Final answer:
In the 19th century, the MCC promoted cricket upon the working class. The period featured sports like cricket and football as increasingly popular pastimes which helped to improve the lives and health of the working class and moved children away from labor and towards education.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 19th century, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) promoted cricket upon the working class. This was part of a broader movement during the period where various sports were actively being introduced and encouraged among the working class as a form of leisure and to promote physical fitness.
Popular pastimes like football gained traction among working-class urban dwellers during this era. Additionally, sports provided an alternative to the often harsh and unwelcoming environment of industrial work.
Cricket, like other sports, also served as a way to engage children positively, as child labor laws began to change, reducing child labor and promoting education. This period also saw reforms aimed at improving the lives of the working class, which included better working conditions, safety regulations, and the abolishment of child labor, thereby allowing more time for recreational activities.