Below are articles that provide histories and overviews of specific sports, including but not limited to baseball, basketball, hockey, and football. 

History of Baseball - Encyclopedia Britannica

• A comprehensive guide to the history of baseball, published by Encyclopedia Britannica. It discusses the early origins of the sport, the creation of professional leagues, and a thorough history of the main leagues in the United States of America.  It has been fact-checked by the editors at Encyclopedia Britannica. However, there isn’t a readily available reference page that allows users to check the source of information.

History of Baseball - Baseball Reference 

• A breakdown of baseball’s history created by Baseball reference, a well-known database for discovering baseball facts and statistics. It is often used daily by analysts and executives within the sport. It offers a very detailed timeline, so patrons are sure to learn much about the sport if they access this resource. Additionally, there is a “further reading” section if patrons wish to discover more.

History of Basketball - National Geographic

• A description of the history of basketball created by National Geographic. However, the article doesn’t dig too much into basketball’s history, especially the NBA’s, past the 1960’s, so users should be aware that it doesn’t contain much modern history of the sport.

History of American Football - Encyclopedia Britannica

• A comprehensive guide to the history of football, published by Encyclopedia Britannica. It discusses how the sport originated and developed from soccer and rugby, and details the journey of the sport. It also discusses the rules of the sport, so it may be of interest looking to learn how the sport works. It may also be of interest to patrons because it lists statistics and winners across various college and professional football seasons. It has been fact-checked by the editors at Encyclopedia Britannica. However, there isn’t a readily available reference page that allows users to check the source of information. 

History of United States Gymnastics 

• A journal article found in Google Scholar that discusses a history of United States gymnastics. The author, Abie Grossfeld, provides details on the early creation of the sport, its pioneers who propelled it forward, and various groups and organizations that developed it. Patrons may also enjoy it because it provides statistics and award winners across the 100 years of U.S gymnastics.

History of Basketball - Encyclopedia Britannica

• A comprehensive guide to the history of basketball, published by Encyclopedia Britannica. It discusses the early origins of the sport, the growth of the sport in high school and college, as well as both men’s and women’s professional basketball leagues in the United States.  It has been fact-checked by the editors at Encyclopedia Britannica. However, there isn’t a readily available reference page that allows users to check the source of information.

History of Basketball - YouTube video 

• YouTube video that explains the origins of basketball, the rules of the sport, and the creation of pivotal leagues such as the NCAA, NBA, and FIBA. May be suited for patrons looking for a simplification of the sport and something that isn’t as time-consuming as an article.

 Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States 

• A book written by Brian D. Bunk that analyzes the development of soccer, well-known for its global dominance as “the world’s sport,” across the United States. It is available in print as well as online through EBSCO. Patrons are able to access the full text if they choose to use the online version.

The History of United States Olympic Basketball from Berlin to Barcelona

• The best resource in the guide for users who have an interest in United States olympic basketball. It documents the history of this olympic sport starting in 1936 all the way until 1992, where the United States filed the legendary “dream team.” This full text article is available through uAlbany’s library subscription via ProQuest.

The history of women's professional basketball in the United States with an emphasis on the Old WBL and the New ABL and WNBA 

• This article gives a history of women’s basketball up until 1998. It does pay special attention to important women’s leagues that came before the creation of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the most well-known women’s basketball league. A full copy of the article is available through uAlbany’s library, however patrons at another college institution will have to check if they have access.