Sportas JAV lietuvių Lietuvos Vyčių organizacijoje 1913–1940 metais

Abstract

On the basis of historiography and articles in Lithuanian-American periodicals we attempt to explain what social function sports served the Knights of Lithuania organization in 1913–1940. This article aims to reveal how sportʼs model was chosen and how sport was exploited to strengthen this organization. Established in 1913, Catholic and patriotic organization began to pay attention to sports. At the beginning Polish, Slovak and Czech Sokols were seen as possible examples for sporting activity. These organizations avoided modern games and based their sports on gymnastics, marching drills and paramilitarism. Knights of Lithuania realised that during the times of WWI and Lithuanian Wars of Independence this kind of training could be useful for the Lithuanian-Americans who – as they thought then – would come back to their homeland and would help to defend and strengthen the newly born state. However, as time was passing, the Knights of Lithuania were more and more embedded into American culture. American born Lithuanians or those who grew up there began to dominate in the organization and the modern-style sportʼs model based on team games that had strict rules and the obvious winners won. Leaders of the organization used to see modern sports as an essential part for the creation of American- Lithuanian cultural synthesis and absorbed American understanding that sports, especially baseball, was very important in creating better citizens, instilling American values, improving playerʼs health and in the community building. Most of the Councils had sportʼs teams for both sexes and participated in the leagues or otherwise played with the teams from other ethnic groups. It was soon realised that the Councils that had active teams were better in attracting new members and had better overall activity. Sports matches, trips to other towns to play served as a way to gather Lithuanians from different places to the one. The game day (or even weekend) often had wide social program, and the match itself was only small part of it. Sportsmen used to become local celebrities of the organization. The banquets were organized and songs were created in their honour. The new culture of supporting athletes was developing and the Knights of Lithuania were learning new chants and songs mostly in a friendly way.[...]