The 1920s were thought to be the "golden age of sports." Throughout the 1930s, however, capable athletes broke previous records in rapid succession. Swimmers swam faster, track stars ran faster, horses raced faster, and race-car and powerboat drivers broke new speed records. The rules of basketball and the design of the football were changed to make the games move faster and to increase scores. In the 1920s, single individuals—such as Babe Ruth 1895–1948) in baseball, Jack Dempsey (1895–1983) in boxing, and Bobby Jones (1902–1971) in golf—were called the best in their sport. In the 1930s, many athletes contributed to their sports. Few, except perhaps Joe Louis (1914–1981) in boxing, Babe Didrickson (1911–1956) in track and golf, and Jesse Owens (1913–1980) in track and field, became shining stars.

Because of the Great Depression (1929–41), many sports teams began attracting audiences in inventive ways. They started to find ways to earn...