The 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, featured the debut of women’s ice hockey. Six teams competed, with the United States defeating Canada in the gold-medal game. Many writers praised the American women’s triumph, but other people argued that women’s hockey was not yet ready for the international arena.

Those who wish to see women’s hockey remain a permanent part of the Olympics cited the purity of the game and the joyful attitudes of the athletes. These writers contrasted that behavior with the actions of the American men’s team, which consisted of professional hockey players. That team performed far below expectations, failing to win a medal and trashing their rooms in the Olympic Village. The women’s team was viewed as an example of the best that amateur sports have to...