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

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.