For the past century professional sports have
made up a large part of America's culture. Professional football, baseball,
basketball and hockey have grown over the course of the 20th century into major money
making industries. American's spend countless hours over the course of their lives
watching, listening and reading about professional sports. The fact that many American's
pay close attention to professional athletics is a fact. But how influential are the
athletes that participate in professional sports? Do they have the power to influence the
American public? Does an athlete like Babe Ruth or Jackie Robinson have the ability to
change the life of someone who simply watches them? My answer to these questions is most
definitely yes. The professional athlete in American society has had a profound impact
upon the lives of many American sports fans. In-fact it is my belief that some of the best
athletes in the history of 20th century professional sports in America have changed the
lives of many an American for the better. My project is devoted to analyzing the lives of
two of the most influential athletes of the 20th century in America, Babe Ruth and Jackie
Robinson. These two athletes have had such a powerful impact upon our nation in so many
positive ways. Babe Ruth can be credited with saving baseball. He also became the first
sports figure that our nation regarded as a hero. Jackie Robinson was the first black man
to play professional baseball in the major leagues. He set the stage for countless black
American athletes to come.
