iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Josh Levin @joshuablevin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Last year, my grandfather told me about a football game he saw in person in 1944. It turned on a trick play so bizarre that it stuck in his head for 80+ years. In this episode of my sports history podcast Replay Booth, I set out to uncover what really happened. www.replaybooth.show/p/replay-boo...

replaybooth.show

Replay Booth, Episode 2: A History of Football in One Trick Play

What exactly did my grandfather see at LSU’s Tiger Stadium in 1944?

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Getting more real. The Christian history of basketball, from origins to the present, coming 2027.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Getting more real. The Christian history of basketball, from origins to the present, coming 2027.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Sports fandom seems to be having a moment right now. Some thoughts on faith, hope, and the formative possibilities of being a sports fan.

open.substack.com

Being a Sports Fan is an Act of Faith

On the formative possibilities of sports fandom

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

So this is cool. I was asked to talk about faith, hope, and sports fandom for a Washington Post story on the US men's soccer team. And a couple of my quotes made it into the piece. Read the whole thing here: wapo.st/4wdPTtS

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Death, taxes, and highbrow scholars turning their nostalgia for baseball into overwrought think pieces about America’s soul (to be fair, I actually enjoy this genre in all of its pretentiousness) www.plough.com/articles/run...

plough.com

Running in Circles | Plough

There is only one truly redemptive form of memory: baseball.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

My book was reviewed in the Journal of American History! And it was a positive review. Grateful for the thoughtful engagement.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Even for a Celtics fan like me, this New York Knicks title run felt special in a way that’s hard to describe. With some help from William James, I tried to explain why—and also what it says about the significance of sports. paulputz.substack.com/p/all-the-hu...

paulputz.substack.com

All the Human Heart Wants is Its Chance

Some thoughts on the New York Knicks and the meaning of sports

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

paulputz.substack.com

All the Human Heart Wants is Its Chance

Some thoughts on the New York Knicks and the meaning of sports

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

I wrote about basketball, Christianity, and the New York Knicks. Featuring the Black Episcopalians who built NYC’s hoops scene, the ex-evangelicals who helped the Knicks win two championships, the hype priests, the “God squad,” and much more. Read here: paulputz.substack.com/p/god-and-ba...

paulputz.substack.com

God and Basketball in the Big Apple

Moments in the Christian History of the New York Knicks

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

If you want to understand why the New York Knicks matter, this trio of books has you covered. From left to right, they tell the story of the team in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. All three are excellent, connecting the Knicks with the broader cultural and social world the team inhabits.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

A good piece for @rns.org on the Thunder's pre-game invocations and how they reflect the presence of religion in the NBA. I was able to share a few thoughts on the broader history of basketball's relationship with Christianity as well. religionnews.com/2026/05/29/f...

religionnews.com

From pregame invocations to cheering nuns, how NBA playoff teams embrace faith

(RNS) — The Oklahoma City Thunder is the only NBA team to hold a public, ecumenical invocation before the singing of the national anthem — a longstanding tradition that continues to confound basketbal...

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Some big news in my world: I’ll be joining the faculty at Truett Seminary as assistant professor of Christianity and Sports and as holder of the Riley Chair in Sports Ministry and Chaplaincy. I'll continue to direct FSI as well. Super grateful 🙏 More here: truettseminary.baylor.edu/news/story/2...

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

In my book I wrote about Jackie Robinson and his place at the intersection of sports and Christianity. Here’s one of those sections:

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Daniel Silliman @danielsilliman.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

What happens when you cross @paulputz.bsky.social and Banksy

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Truly incredible mail day. If you’re the kind of person who gets excited about both of these books, we should be friends.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Full draft of “Jesus and James Naismith” is complete! It tells the story of the deep relationship between basketball and Christianity, from Naismith and the origins of the game up to the present. More work ahead, but I can’t wait to get this out in the world with @eerdmansbooks.bsky.social

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

I wrote about Jesse Jackson's influence at the intersection of sports and Christianity open.substack.com/pub/paulputz...

open.substack.com

Jesse Jackson and the Christian Athlete Movement

Remembering Rev. Jackson's place at the intersection of sports and Christianity

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Me: I study the history of sports and Christianity. I’ve seen it all. Nothing would surprise. Mississippi Baptist Pastor: Hold my grape juice. (Full story here: mississippitoday.org/2026/02/13/t...)

