Confederacy Survives - Sports What If

[Osk]

This would be looking at sports in the 20th Century, but the POD required would be Before 1900, so I put it here.

In a Confederacy that remains independent, say: Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.

Well, what would sports be like? What would shape would sports in the Union take? In the Confederacy?

For a fact, Baseball would be around. Football could easily still take the American shape. Basketball could be formed, though the POD may make it come differently.

 

[Sicarius]

We could easily see a US/CS difference in football over the forward pass and the other rules of safety that were added on.

One factor in this Confederacy's international relations - if they're buddy buddy with the UK, whether you want to say that's likely or not, they could pick up soccer/football. Dare we imagine the Confederate Cricket Coalition?

 

[SPJ]

Dare we imagine the Confederate Cricket Coalition?

Those vile dixie basterds!

 

[Mike Stearns]

We could easily see a US/CS difference in football over the forward pass and the other rules of safety that were added on.?

So Canadian rules, Yankee rules and Confederate rules? Interesting image.

One factor in this Confederacy's international relations - if they're buddy buddy with the UK, whether you want to say that's likely or not, they could pick up soccer/football. Dare we imagine the Confederate Cricket Coalition?

Perhaps the Confederates gravitate to rugby as well?

 

[Æsir]

Dare we imagine the Confederate Cricket Coalition?

Wouldn't that be the Konfederate Kricket Koalition?

 

[Enigmajones]

Okay first off the stupidest part of the TL-191 series was the prevalence of Football. In the 1860's, the only sport that has any real popularity in the country is Baseball, so for both countries, right off the bat, Baseball is the definite pastime, since both nations would have been exposed to it during the war. As for Football, there is almost zero chance of the South adopting what is the ultimate Northern New England sport. I think Soccer has a chance, New Orleans being its largest city and open to ships coming in from all over the world, not to mention the Confederacy's economic reliance on the UK, US and possibly Germany. I think soccer could succeed in the CSA. But Baseball is at this point destined to be the number one sport in both the CSA and USA.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Okay first off the stupidest part of the TL-191 series was the prevalence of Football. In the 1860's, the only sport that has any real popularity in the country is Baseball, so for both countries, right off the bat, Baseball is the definite pastime, since both nations would have been exposed to it during the war. As for Football, there is almost zero chance of the South adopting what is the ultimate Northern New England sport. I think Soccer has a chance, New Orleans being its largest city and open to ships coming in from all over the world, not to mention the Confederacy's economic reliance on the UK, US and possibly Germany. I think soccer could succeed in the CSA. But Baseball is at this point destined to be the number one sport in both the CSA and USA.

Oh please pretty please let baseball die. The baseball less world dominated by the true American pastime (football) was one of the 191 TL most redeeming aspects

 

[Enigmajones]

Oh please pretty please let baseball die. The baseball less world dominated by the true American pastime (football) was one of the 191 TL most redeeming aspects

Football, while my personal favorite as a sport, makes no sense as a Southern sport. In fact none of the Football codes really make sense. If it makes an appearance at all, it won't be until much later and it will be as a result of US influence.

 

[Nerdlinger]

This would be looking at sports in the 20th Century, but the POD required would be Before 1900, so I put it here.

In a Confederacy that remains independent, say: Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.

Well, what would sports be like? What would shape would sports in the Union take? In the Confederacy?

For a fact, Baseball would be around. Football could easily still take the American shape. Basketball could be formed, though the POD may make it come differently.

Kentucky and Texas but not Louisiana and Arkansas? I'm assuming the omission of the latter two was an oversight.

I've thought about how baseball might develop in a CSA victory TL. Here's a hypothetical league structure for the early 20th century:

USA
Eastern League: Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Hartford, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Washington
Western League: Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, St. Louis

CSA
Southern League: Atlanta, Charleston, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Richmond, Savannah

 

[Reggie Bartlett]

This would be looking at sports in the 20th Century, but the POD required would be Before 1900, so I put it here.

In a Confederacy that remains independent, say: Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.

Well, what would sports be like? What would shape would sports in the Union take? In the Confederacy?

For a fact, Baseball would be around. Football could easily still take the American shape. Basketball could be formed, though the POD may make it come differently.

What about Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina and *Oklahoma? They will surely be in the CSA as well!

Now when it comes to sports, I think your right about baseball, the CSA could pick it up like the Union did.

I wonder where football goes with all this.

I also get a feeling that the CSA may catch on to the Temperance Movement before the Union does in TTL, so imagine a bunch of good ole boys running bootleg liquor across state lines between Wet States and Dry States. NASCAR anybody?

 

[Osk]

Yeah missed the ball on those two! Whoops. And Oklahoma as well. But I put North Carolina, you must of missed that.

