Henry D. Fetter

Record numbers of Americans are tuning in to the U.S.'s World Cup games. But history suggests it's too early to declare that the sport has "arrived" here.

Superstitious horse-racing fans blame the current Triple Crown drought on a break with musical tradition. The supporting history is sketchy—but why not play the old song anyway?

France was a force in international tennis until political instability weakened its grip on the sport—and French tennis has yet to recover. 

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome will now compete at Belmont after all, but even a historic win there won't provide the popularity boost some expect for the sport.

She broke barriers by rising to the top in 1957, but since then the sport has become exclusionary in new ways.

Sportswriters have been noting the ever-waning popularity of pencil-and-paper scoring at the ballpark for decades, but the hobby lives on for some dedicated fans.

The last time a non-pro made a deep run at the Open was in 1971, when college golfer Jim Simons almost earned a spot in a playoff alongside Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino.

The last Triple Crown race has a renewed interest in showcasing its history, but it's missed an opportunity by not reinstating its cherished parade tune, "The Sidewalks of New York."

The Jackie Robinson biopic paints the Pittsburgh franchise as a laughingstock and a home to bigoted players—without much basis in historical fact.