Chapter 11, Leisure Summary and Analysis

Leisure activities also suffered in this period. The American drive toward success and hard work left little time for leisure, and what leisure there was, especially in crowded New York City, was problematic. Gambling, though illegal, was hugely popular, leading to the financial ruin of many of its participants. Furthermore, gambling establishments became havens for crime and violence. Horse racing was controlled by crime syndicates and largely fixed at this time, and professional baseball also suffered from bribery and gambling rings. College football was brutal, and essentially an excuse to have a group of men fight each other in large scrums.

Children, unsupervised and bored, turned to petty vandalism as their form of entertainment. There was no such things as playgrounds. Along with this, there was a very curious acceptance of firearms during this period. Children were encouraged to...