The power of numbers: a plea for more quantitative sports history

Citation

Vamplew W (2016) The power of numbers: a plea for more quantitative sports history. Sport in Society, 19 (3), pp. 313-320. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2015.1056574

Abstract
By drawing on examples, this article outlines the contribution that a statistical approach can make to sports history. It suggests that this has become neglected as sports historians have become increasingly influenced by the cultural turn. It argues that counting can strengthen arguments by providing a statistical basis for historical assertion; by allowing more effective comparisons to be made; and by enabling the testing of hypotheses. Finally, it suggests several major sports history projects that could be undertaken using large-scale quantified research.

Journal
Sport in Society: Volume 19, Issue 3