American Holidays Series: Sporting America
In this episode, American Holidays explores Sporting America – its history and development, the changing meaning of the word sport, and the cultural revolution of the "sports" that America celebrates. From horse racing in colonial America to today's Triple Crown, from the "rumble and tumble" of 19th-century fist fighting to mixed-martial arts, from Harry Wright's Cincinnati Red Stockings to today's MLB, from Princeton versus Rutgers to today's College Football Playoffs, from James Naismith hanging a peach basket in the Springfield, Massachusetts YMCA to today's Final Four and NBA Finals, from the Canton Bulldogs and the first "Super Bowl" to today's mega-event NFL championship and many other stops in between, we'll explore the meaning of sports in American life and how Americans celebrate "their sporting life."
This JES Satellite Program is a lunch n' learn event, which will be held at:
Corry Higher Education Council
221 North Center Street
Corry, Pa 16407
*The Corry Higher Education Council will require masking and face coverings for all staff, instructors, students, tenants, and visitors while inside the Smith Education Center. The physical distancing is 3 feet within classroom settings.
*Prior registration is required. Please click on REGISTER below to reserve your ticket or call 814.459.8000 for assistance.
*Boxed lunches including deli sandwiches and veggie wrap will be provided and are first come first serve.
*$5 Admission cost will cover provided brown bag lunch.
A Scholar-in-Residence at the Jefferson Educational Society (JES), Roth delivers presentations about “The American Tapestry Project: We Tell Ourselves Stories”. In this series, Roth seeks to weave together America’s many stories into a tapestry of stories exploring what it means to be an American. The Project includes The American Tapestry Project: a five part series on the story’s major threads; American Holidays: an eight part series on those things Americans love in common; Americans and Their Games: Sports in America History and Culture: a five part series on the role of sports in American history; and The Birth of the Women’s Movement: an ongoing series on the 19th century women who challenged their times and shaped the future. The entire project began with America in 1968: The Far Side of the Moon and the Birth of the Culture Wars.
A frequent speaker at the Chautauqua Institution and at other venues, Roth currently hosts a podcast series on WQLN-Public Radio & NPR1 The American Tapestry Project airing at 4:00PM on the second Sunday of every month. It can also be found online at WQLN/NPR and all major podcast sites, such as Spotify, Apple, and others. Currently, the series is exploring popular music as a window into the soul of America.
A prolific writer, in June, 2022 the Jefferson Society awarded Roth the first ever Ovid Award for the 100+ Book Notes he has written for the Society since March of 2020. The series now numbers 211 and counting. Roth’s Book Notes cover the subjects of the day, with particular emphases on American history and the art of poetry. All can be found on the Jefferson Educational Society website www.jeserie.org/book%20notes. In addition to his Book Notes, Roth recently authored How to Be a Highly Effective Leader: A Primer published by the Jefferson Society in 2026.
Roth’s long career in higher education included service at Erie’s Gannon and Mercyhurst Universities. A nationally recognized expert in enrollment management, Roth authored Saving for College and the Tax Code: A New Spin on the “Who Pays for Higher Education Debate (2001). From 2003 to 2014, Roth served as President of Notre Dame College in Cleveland, Ohio, which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate for his leadership and named him President-Emeritus. In 2016-17, Roth served as President of St. Bonaventure University guiding the university through a sensitive transitional period. When not working on his various projects, he enjoys reading, and cycling on Presque Isle. He is married to retired banker Judy Owens Roth.
Roth can be reached at roth@jeserie.org
