American Sports The United States is a sports-lovingnation.Sports in America take a variety of forms; organized competitivestruggles,which draw hugge crowds to cheer their favorite team to victory;athletic s,played for recreation anywhere sufficient space is found; andhunting and fishing.Most sports are seasonal,so that what is happening insports depends upon the time of year.Some sports are called spectator sports,asthe number of spectators really exceeds the number playing in the . Baseball is the most popular sportin the US.It is played throughout the spring and summer,and professionalbaseball teams play well into the fall.Although no other is exactly likebaseball,perhaps the one most nearly like it is the English of cricket(板球). Football is the most popular sport inthe fall.The originated as a college sport more than 75 years ago.It isstill played rby almost ever)r college and university in the country,and thefootball stadiums of some of the largest universities seat as many as 80,000people.The is not the same as European football or soccer.ln Americanfootball there are 11 players on each team,and they are dressed in paddeduniforms and helmets because the is rough and injuries are likely tooccur. Besketball is the winter sport inAmerican schools and colleges.Like football,basketball originated in the US andis not popular in other countries.Many Americans prefer it to football becauseit is played indoors throughout the wintcr and because it is a faster .Itis a very popular with high schools,and in more than 20 states,state-widehigh school matches are held yearly. Other spectator sports includewrestling,boxing,and horse racing.Although horse-racing fans call themselvessportsmen,the accuracy of the term is questionalole,as only the jockeys(骑师) who ride the horses in the races can be considered athletes.Theso-called sportsmen are the spectators,who do not“assemble" (聚集) primarily to see the horses race,but to bet upon the outcome ofeach race.Gambling is the attraction of horse racing.5. Many Americans like basketball better than football loecause the latter is so harsh that players have to wear special uniforms.