Canada learns to play : the emergence of organized sport 1807-1914 / Alan Metcalfe.

In this ground-breaking study of sport in Canada up to the First World War, Professor Alan Metcalfe demonstrates that sport has mirrored Canadian society and that the impetus toward organized sport was dominated by the anglophone ruling class - in Montreal and Toronto, and across the country. The controversies over amateurism and professionalism provide the focus for this important work. Canada Learns to Play documents the rise of such indigenous Canadian games as lacrosse, hockey and football, and offers fascinating insights into the relative impact of English, Scottish, and American games. Many sports from fox-hunting and curling to baseball and soccer are discussed in depth, and clear distinctions are drawn between French and English interests.