Book reviews

Mike Huggins, Flat Racing and British Society, 1790–1914: A Social and Economic History (London and Portland, OR: Frank Cass, 2000). Pp. xv + 270, 25 illustrations, index. £39.50/$57.50 (cloth); £17.50/$26.50 (paper). ISBN 0–7146–4982–1; 0–7146–8045–1.

Bill Mallon and Ian Buchanan, The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitions in All Events, with Commentary (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2000). Pp. xx + 516, index. $45.00. ISBN 0–7864–0598–8.

Randy Shaw. Reclaiming America: Nike, Clean Air, and the New National Activism (University of California Press, 1999). Pp. ix + 312, index. ISBN 0–520–21359–9.

Mark Douglas Lowes, Inside the Sports Pages: Work Routines, Professional Ideologies, and the Manufacture of Sports News (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999). Pp. xiii + 126, index, bibliography. $40.00 (cloth); $16.95 (paper). ISBN 0–8020–4359–3; 0–8020–8183–5.

C. Gaddy, An Olympic Journey: The Saga of an American Hero: LeRoy T. Walker. (Griffin Publishing Group: California, 1998). Pp. xiv + 265, illustrations, bibliographical references, achievements. $24.95. ISBN 1–882180–92–5.

William Marshall, Baseball's Pivotal Era, 1945–1951 (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1999). Pp. xii + 513, 81 photographs, index. $29.95. ISBN 0–8131–2041–1.

Bob Allen with Bill Gilbert, The 500 Home Run Club: Baseball's 15 Greatest Home Run Hitters from Aaron to Williams (Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing Inc., 1999). Pp. x + 273, photographs. $22.95. ISBN 1582610312.

Simon Rae, W.G. Grace: A Life (London, Faber and Faber, 1999). Pp. xx + 548, 30 illustrations, index. £20.00 (cloth); £9.99 (paper). ISBN 0–571–17855–3; 0–571–19573‐ 3.

David W. Anderson. More Than Merkle: A History of the Best and Most Exciting Baseball Season in Human History (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2000). Pp. xxx + 285, 17 photographs, bibliography, index, $29.95. ISBN 0–8032–1056–6.

Joanna Avery and Julie Stevens, Too Many Men on the Ice: Women's Hockey in North America (Vancouver: Polestar Book Publishers, 1997). Pp. 286, 62 photographs, 37 tables, index, bibliography. CANS 19.95; US$ 16.95. ISBN 1–896095–33‐X.

John Fizel, Elizabeth Gustafson and Lawrence Hadley (eds.), Sports Economics: Current Research. (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 1999). Pp. xiv + 246, index, bibliography. $59.95. ISBN 0–275–96330–6.

Frank P. Jozsa, Jr. and John J. Guthrie, Jr., Relocating Teams and Expanding Leagues in Professional Sports: How the Major Leagues Respond to Market Conditions (Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 1999). Pp. 206, index, bibliography. $59.95. ISBN 1–56720–193–8.

Adrian Shubert, Death and Money in the Afternoon: A History of the Spanish Bullfight (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999). Pp. 270, 17 illustrations, 2 appendices, index. $25.00. ISBN 0–19–509524–3.

Cindy S. Aron, Working at Play: A History of Vacations in the United States (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999). Pp. xii + 324. 30 photographs, index. $35.00. ISBN 019–5055845.

L. Koppett, Koppett's Concise History of Major League Baseball (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998). Pp. xiv + 521, index. $34.95. ISBN 1–56639–638–7. J.H. Bready, Baseball in Baltimore: The First 100 Years (Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998). Pp. ix + 242, photographs throughout, index. $34.95. ISBN 0–9018–5833‐X.

L. Koppett, Koppett's Concise History of Major League Baseball (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998). Pp. xiv + 521, index. $34.95. ISBN 1–56639–638–7. J.H. Bready, Baseball in Baltimore: The First 100 Years (Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998). Pp. ix + 242, photographs throughout, index. $34.95. ISBN 0–9018–5833‐X.

J. Zoss and J. Bowman, Diamonds in the Rough: The Untold History of Baseball (Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1996). Pp. xiv + 433, many photographs, index. $16.95. ISBN 0–8092–3234–0. M. Stang and L. Harkness, Baseball by the Numbers: A Guide to the Uniform Numbers of Major League Teams. American Sports History Series, No. 4 (Lanham, MD and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1997). Pp. xix + 1125, 8 photographs. ISBN 0–8108–3054‐X.

