Swansea historians feature in new Sport anthology
Work by two members of Swansea University's History Department feature in a new published anthology of the best sports writing from Wales.
Director of Research, Professor Huw Bowen, and Lecturer, Dr Martin Johnes, feature alongside luminaries such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton in Sport, the latest volume in the Library of Wales series, which promotes English-language literature about Wales.
The publication, which has a foreword by First Minister Rhodri Morgan, features works by some of Wales' most acclaimed novelists, short-story writers, journalists, historians, and poets.
Professor Bowen and Dr Johnes' contributions are extracts from essays based on their research.
Professor Bowen looks at the 1920’s Swansea Town forward Jack Fowler, while Dr Johnes explores the career of Fred Keenor, Captain of Cardiff City's 1927 FA Cup winning team, a subject on which he also recently presented a S4C documentary.
Professor Bowen, who is Professor of Modern History, said: "My research into sports history is only a hobby, motivated largely by my long-time – and long-suffering – support of the Swans. In this piece I simply wanted to recreate the popular experience of supporting Swansea Town during their glory years of the1920s when Jack Fowler was the local cult hero who created all sorts of goal-scoring records.
"My main research interests lie in the history of the British Empire so to have this essay selected alongside those of the First XI of writers on Welsh sport is very pleasing indeed."
Dr Johnes, who is also the author of the acclaimed A History of Sport in Wales (2005), said: "Sport is a very important part of Welsh culture and helps unite what can sometimes be a fragmented country. It's thus good to see writing about sport in Wales reaching a wider audience."
Sport, edited by Gareth Williams, is published by the Library of Wales, priced £9.99 (ISBN 9781902638898). For further information visit the Library of Wales website.
The social history of sport is an important theme within Swansea's History Department. Students are able to take modules in it at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. For further information about the History Department, visit the Department's website.
