Sociology of Nostalgia: Sport Halls of Fame and Museums in America.

Nostalgia is an important emotion in society that also has significance for the analysis of sport. Two types of nostalgia are discussed: collective and private nostalgia. The data for this paper were qualitative and collected at sport halls of fame, museums, and archives. Data collection procedures included people's responses and reactions to the displays, notes of people's conversations, analysis of sound tracks associated with the displays, photographs, and printed material from the halls of fame and museums. Nostalgia is defined in terms of the remembrance of the past that is imbued with positive feelings such as pleasure, joy, satisfaction, and goodness. These feelings may also be mixed with feelings of sadness. Some implications of nostalgia for the meanings associated with sport are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]