The relationship between sports and the American armed forces reached a climax during World War II. The military broadened its athletic regimen, established during World War I, and thereby reproduced a patriotic sporting culture that soldiers had known as civilians. The armed services provided equipment, training, and personnel rather than rely on private agencies, as had been done in World War I. The entry of numerous prominent athletes into military service represented a public relations boon for the Department of War and cemented a bond between professional sports, athletes, and patriotism. On the homefront, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that all sports, professional and amateur, should continue during wartime given their inherent "morale benefits." Military athletic prowess was widely celebrated as an affirmation of national identity and patriotic fortitude.

Sports reputedly reflect nationally specific sporting temperaments and styles of play. Many Americans...