R. Ruck, The Tropic of Baseball: Baseball in the Dominican Republic (Lincoln and London: Nebraska University Press, 1999). Pp. xx + 215, 19 photographs, 3 maps, index. $12.00. ISBN 0–8032–8978–2.

D.Q. Voigt, The League That Failed. American Sports History Series, No. 10 (Lanham, MD and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1998). Pp. xiv + 322, 23 photographs, index. $45.00. ISBN 0–8108–3309–3.

J. Zoss and J. Bowman, Diamonds in the Rough: The Untold History of Baseball (Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1996). Pp. xiv + 433, many photographs, index. $16.95. ISBN 0–8092–3234–0.

M. Stang and L. Harkness, Baseball by the Numbers: A Guide to the Uniform Numbers of Major League Teams. American Sports History Series, No. 4 (Lanham, MD and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1997). Pp. xix + 1125, 8 photographs. ISBN 0–8108–3054‐X.

R. Ruck, The Tropic of Baseball: Baseball in the Dominican Republic (Lincoln and London: Nebraska University Press, 1999). Pp. xx + 215, 19 photographs, 3 maps, index. $12.00. ISBN 0–8032–8978–2.

D.Q. Voigt, The League That Failed. American Sports History Series, No. 10 (Lanham, MD and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1998). Pp. xiv + 322, 23 photographs, index. $45.00. ISBN 0–8108–3309–3.

Eddie Irvine, with Jane Nottage, Life in the Fast Lane: The Inside Story of the Ferrari Years (London: Ebury Press, 1999; distributed in the US by Trafalgar Square Publishing, North Pomfret, Vermont). Pp. xxiii + 232, 32 photographs. $29.95. ISBN 0–09–18746–02.

J.S. Todd, Physical Culture and the Body Beautiful: Purposive Exercise in the Lives of American Women, 1800–1875 (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1998). Pp. ix + 369, 81 illustrations, methodology, bibliography, index. US$39.95. ISBN 0–86554–561–8.

Eric G. Dunning, Joseph A. Maguire and Robert E. Pearton (eds.), The Sports Process: A Comparative and Developmental Approach (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1993). Pp. 279 + xiii, index. £37.50 (cloth). ISBN 0–87322–419–1.

Christiane Eisenberg, "English Sports “ und deutsche Bürger: Eine Gesellschaftsgeschichte 1800–1939 (Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh, 1999). Pp. 523.

M.L. Biscotti (comp.), A Bibliography of American Sporting Books, 1926–1985 (Far Hills, NJ: Meadow Run Press, 1997). Pp. ix + 573. $80.00. ISBN 1–886967–06–7.

J.L. Arbena (comp.), Latin American Sport: An Annotated Bibliography, 1988–1998, Bibliographies and Indexes on Sports History No 3 (Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999). Pp. vii + 264. $75.00. ISBN 0–313–29611–1.

D. Kyle, H. Lee, T. Scanlon and K. Kitchell, Entering the Stadium: Approaches to Ancient Greek Athletics. Editor K. Kitchell, The Classical Bulletin, Vol.74 (1998), No.2 (Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy‐Carducchi). Pp. 100–200. $20.00. ISSN 0009–8337.

Wendy Long, Celebrating Excellence: Canadian Women Athletes (Vancouver: Polestar Book Publishers, 1995). Pp. 255. CAN$ 29.95. ISBN 1–896095–04–6.

Steven J. Overman, The Influence of the Protestant Ethic on Sport and Recreation (Aldershot: Avebury Press, 1997. Pp. + 394, index. ISBN 1 ‐85972–387‐X.

Douglas Booth, The Race Game: Sport and Politics in South Africa (London and Portland, OR: Frank Cass, 1998). Pp. xxi + 250, 10 photographs, index. £42.50/$59.50 (cloth); £17.50/$26.50 (paper). ISBN 0–7146–4799–3; 0–7146–4354–8.