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

We know that James Naismith created basketball out of his desire to "win men for the master through the gym." But did you also know that Black churches and Christian leaders shaped the early history of the game in key ways? My @christianitytoday.com piece: www.christianitytoday.com/2022/02/nba-...

christianitytoday.com

The Witness of the Black Church Rings Through NBA History - Christianity Today

Over 75 years of the professional league—and for decades before—Black Christians brought a social conscience to basketball.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Love seeing my friend Hunter Hampton's new book on football get some attention! Check out @johnfea1.bsky.social's review. And check out the book if you're into the study of religion and sports. www.christianitytoday.com/2026/01/book...

christianitytoday.com

How Football Shaped Christian Colleges - Christianity Today

Three history books to read this month.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

"Historiographically sophisticated, eminently readable, and narratively sound, The Spirit of the Game breaks new ground in the study of religion and sports in America." Grateful to @readingreligion.bsky.social for this generous review of my book! Read here: readingreligion.org/978019009106...

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

Coming this year, two new books that dive into the rise of sports gambling. I’ll be reading these for sure. To fight back and resist the domination of sports gambling in our current moment, we need to understand how we got here.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Something I never would have expected: a conference panel devoted to my book. Grateful for the careful engagement and thoughtful comments from these great scholars!

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Something I never would have expected: a conference panel devoted to my book. Grateful for the careful engagement and thoughtful comments from these great scholars!

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

2025 was my first full year with a book out in the world. My main takeaway: it is an incredibly rewarding thing to have careful readers who engage thoughtfully with your work. Here’s a roundup of some of the reviews. Grateful for them all!

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Happy release day to my friend Hunter Hampton! After hearing him talk through the ideas behind this project for years, it’s so cool to see it out in the world. Lots of great material, with chapters on Notre Dame, BYU, Wheaton, Baylor, Wiley, and Liberty.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Weekend reading! Religion, hoops, and history, there’s a very good chance I’m going to enjoy this.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Three of my favorite things combined in one interview: sports, Christianity, and the process of historical research. Check it out here: fromthevault.wheaton.edu/2025/12/12/i...

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Three of my favorite things combined in one interview: sports, Christianity, and the process of historical research. Check it out here: fromthevault.wheaton.edu/2025/12/12/i...

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Luke Epplin @lukeepplin.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

I've got a book coming out in February on Dr. J, Moses Malone and the 1983 76ers. Preorder through the publisher and we'll send you free custom-made basketball cards of Dr. J and Moses. www.hachettebookgroup.com/grand-centra...

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Who else is going to Boston this weekend for AAR/SBL? Hit me up if you'll be around and want to connect. And if you're free Saturday, check out our "new books in sports and religion" panel.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Special moment for me this week. Got to celebrate receiving the Guittard Book Award at Baylor: history.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/news/story/2... When I started the book project, our two youngest weren’t even born yet. Grateful for the incredible support my family has given me along the way!

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

A great mail day. New book from two of my favorite sports historians. And Justin Giboney’s latest. Can’t wait to dive in!

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

A great mail day. New book from two of my favorite sports historians. And Justin Giboney’s latest. Can’t wait to dive in!

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Josh Levin has made some of my favorite narrative history podcasts (Slow Burn, One Year). He has a new project that explores “history, sports, and the surprising threads that connect past and present.” Give it a listen so @joshuablevin.bsky.social can make more! open.substack.com/pub/replaybo...

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Benjamin Park @benjaminepark.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

If you are interested in the intersections of religion, college sports, and capitalism, then pre-order this book coming out December 1. It’s phenomenal.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Later this month I'll be at Wheaton College for a talk on my work as a historian of sports and Christianity in America. If you're in the area, please join us! Or if you're not but you know someone who is, please spread the word. More here: calendar.library.wheaton.edu/event/15257468

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

One of the best things about the work I get to do is that I often get to see/read some of the books in progress related to sports, religion, history, and/or theology. And I've got to tell you: There are some great books in the pipeline coming out over the next year or so.

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Paul Putz @paulputz.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Excited for this talk at Wheaton next month! If you’ll be in the Chicago area on October 30, come by for a talk about sports, American history, and evangelical Christianity.

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