Cheerleading has been around since at least the 1880s, when college football first became popular at America's Ivy League schools. Participants were then called "yell leaders." Cheerleading combines dance, acrobatics, and flashy attire to encourage the team and stir up the crowd... Read more
Basketball is an iconic American sport. Its legendary players, such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James, are considered heroes. It is the only sport to date whose origins lie solely in... Read more
Basketball may be the only sport to be invented completely in America. It arose at a YMCA in 1891 as an indoor sport to be played on a rainy... Read more
Baseball may be America's favorite pastime, but it was first played in England. Immigrants brought the game with them when they traveled to America, and its popularity... Read more
Baseball has been called "the great American pastime." The ball itself has a center made of rubber or cork that is wrapped in yarn. It is then covered with two peanut-shaped strips of... Read more
American football is one member of a family of sports that includes soccer, rugby, and Australian football. In each game, the teams try to get the ball through... Read more
The football helmet is one of a football player's most important pieces of equipment. It protects his skull and brain from serious... Read more
Football players must wear special gear to protect themselves from injury. Most important is the helmet, which protects the head and brain. It has a hard outer... Read more
For most of history, children merely shared outdoor spaces with adults. They played in fields, marketplaces, gardens... Read more
The teacher may represent the world's oldest profession. Parents and other adults often assume the role of teacher to small children, helping them attain the skills needed for... Read more