Mike Cronin, Sport and Nationalism in Ireland: Gaelic Games, Soccer and Irish Identity since 1884 (Dublin and Portland, OR: Four Courts Press, 1999). Pp.214. £14.95. ISBN 1–85182–456–1.     

A physiological,time–motion,and technical comparison of youth water polo and Acquagoal

Abstract

The aims of this study were to provide a profile of young water polo players and to compare technical and tactical aspects, movement patterns, and cardiac loads of youth water polo and Acquagoal codes. Ten young (age 12.3 years, s = 0.6) male water polo players underwent anthropometric (stature, body mass, body mass index, chest circumference, hand breadth, and length), strength, and [Vdot]O_2max evaluations. Friendly youth water polo and Acquagoal matches were arranged to evaluate heart rates and swimming patterns (horizontal and vertical, with and without the ball) of players, and technical and tactical aspects of matches (number of actions, passes, player involved in an action, lost possessions, shots, goals, and the origin and types of shot). Independent of code, matches imposed a high cardiac load on players. Vertical swimming occurred more frequently (P < 0.05) in Acquagoal (71%) than youth water polo (45%). Technical and tactical measures also differed (P < 0.05), with players performing more passes and shots inside the penalty area and showing a higher goal-to-shot ratio during youth water polo than during Acquagoal. These results indicate that youth water polo better resembles the swimming patterns of adult water polo and facilitates the technical and tactical aspects of play better than Acquagoal.     

Environmental conditions,air pollutants,and airway cells in runners: A longitudinal field study

Abstract

Runners have increased numbers of neutrophils in the airways at rest and after exercise compared with sedentary individuals. The aim of this study was to determine whether Mediterranean seasonal changes in temperature, humidity or airborne pollutants affect the airway cells of runners training outdoors in an urban environment. In nine male amateur runners, cell composition, apoptosis, and inflammatory mediators were measured in induced sputum collected at rest (baseline) and the morning after races held in the fall (21 km), winter (12 km), and summer (10 km). Concentrations of air pollutants were below the alert threshold at all times. Neutrophil differential counts tended to increase after all races (P = 0.055). Apoptosis of neutrophils increased with ozone (P < 0.005) and particulate matter <10 μm (PM₁₀) (P < 0.05) exposure. Bronchial epithelial cell counts were low at all times and weakly correlated with ozone and PM₁₀ concentrations. Apoptotic bronchial epithelial cells increased after all races (P < 0.05). Inflammatory mediators in induced sputum were low at baseline and after the races, and correlated with neutrophil differential counts only at rest. In conclusion, apoptosis of airway cells in runners appears to be affected by both exercise and environmental conditions. Apoptosis of neutrophils increased with exposure to environmental pollutants while apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells increased after intense exercise. Since no relationship was observed between neutrophil counts and inflammatory mediators 20 h after races, airways inflammation at this time point appears blunted in healthy runners and little affected by exposure to mild seasonal changes and airborne pollutants.     

Perceived environmental characteristics and psychosocial factors associated with physical activity levels in adolescents from Northeast Brazil: structural equation modelling analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the direct and indirect associations between perceived environmental characteristics and psychosocial factors and physical activity levels in adolescents from Northeast Brazil. The sample was composed of 2,361 adolescents aged 14–19 years (56.6% female). Physical activity was measured using a questionnaire and environmental (perceived environmental characteristics) and psychosocial (self-efficacy, social support from parents and friends for physical activity) factors with previously validated scales. Perceived environmental characteristics were not directly associated with the levels of physical activity, but exhibited significant indirect associations, mediated by self-efficacy in males. Self-efficacy and social support were positively and directly associated with physical activity levels, and part of the associations between social support and physical activity was mediated by self-efficacy. Perception of self-efficacy and social support, important factors associated with physical activity levels in adolescents, should be the target of interventions aimed at increasing physical activity. Favorable environments for physical activity also need to be considered, since they have a positive influence on the self-efficacy of adolescents.     

Family background,self-confidence and economic outcomes

In this paper we analyze the role played by self-confidence, modeled as beliefs about one's ability, in shaping task choices. We propose a model in which fully rational agents exploit all the available information to update their beliefs using Bayes’ rule, eventually learning their true type. We show that when the learning process does not converge quickly to the true ability level, small differences in initial confidence can result in diverging patterns of human capital accumulation between otherwise identical individuals. If differences in self-confidence are correlated with socio-economic background (as a large body of empirical literature suggests), self-confidence can be a channel through which education and earning inequalities perpetuate across generations. Our theory suggests that cognitive tests should take place as early as possible, in order to avoid that systematic differences in self-confidence among equally talented people lead to the emergence of gaps in the accumulation of human capital.     

