" Amateur sport was seen as necessary in honing the character of the elite members of British society, and violent bouts of rugby were praised for their character-building potential. However, as soon as a player tainted himself with the desire to make money, he risked losing his class status. Some sports, such as cricket, had so few lower-class devotees, the taint of amateurism was of little concern, while with horseback riding there was a clear division because of the lifestyle (and weight requirements) that separated for-profit flat racing and 'sporting' or 'squire-led' country hunting. But whenever the danger of...

Review of Amateurism in British Sport: It Matters Not Who Won or Lost?
D. Porter & S. Wagg (Ed). Institute of Historical Research. Review no.678.

URL: http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews / paper / porterwagg.html

Date accessed: 07 February 2010