And yeah, for sure Baseball becomes the CSA's main sport in the early stages. However, you all know how much Texan's enjoy football for some reason.

However, maybe influenced by the UK they take up Rugby instead of Football?

As for the Baseball League, why would the CSA be the southern league? Would it even allow its teams to play against the North? Maybe, as a sign of the actual nations rivalries. Every year the top US and CS teams go at it, intensifying the North-South rivalry?

As for city teams, maybe one in Florida? Jacksonville, Tampa, and Pensacola could be targets.

 

[Reggie Bartlett]

Confederate League Baseball:
Nashville
Richmond
Charleston
Savannah
Atlanta
Tampa
New Orleans
Birmingham
Louisville
Houston

 

[Enigmajones]

Yeah missed the ball on those two! Whoops. And Oklahoma as well. But I put North Carolina, you must of missed that.

And yeah, for sure Baseball becomes the CSA's main sport in the early stages. However, you all know how much Texan's enjoy football for some reason.

However, maybe influenced by the UK they take up Rugby instead of Football?

As for the Baseball League, why would the CSA be the southern league? Would it even allow its teams to play against the North? Maybe, as a sign of the actual nations rivalries. Every year the top US and CS teams go at it, intensifying the North-South rivalry?

As for city teams, maybe one in Florida? Jacksonville, Tampa, and Pensacola could be targets.

In my TL, I had the premier team being from Ybor City and therefore Tampa.

 

[PulkitNahata]

I definately do not see American Football developing in the CSA. With good relations between the CSA and the UK, I see Football developing alongside Rugby, although I feel Rugby will be more popular. Also Rugby might catch up in Canada with the CSA playing Rugby and also the Aristocracy might adopt Cricket as Baseball would be seen as a Northern invention and a workers game. Also Field Hockey may become a game for the masses.

 

[Osk]

I definately do not see American Football developing in the CSA. With good relations between the CSA and the UK, I see Football developing alongside Rugby, although I feel Rugby will be more popular. Also Rugby might catch up in Canada with the CSA playing Rugby and also the Aristocracy might adopt Cricket as Baseball would be seen as a Northern invention and a workers game. Also Field Hockey may become a game for the masses.

Thing is, the aristocracy might as well have its Cricket stint, but the general populace is still American, and I think they would continue with Baseball.

Also, I see Confederate Rugby evolving into a mix of Union Football and English Rugby.

 

[Enigmajones]

I definately do not see American Football developing in the CSA. With good relations between the CSA and the UK, I see Football developing alongside Rugby, although I feel Rugby will be more popular. Also Rugby might catch up in Canada with the CSA playing Rugby and also the Aristocracy might adopt Cricket as Baseball would be seen as a Northern invention and a workers game.

Actually Cricket is pretty impossible to make happen. Up until quite recently, the ICC was the Imperial Cricket Conference. Cricket was quite popular in America until the 1880's when, after an attempt to join the ICC, they were rebuffed for not being British. Don't see that changing. So Baseball definitely remains popular in the CSA and USA. Football grows as a large sport in the US, getting introduced to Texas when American companies come to make money off of their massive oil. The British will bring Soccer with them, and I wouldn't be surprised if it caught on. However it is possible that the Confederacy could develop its own Football code, during its early history it could develop a game similar to the one found in Canada, called Rugby but eventually becoming known as Football.

 

[Osk]

Actually Cricket is pretty impossible to make happen. Up until quite recently, the ICC was the Imperial Cricket Conference. Cricket was quite popular in America until the 1880's when, after an attempt to join the ICC, they were rebuffed for not being British. Don't see that changing. So Baseball definitely remains popular in the CSA and USA. Football grows as a large sport in the US, getting introduced to Texas when American companies come to make money off of their massive oil. The British will bring Soccer with them, and I wouldn't be surprised if it caught on. However it is possible that the Confederacy could develop its own Football code, during its early history it could develop a game similar to the one found in Canada, called Rugby but eventually becoming known as Football.

I could see this happening.

Thats pretty much what I meant earlier, a Rugby that goes into American Football areas, and thus Confederate Football. Or alternatively Dixie Football.

But it would be at some lengths different from both American Football, and Rugby.

 

[Osk]

Also, considering South Carolina seceded first, perhaps we have the Charleston Rebels as a team?

 

[Riain]

IIUC the South has NASCAR, so what will the US do for its revheads? Indy?

 

[Osk]

NASCAR's founder is from the Union though. Also, Daytone Beach wouldn't be around as we know it, as Flaglers Railroad wouldn't promote the union of the many towns that make up Daytona Beach today. As such, racing wouldn't have caught on in its beaches, and it wouldn't have attracted the hype.