Introduction to Semiconductor Physics in Secondary Education: Evaluation of a teaching sequence

The present article presents a didactic proposal oriented to teaching notions of semiconductor physics in secondary education. The methods and the results of a pilot study designed to analyse the effectiveness of a teaching sequence on the topic are also described. The subjects were 60 students, aged 14–15 years, of a secondary school in Seville, Spain. The levels of knowledge acquired by the students were evaluated by means of a test and personal interviews, which we also used to detect the most frequent obstacles they encountered against learning. Also, we employed personal interviews and analysis of the students’ notebooks to evaluate their attitudes towards semiconductor physics and its learning, and to evaluate the degree to which the teaching sequence fosters cooperative learning and the self‐regulation of learning. The results indicated that the students in general acquired ideas and reasoning in the appropriate line, although with some mistakes or inaccuracies with respect to scientific conceptions, and acquired positive attitudes towards the learning of semiconductor physics, with a high degree of motivation during the teaching–learning process. The conclusion is that it is possible to initiate teaching the basic notions of semiconductor physics in secondary education, although it is necessary to continue going deeper into the topic with new research. As a proposal for improvement in future actions, we formulate new objectives oriented at overcoming the students’ commonest obstacles against learning with respect to the topic.     

Matching Society Values: Students’ views of biotechnology

The rapid growth of biotechnology knowledge during the past decades has made it necessary to rethink the contents of the school curriculum and has provoked a consideration of the ethical and social issues related to the use of biotechnological applications. With the financial assistance of the European Union, the European Initiative for Biotechnology Education was set up to develop units for use in the member the countries, organize the translations of these between the many languages involved, organize in‐service courses for teachers, implement the materials in schools, as well as carrying out related research.

This paper gives some findings of Spanish researchers when identifying and exploring the different cultural contexts in which biotechnology teaching and learning is embedded, being mainly concerned with the emerging attitudes and values of the students regarding such issues. After gathering information through case studies during the implementation phase, a questionnaire was developed in an interactive way by teachers and researchers in various stages, based on what students said.

The results identify four main values: the “principle of the natural”, the “principle of the welfare”, the “principle of the technological solution” and the “principle of the individual decisions”. Their interaction and dichotomy are discussed, as well as the problems teachers face when having to deal with topics beyond those immediately related to science     

Prospective Teachers’ Difficulties in Interpreting Elementary Phenomena of Electrostatic Interactions: Indicators of the status of their intuitive ideas

Student teachers were tested before and after a teaching unit on electrostatic interactions in an attempt to consider their intuitive ideas and concept development. A study was made of students’ explanations of basic interactions: those between two charged bodies, and those between a charged body and a neutral body. Two indicators of the cognitive status of the explanations were investigated: “context dependence” and “certainty or confidence index”. This allowed cognitive comparisons to be established between the explanations of different electrostatic interactions, and between the degrees of difficulty they represent for satisfactory conceptual evolution. The greatest difficulties were found with explanations of the phenomena of electrostatic induction. The sample consisted of 52 students in primary school teacher education who participated in a teaching unit designed to overcome these obstacles.     

Mexican parents’ and teachers’ literacy perspectives and practices: construction of cultural capital

This article examines the relationships among the literacy practices engaged in by first-grade children and parents at home and the ways in which these practices are communicated, shaped, and fostered by teachers and administrators in two different sociocultural environments in urban Mexico. The differences observed between the home literacy experiences of children in a working-class and a middle-class community included transgenerational communication of assumptions regarding literacy and schooling, as well as attitudes associated with the parents’ own school experiences. Class-based expectations on the part of teachers not only shaped interactions with parents, but were also reflected in the way the national curriculum was delivered, with a greater emphasis on rote skills and traditional reading instruction in the working-class community. The authors argue that the school plays a role in the co-production of cultural capital in the home through its shaping of some of the literacy practices that children and families undertake.