| The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, forced the United States' entrance into World War II. The US mobilized and the homefront changed to keep up with the war effort. Professional sports and leisure activities came under scrutiny for their wartime value and necessity. As America mobilized, government officials and military officers evaluated sports and recognized the benefits of their continuation. With initial continuation assured by the federal government, the sporting community directed all efforts to war. Since the government could revoke approval at any time, sports justified their continuation through untiring dedication. The government used sports to promote patriotic fitness and to bolster morale as the nation adapted to the war effort. Military officials looked to sports for their inherent benefits of physical conditioning and preparation for combat and to elevate morale within the armed forces domestically and abroad. Professional sport administrators called upon their respective sport to contribute to homefront war efforts. Baseball, boxing, football, golf, and tennis supplied sport equipment to military bases, staged relief exhibitions, promoted the sale of war bonds, complied with rationing restrictions and travel curtailment, and lost star players to the war. Sports reinforced group unity among a diverse population and reminded servicemen of the institutions and ideals they fought for. Professional athletes stood out as men prepared for combat and readily enlisted to fight on America's team. Through the incorporation of sports into military training, and the service of a significant number of athletes, there developed a close relationship between sports and the military which continued following the war. As professional sports adapted and benefitted the war effort, they became their own outspoken advocates and secured a permanent position in the lives of Americans. |
