Sanctioned Savagery: A History of Violence in American Football by Oriard, Michael

Sanctioned Savagery: A History of Violence in American Football

American football was a violent sport from its beginning as a college game in the 1870s and...
$46.04 AUD
$46.04 AUD
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Author: Michael Oriard
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Subtotal: $46.04

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Sanctioned Savagery: A History of Violence in American Football by Oriard, Michael

Sanctioned Savagery: A History of Violence in American Football

$46.04

Sanctioned Savagery: A History of Violence in American Football

$46.04
Author: Michael Oriard
Format: Hardcover
Language: English

American football was a violent sport from its beginning as a college game in the 1870s and 1880s, in part because learning how to deal with the pain and violence, to "take it," made men out of college boys. Michael Oriard, former NFL linebacker and professor emeritus of English, shows us that this fundamental belief persisted for more than a century, until signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) were found in Pittsburgh Steelers' center Mike Webster's brain. Suddenly, the cost of "taking it" could mean long-term damage not just to the body but also to the brain. Without anyone knowing it, that risk had soared since the 1950s and 1960s, when the hardshell plastic helmet became the primary weapon for blocking and tackling, as taught by a new generation of college coaches, led by the University of Alabama's Bear Bryant.

In this cultural history of football at nearly all levels--high school, college, and pro--Oriard traces the perennial tension between health and culture regarding football as reflected in what the public read in newspapers, magazines, and online. Through examining how we once felt and how we now feel about the game, Oriard challenges us to grapple with the possibility that football might be too violent, in an intolerable way.



Author: Michael Oriard
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Published: 09/09/2025
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.27lbs
Size: 9.35h x 6.47w x 0.97d
ISBN: 9781469690643

About the Author

Michael Oriard is a retired professor from Oregon State University and a former football player for the University of Notre Dame and the Kansas City Chiefs. He is the author of six previous books about football, including Reading Football, King Football, and Brand NFL.


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