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Wide accessiblity for all to participate in sport.
It was not until mid 1860's that sports became widespread, now for early closing hours shops and factories had working class participation in sports. In this sports such as lacross and baseball were timely and excluded the "lower class" from organized teams. With a sport so focused on organization, it still remained a privilege to the members of society. -
Women intrest in sports
Most pioneer women are to busy to enjoy or even to take part in sport, but when the opportunity stood out, the conventions of the time prevented paticipation of outdoor activities that that were being followed by men. Sporting attire was changed for women and more clubs were added to help the new growing interest of women sports. -
Lacrosse
Lacrosse was a popular sport throughout 1860-1890, but in the 1880's people thought that lacrosse was going to be declared the national game by Act of Parliment. By the 1880's lacrosse was introduced to to England and was spreading. Lacrosse dates back to 1763 when the Ottawa chief had to distract British soldiers and gain enrty to fort Michilimackinac. In 1860 William George Beers wrote official rules to the game. And in 1867 the sport made it first apperance in England. -
A new era
Sport by confederation in 1867 was approaching a new era. old activities such as cricket, rowing and horse racing continued to be important, mean while new sports such as lacrosse and baseball started to emerge. Idea's of sport started to adavnce to liberal leaders as it would benefit the population by citizens becoming healthier by giving them exercise and enjoyable activities. -
The birth of an association
On september 26 1867, a convection was hosted in kingston, Ontario, where the lacross cassociation was born. This was one of the first sports organizations to be established in Canada. Sport became a means for canadians to express their pride for their nation and aggressivly searched for international tournaments. -
A rivalry of two, and the evolution of a sport
Along with other sports football had rapid evolution as well. In 1874 a series of annual matches occurred between McGil and Harvard universities. In this they swayed away from the association football, now called soccer and addopted the oval shaped ball and scrum of rugby. in 1884 the first national championship for the largely Ontario and Quebec based sport was held. -
Hockey
In Montreal 1875 tthe first organized game of hockey was played. The game was played on ice and a McGil student established a format of rules. Players used a wooden disk using it as a puck, this would increase contol and was less likely to bounce and injure spectators than a ball would. They also used a stick to control the puck and the name "hockey" is predicted to be from the french word "shepards crook" as it is referring to the shape of the stick. -
The growth of Baseball
Eventually baseball would challenge lacrosse in the public eye for support and attention for it to gain intrest in being a summer sport. The Canadian baseball association was first formed in 1876 and and the first baseball leagues came to be shortly after. Most of baseball's success had taken place in southwestern Ontario.
