Sports in Zion

"Sports in Zion is the first in-depth study of the central role sports and leisure played in shaping the modern Mormon religion. In this book, Richard Ian Kimball explores how Mormon leaders tapped the potential of using recreational programs to ameliorate the problems of the city and inculcate morals and values in LDS youth. As well as promoting sports as a means of physical and spiritual excellence, Progressive Era Mormons established a variety of institutions such as the Deseret Gymnasium and camps for girls and boys, all designed to compete with more "worldly" attractions and to socialize adolescents into the faith." "Kimball employs a wealth of source material including periodicals, diaries, journals, personal papers, and institutional records to illuminate this hitherto underexplored aspect of the LDS church. In addition to uncovering the historical roots of many Mormon institutions still visible today, Sports in Zion is a detailed look at the broader functions of recreation in society."--Jacket.