This volume presents for the first time the long-awaited translation of "Quest for Excitement," from which only a few chapters had previously been published in German. In collaboration with sports sociologist Eric Dunning, Elias outlines the history of the taming of aggression in sports. The texts discuss Greek wrestling, the fox hunting of English gentlemen, medieval forms of ball games, and today's football with its occasional outbreaks of violence in the audience. A multitude of detailed historical descriptions forms the foundation upon which the authors develop a sociological theory of the evolution of sports and games in relation to the process of civilization. Why do people spend their evenings and weekends engaging in sports? What impulses are involved in this passion for sports? What emotional needs and inclinations are at play?.