This is a collection of essays on the symbolic role of sport in the delicate interplay of the superpowers during the Cold War, showing how sport and politics became inextricably intertwined.

Introduction, David L. Andrews, Stephen Wagg; Chapter 1 Totalitarian regimes and Cold War sport, Rob Beamish, Ian Ritchie; Chapter 2 Verbal gymnastics, Jenifer Parks; Chapter 3 Cold War expatriot sport, Robert E. Rinehart; Chapter 4 Cold War football, Ronnie Kowalski, Dilwyn Porter; Chapter 5 "Oscillating antagonism", John Bale; Chapter 6 "If you want the girl next door ...", Stephen Wagg; Chapter 7 The "muscle gap", Jeffrey Montez de Oca; Chapter 8 Good versus evil?, Paul Dimeo; Chapter 9 The Cold War and the (re)articulation of Canadian national identity, Jay Scherer, Gregory H. Duquette, Daniel S. Mason; Chapter 10 "One day, when the Yankees ..."*This chapter was originally published in Milton Jamail's book Full Count: Inside Cuban Baseball, pp. 1-12 and 119-30. © 2000 by the Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University, reprinted by permission., Milton H. Jamail; Chapter 11 Playing the "race card", Damion Thomas; Chapter 12 "Miraculous" masculinity meets militarization, Mary G. McDonald; Chapter 13 The Soviet Union and the Olympic Games of 1980 and 1984, Evelyn Mertin; Chapter 14 "Sport and politics don't mix", Susan Brownell; Chapter 15 Sport after the Cold War, James Riordan; Chapter 16 Performing America's past, Michael Silk, Bryan Bracey, Mark Falcous; Chapter 17 Beyond the stadium, and into the street, Eunha Koh, David L. Andrews, Ryan White;