eighty universities, Beijing attracts the interests of elite teachers and students all over the country.

Unfortunately, such wonderful educational resources could never be shared by one group of the Chinese citizens----the children of the poor migrant workers in Beijing. To limit the population in Beijing, the Government enforced an amendment, which restricts migrant children from attending public schools. Richer migrant families would get around this problem by either bribing school officials or paying the overcharged price of going to private schools. In contrast, the majority of the migrant workers' children would end up going to schools that were specifically opened for them. Most of these schools are in terrible condition and could only afford to hire teachers without qualified certification.

This summer, a couple St. Stephen's students and I had the opportunity to organize an English program for these migrant children in Beijing. Here is a reflection I've concluded at the end of our camp:

Our goal was to teach these kids some simple English, Math, and organize some fun activities for them in order to lighten up their summer. We thought that they would not be so keen on coming to school every morning during the summer and learn about a language that was rather strange to them. Yet, they responded with much enthusiasm and promised to tell their friends to show up as well. (272)
The classroom was filled with trash, dirty wallpapers, and had the smell of rotten pickles, yet, the students were so unbelievably focused. Even though they were not very fast learners and sometimes had difficulties of understanding our objectives, they never gave up and always came back the next day with even more enthusiasm. In the end, we decided to extend our days at the school as the children had really inspired us. Yet, their condition still worried us as the principals for these kind of migrant children's school often took away the government fund, which often resulted in the closure of schools.

Since schools specially opened for migrant workers' children only go as far to 9th grade, most students would not have the chance to go on with their education. As a result, they are forced to enter the society at an early age, and their criminal rates are far higher than those of the children from richer families. This scenario reminded me of a passage in "Maggie, a Girl of the Streets,"----- "when Jimmie was a little boy, he began to be arrested. Before he reached a great age, he had a fair record" (Crane 18). Similar to Jimmie, who had been raised in the New York tenement, migrant workers' children in China also live in slum-like households and are more vulnerable to the Urban life's evil deeds.

"No Irish Need Apply": Anti-Irish sentiments in 19th century America

“Scratch a convict or a pauper and the chances are you tickle the skin of an Irishman.” - Chicago Evening Post

During The Great Famine of 1852 over one million Irish citizens starved to death due to a loss of that year's potato crop, and another million people immigrated to America. This influx of poor, and for the most part uneducated, people moving into cities of the East such as Boston and New York gave rise to a number of social problems. Among these problems was that jobs were harder to find, there was an increase in panhandling in the cities, and crime rates rose. In response to the increase in job competitiveness as well as crime rates, many native born American workers and citizens joined the nativist "Know Nothing Party." This political party ran on an anti-immigration platform and exacerbated the hostility toward the incoming masses of Irish immigrants. For example, when advertising for help some store owners would add the words "No Irish Need Apply"(or NINA for short). Due to a lack of income many of the poor Irish immigrants turned to crime or panhandling in order to survive. This cycle of poverty and crime kept many of the Irish immigrants in slums and tenement houses, which meant that the children of Irish immigrants were also disadvantaged and as such they too were likely to turn to crime or panhandling. These and other undesirable behaviors generated even more prejudice against the Irish, making it increasingly difficult for Irish people to get jobs and rise out of poverty. For example, if the man in the song "No Irish Need Apply" did in fact hit the store owner because he was insulted, his actions would have reflected poorly on the Irish immigrants and would make it harder for any store to hire the "angry" or "aggressive" Irish people. However, this treatment would make them even angrier (as in the video), resulting in a cycle of continuing poverty and aggression.

In the book, "Maggie, Girl of the Streets," Author Stephen Crane shows how the city environment in which the Irish immigrants live actively keeps them in poverty. In the first scene in the book Jimmie yells at the children of Devil's Row, "these micks can't make me run"(3). The fact that his remarks cause "renewed wrath" from the boys shows just how much of a sensitive topic this is in both the boy's life (since it obviously aggravates them) as well as the author's time period. In fact, this is the only insult in the whole fight that the character actually says rather than being explained in third person using words such as "roaring curses" or "words of challenge"(4,5). By bringing attention to the problems of the Irish in the first page of the book, Stephen Crane leads the reader to assume that all the main characters in the book are Irish, not just the kids from Devils Row. One stereotypical trait that is attributed to the Irish is their habit of excessive drinking and fighting, something which is shown to exist in the Johnson household in the first chapter when a fight erupts between Maggie's parents due to the mother's drinking problem. The excessive domestic strife that is caused by liquor eventually leads to Maggie's departure from her abusive and unstable household. The sad reality of this book is that from the very first chapter the domestic and social problems (excessive drinking and domestic instability) that the city environment causes for its citizens in effect seals Maggie's fate at the end of the book. What started as racism against the Irish evolved into a system in which the city itself keeps the unfortunate in a state of perpetual poverty and disgrace, even if not all the people involved are Irish.

More Prejudice against the Irish people in newspapers and satires:

However, prejudice against the Irish people praciticaly no longer exists. On the contrary Irish people are quiet successful. For Example, Take some of these well-known Irish actors:

Colin Farell: Dare Devil, The Minority Report, S. W. A. T.
Liam Neeson: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Batman Begins, Clash of the Titans

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Irish_sentiment